Warbird Information Exchange

Questions for the experts. What does it cost to overhaul a Gipsy Major 7 or similar for the Chipmunk, Tiger Moth and Auster type warbirds? Are there any available to purchase rebuilt and ready to go? How many hours can an owner expect to get between overhauls? Thanks

Most of the Gypsies I've been involved with have not been on specific overhaul cycles, instead being evaluated 'on condition' and the 'hours to run' assessed.

You would be able to find out more from a real expert:

Colin Smith
Croydon Aircraft Company
Old Mandeville Airfield
nr. Gore
South Island
New Zealand

or contact him via his website:

www.croydonaircraft.com

Cheers

Barry

_________________
Little Johnny : "When I grow up I want to be a pilot!"

Johnny's Mother : "Don't be silly Dear - you can't do both!"

Thanks!

Or possibly Vintec in the U.K., they're used to doing them.

No idea now, but I recall someone getting their's done by Vintec in the UK about 13-14 years ago, and the bill was £20k back then.

Twenty thousand sounds an awful lot for just a Gypsy.

Another avenue for you might be to contact Wal Denholm at Avspecs, Ardmore. He certainly will have the capability to sort out a Gypsy Major.

Possibly a lot cheaper than over in the UK as the NZ/USD/GBP exchange rates over the years have served to make New Zealand quite an attractive place for aircraft/engine restorations.

It's no accident that Avspecs and other NZ restoration companies are regularly churning out the Mosquitos, P40's, Spitfires, etc for overseas owners.

Good quality work too (but then I'm a Kiwi and biased).

Cheers

Bazza

_________________
Little Johnny : "When I grow up I want to be a pilot!"

Johnny's Mother : "Don't be silly Dear - you can't do both!"

The bottom end of a Gipsy Major is built like a brick $^&*house.
It is normal to get well over 1500 hours on the bottom end. (even up to 2000 on condition)

Top overhauls should get a well cared for engine 500 hours plus.

The type responsibility for the Gipsy Major is held by Deltair in the U.K.
I had a tour of their shop this past summer and they are knowledgeable, capable and well equipped.

I also toured the shop at Vintech. Again, knowledgeable, capable and well equipped.

The cost of your overhaul is going to be largely affected by what you have to start with.

A very big part of the cost for us North Americans, is the shipping.

Here are a couple of links I hope you find useful.

http://www.deltair-aerospace.co.uk/engi ... sy-engines

mail@vintech.aero

Andy Scott

I'd be inclined to consider NZ. Colin Smith, Croydon Aircraft, as was said. That place is a DH factory, and when you enter the door it's like going back in time -- in a good way!

The Fox Moth I occasionally fly has a Colin Smith engine, and it is the smoothest, cleanest Gipsy I've ever encountered.

There are a couple of people in Canada who can do it, but both are very busy with other projects this winter.

There are a few people who rebuild Gipsy majors in NZ. Bob McGarry was doing them here in Christchurch but may have retired now plus a chap in Auckland whose name escapes me. As far as price goes last one I heard was done by South Air a year or so ago for the Omaka based Tiger Moth. Was about NZ$40000 which for a company like South Air would be about right. Price depends on what needs replacing/work to be out sourced/etc. Over the ditch in Australia prices like A$25-30K have been bandied about. As was mentioned the bottom end (the top as it's inverted lol) is pretty bullet proof. Its the heads and valves that can be a problem.

The other aspect of NZ repair/restoration is that their CAA is the most sensible and practical regulatory authority I've ever heard of. I have been involved with 2 aircraft restorations and importations from there, and I was extremely impressed. The NZ CAA seems to protect the public without endangering the industry -- and that is quite an accomplishment.

So, a Gipsy overhauled there will have an Approval which will be recognized in any ICAO country, but you, the owner, will not have to pay for unfortunate rulings that have their source in people who are only familiar with Cessna and Pipers and have no knowledge of vintage aircraft technologies.

For example, the pedestals that support the middle Gipsy crankshaft bearings were often rough-cast during WWII. There are unsmoothed surfaces and some shallow cracks. They don't fail in use, period. But if you send them to a modern engine overhauler, they NDT them and send them back, saying they are out of tolerance -- and quote regulatory standards. Pure nonsense, because the parts are overbuilt, but judging an apple by the standards of a melon leads to expensive solutions.

Anyway, I love the NZ CAA.

Look at this video -- firing machine guns from a P-40 at an airshow for Pete's sake -- Kiwis are great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO3gE7VA0Hs