This airframe had close to 40 hours of flight testing logged but never completed the certification process. The new owner will have to start the process over again. The owner/builder died before he could complete the process and enjoy the fruits of his labor.

The plane sat in a dry hangar for 20 years before some unscrupulous person took advantage of the widow and offered her pennies on the dollar, as he was only interested in the engine and instruments.  

The airframe sat in his dry hangar for a few more years.  Rather than sell the airframe and give the proceeds to the widow, he GAVE the plane to a young man who was building another Smith. This new owner put the plane on eBay, and a friend of mine bought it.

We here at CONTACT! Magazine decided that this little plane needed a good home, so we bought it and intended to put a Corvair engine on it. Additionally we planned to paint CONTACT! Magazine on the side, and begin a speaking tour with it, meeting with EAA chapters, presenting our charity mission. This plane epitomizes the need for our charity, and we felt what better plane to use for this work.

You can read more about our charity by clicking this button  

But good sense befell us, as this really isn’t the plane to do any x-country work in, nor is it good for carrying passengers (it’s a single seater) so we decided to sell the plane and use the proceeds to help fund the charity.

The airframe is very complete.  We took off the front aluminum skin, to gain access to the rudder pedals, as we planned to move them forward. They are currently in the stock location, but I’m 6’ and 210 pounds, so I didn’t fit as well as the “average” EAAer. We never actually got any further than removing the skin, so a few pop-rivets and some sheet metal screws, and the front is covered again.

The steel fuel tank was showing signs of seepage, so I removed it and drained it of all fuel, with the plan to work on the welded seams. No work was actually done to the tank, and the fuel stains are still visible for the next person to see and work on the leak(s).

Everything needed to completely assembly and rig the plane is included. The only things missing are throttle lever (and other engine type controls such as mixture, carb heat, etc) instrumentation, and everything it will take to hang and feed your engine of choice.  The airframe did come with a flight tested 0-235 engine mount, which will be included. The brake master cylinders have been removed, but the wheel cylinders (Cub style drum brakes) are still intact and in great mechanical shape.

The paint is in real good shape, although the covering (Stitts I believe) has never been tested. If you decide to buy this plane, you would be welcome to have the covering tested and inspected to your heart’s content before fully committing to the sale, I just ask that you don’t do anything destructive other than what normal A&P type condition testing would produce.

Although none of the photos show them, the flying and landing wires are included. Half the wires are stainless steel, the other half are plated, and I don’t remember which are which.

 The plane is Located in Hanford CA 93230 (HJO)

Please Contact Patrick Panzera via e-mail at Editor@ContactMagazine.com