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Pt-26
Looking into PT-26 restoration projects on behalf of a friend of mine serving under DoD contract in Afghanistan. This would be his first venture into warbird ownership and these aircraft seem like a good place to start. We are aware of concerns over the quality and condition of the wood structures. Anyone out there with tips, information or just PT-26 stories?
Bob H.
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Bob: Come on over to the FairchildClub website and the yahoo group. There are a number of PT restorers in the group and a wealth of information available. Center section spars are the big problem lcoation for rot. If the project has been sitting outside or in a high humidity area, there is a high probability of needing to rebuild the spars. It's not an easy task and it will take considerable time but it's doable. Mike Kelly, current club prez. has done a couple of them I believe.
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Pt-26a
The Fairchild PT-26 is a great airplane and a joy to fly. It's an authentic warbird that burns 10 gallons an hour. I have owned mine since 1985 and have flow it over 800 hours. If a Fairchild is properly restored it's easy to maintain. A basket case restoration is costly, but there are plenty of spare parts available.
You may want to look for a project that has already had the the center section and wings restored, or look for a plane that is already airworthy, in todays market it would be cheaper to buy a complete airworthy Fairchild as opposed to doing a restoration.
There is a great book call Cradle of Hero's by Herb Pluckett, he wrote the book after doing a complete ground up restoration of a basket case. He gives you great insight as to what is involved in a restoration of a PT. He also addresses engines modifications to reduce oil comsumption. My engine uses less than a half of quart per hour.
Paul
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Really a nice one.Thanks a lot for sharing.
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Anyone thinking about restoration of a PT series needs to talk to Joe Denest. The most beautiful PTs I have ever seen he built. I believe you can contact him thru his son Mike on the fairchild yahoo group.
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The book's title is "Sherman Fairchild's Pt-19: Cradle of Heroes". Pretty pricey from the usual online sources when you can find a copy. Amazon had 3 copies listed with pricing starting at $89 for a well used copy.
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