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Greetings from an old/inactive forum member, some of you older folks may remember me from many years ago, I've owned four different Taylorcrafts over the last 35+ years.
I have good news for those of you on the West Coast, the horrible story of the 1941 Taylorcraft that had been tied out and left to rot for 30 years at Porterville, CA will have a happy ending after all. The airplane has been purchased and will be rescued! It had been put up as collateral towards some loan or debt owed to Harry Deliker (or Dellicker) at the Porterville airport.
Harry left it tied down in the same spot rotting, and every T-craft enthusiast within 100 miles had begged him to sell it, let it go, donate it, or at least put it in his Del-Air hangar. He just outright refused, likely out of mean-ness or spite. Harry went West a few years back, and his shop hand took over Del-Air, and has finally decided to let it go. My friend just went up there today and handed over some cash and bought it. He'll be going back in a day or two with a trailer, and he has full intent to repair/refurbish/restore the airplane back to flying condition!
The airplane is rotted but not physically damaged. It'll need absolutely everything starting with sandblast and likely a couple of tubes repaired, spars, and a full 'basket case' restoration. But the Porterville Ghost will live to fly again!
I'm sharing this with all of you because I know many many people know the story of tis airplane and had prayed someone would save it. That is now happening! I'll tell Paul to join this forum and become a member of the T-craft community, and hopefully you all can embrace and assist him as you have done for so many others.
Bill Berle / Victor Bravo / EZ Flap / IF1 Race 81
I have good news for those of you on the West Coast, the horrible story of the 1941 Taylorcraft that had been tied out and left to rot for 30 years at Porterville, CA will have a happy ending after all. The airplane has been purchased and will be rescued! It had been put up as collateral towards some loan or debt owed to Harry Deliker (or Dellicker) at the Porterville airport.
Harry left it tied down in the same spot rotting, and every T-craft enthusiast within 100 miles had begged him to sell it, let it go, donate it, or at least put it in his Del-Air hangar. He just outright refused, likely out of mean-ness or spite. Harry went West a few years back, and his shop hand took over Del-Air, and has finally decided to let it go. My friend just went up there today and handed over some cash and bought it. He'll be going back in a day or two with a trailer, and he has full intent to repair/refurbish/restore the airplane back to flying condition!
The airplane is rotted but not physically damaged. It'll need absolutely everything starting with sandblast and likely a couple of tubes repaired, spars, and a full 'basket case' restoration. But the Porterville Ghost will live to fly again!
I'm sharing this with all of you because I know many many people know the story of tis airplane and had prayed someone would save it. That is now happening! I'll tell Paul to join this forum and become a member of the T-craft community, and hopefully you all can embrace and assist him as you have done for so many others.
Bill Berle / Victor Bravo / EZ Flap / IF1 Race 81
Definitly not guaranteed that I'll sell my spam can, and definitely not guaranteed that I will be able to buy my fifth Taylorcraft. And as if the BC-12-100 is not enough temptation, Bob Frederick has my old Auster Mk. V / Autocrat for sale!
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