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Thread: Should I buy this Colt?

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Eufaula, OK
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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    Something I learned with my first airplane is that cracked paint on top can be a very bad thing. If allowed to go unrepaired, sunlight can get through the crack and ruin the fabric. I had a spot I decided to investigate by chipping the paint away on either side. The fabric (Dacron) looked fine except for the color. My finger went through the discolored spot when I pushed on it. That was the first spot I checked that day. The other spots checked out okay but I didn’t let them remain unprotected. I think the fabric was 25 years old. I can’t say how much of that was in a hangar. It was hangared when I bought it and kept in a lean-to before that.
    Last edited by Jeff J; 11-26-2020 at 01:55 PM.

  2. #12

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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    Quote Originally Posted by perrysplus View Post
    The Clipper is a better plane? Havent even looked at these, maybe I am missing something.
    Twice the airplane 4 seats instead a to, twice the ailerons rolls almost as fast as a Pitts if you jam that stick over LOL fun!, Ten times the fun.

    STC for a 160hp engine, oh and two sticks instead of stearing wheels

    The list goes on, I would steer cleer of that beat up Colt and buy a beat up Clipper if you are deadset on a beat up plane

  3. #13
    blue44's Avatar
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    Apr 2018
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    Sky Acres 44N
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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    and the Clipper is a tail dragger...
    Donn
    1949 Clipper PA-16 O-235

  4. #14
    dougclinton's Avatar
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    Jul 2012
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    LQK Pickens, SC
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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    Yeah, right. They only made Clippers for one year and they are RARE. So, if you can find one, maybe 500 or more miles away, it will cost you twice or three times the price of a Colt. And...if you are not tail wheel qualified you will have to invest in instruction. Then, your recreation will be limited by crosswinds. What do you want to do with the airplane? Cross country? If so, neither the Colt nor the Clipper is your choice. If you seldom leave the home patch find a good Colt or possibly a Tri Pacer, both of which are becoming hard to find because all airplanes are escalating in price. Then, think about it being a fabric covered machine. Will you hangar it at around $250 per month? Maybe a Piper Cherokee 140 parked outside is a better option.

  5. #15
    blue44's Avatar
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    Apr 2018
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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    Quote Originally Posted by PA-16 View Post
    Twice the airplane 4 seats instead a to, twice the ailerons rolls almost as fast as a Pitts if you jam that stick over LOL fun!, Ten times the fun.

    STC for a 160hp engine, oh and two sticks instead of steering wheels...
    PA-16 and Doug are both right, twice the seats but those 1949 lightweight people are nowhere to be found, sticks are cool though. Pretty much have to hangar any of these fabric birds if you can, we are preserving them for the next generation of flyers. N5972H was bought from the factory in 1950, as a rebuilt accident victim, and spent the next 68 years in the same hangar at the Orange-Athol Flying Club. 4,500 and change hours in the book, it's hangared down at Sky Acres, and it can take credit for any seat feel I have. Not the most logical cross country choice, but did fine on the way to Sun-N-Fun 2019. Probably need that engine STC to go out west, true. But for pancake breakfasts or regional, the Clipper can do fine, we have even done some grass strip camping. And tailwheel instruction might be the best investment long term... Cheers !
    Donn
    1949 Clipper PA-16 O-235

  6. #16
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Nov 2007
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    Graham, Texas, United States
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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    Used a Clipper as a cross country airplane for the past 25 years. Do some cross countries in my Super Cub. Depends on the individual. Clippers come up from time to time. Never get in a hurry buying an airplane.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Mar 2017
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    Frederick MD
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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Pierce View Post
    Used a Clipper as a cross country airplane for the past 25 years. Do some cross countries in my Super Cub. Depends on the individual. Clippers come up from time to time. Never get in a hurry buying an airplane.
    And never let emotion overpower your judgement! The best airplane I owned was a TriPacer that was ugly as sin. I didn’t want it, but needed an airplane to tow signs with. It was available at the right price. A faded pink metalized TriPacer with a very warm interior. Flew the pants off that thing and it grew on me.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  8. #18

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    Default Re: Should I buy this Colt?

    Quote Originally Posted by blue44 View Post
    PA-16 and Doug are both right, twice the seats but those 1949 lightweight people are nowhere to be found, sticks are cool though. Pretty much have to hangar any of these fabric birds if you can, we are preserving them for the next generation of flyers. N5972H was bought from the factory in 1950, as a rebuilt accident victim, and spent the next 68 years in the same hangar at the Orange-Athol Flying Club. 4,500 and change hours in the book, it's hangared down at Sky Acres, and it can take credit for any seat feel I have. Not the most logical cross country choice, but did fine on the way to Sun-N-Fun 2019. Probably need that engine STC to go out west, true. But for pancake breakfasts or regional, the Clipper can do fine, we have even done some grass strip camping. And tailwheel instruction might be the best investment long term... Cheers !
    And I’m working on an STC to increase gross by 100 lbs on the PA-16 to actually make it more useful for today’s size people.

    I used to fly in and out of Sky Acres quite a bit when I lived in NY, and worked for Styles part time for years doing inspections on all their rebuilds.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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