Moving a T-6 in/out of hangar

[Fearless Tower]

Inching closer to actually buying this SNJ and have a question for those who keep their's in a hangar - what do you use to get the airplane in an out of the barn?

I expect that the majority of my flying the first year or two will be solo, so I suspect that pushing ~4500 lbs in and out of the hangar is not so feasible.

Do I need an actual aircraft tug, or does anyone know of any motorized tow-bars that would work?

Thanks!

[Rod Schneider]

A friend of mine has a T6 and we use a golf cart to move it around. Works well!

[Matt Gunsch]

1985 El Camino does the job very nicely..........

[51fixer]

Large ATV works or a jeep.
Tug works best.
Get a good towbar.
I've repaired more items from ground handling incidents than from flying incidents.
Make sure control lock is connected and isn't worn or mis adjusted. If it pops out in the middle of towing its hard on the steering parts.
Make sure the back of the hangar, like a T hangar, has extra room as the back end will move side to side as the tail wheel rotates from facing forward to facing aft.
Over the years I've seen many tugs that should have been scrapped towing multimillion $ Aircraft.
I've also seen pintle hitches used that wouldn't lock and elevators smashed because the towbar jumped off.
Saw the results of almost removing a nose gear from an Avanti. $650K damage.
I've fixed horizontal tips drug along the metal siding at the rear of the hangar.
I've seen prop blades strike the overhead door.

Just be careful before you can grab the cold one at the end of the day.

[Fearless Tower]

A friend of mine has a T6 and we use a golf cart to move it around. Works well!

Golf cart has enough juice?

Electric or gas powered?

[Fearless Tower]

What is the easiest to manuever the airplane? Using the large towbars that attach the the mains, or the kind that lifts the tailwheel off the ground and pushes/pulls from behind?

[Rod Schneider]

A friend of mine has a T6 and we use a golf cart to move it around. Works well!

Golf cart has enough juice?

Electric or gas powered?

Electric cart--I've towed the T-6 all over the airport with it, using a towbar that hooks up to the main gear. No trouble at all!

[The Inspector]

A large riding mower less it's horticultural attachments has enough grunt to move a Max Holst Brousard in and out of a hanger on KPAE.

[51fixer]

What is the easiest to manuever the airplane? Using the large towbars that attach the the mains, or the kind that lifts the tailwheel off the ground and pushes/pulls from behind?

Towbar lugs on the main gear axles.
The uplock rollers hang down off of them.

[Stoney]

I made a T-6 tow bar out of 2" square tubing x 10', welded 6" rods on one end and a plate bolted to the other end with a 2" round hole for a pintle hook, worked fine for 24 years.

[Jerry O'Neill]

I have a buddy who tows his in and out using a two wheel motorized dolly on the tail wheel.

[cooper9411]

By the mains or tail, either way works. You just need to decide which way suits you and you are comfortable with.

[Glenn Wegman]

I moved mine in and out of the hangar manually, by myself, for six years. I was a quite bit younger then, and liked flying it.

[ZRX61]

Have a word with Pete, he's made a few P51/T6 tow bars.... & last time I was at his hangar there seemed to be a spare tug or two about the place..

[AvroAvian]

A tow hitch mounted to the front of the tug, so you are facing the aeroplane when pushing it back into the hangar is so much easier and safer too.