Warbird Information Exchange

Here is the only other I have of it ..

Nope thats a different bird, the close ups are the Taylorcraft L-2 followed by the Aeronca L-3. Looks like the number 36 is an Interstate belonging to the CAF, although it has been highly modified (morphadited, aborted) into something else. I'm queer for original.

Ober, did the Interstatencadat go back to Curt???

Lynn

It settled on the East coast, but I think his lawyer got it after the ATF fiasco. Now that I see the close up of the supposed L-6, I see the CAF has got themselves another fine Artic Tern (L-6 wanna be). Real men fly behind Franklins, don't put their luggage latches on cowling, and leave the tailwheel where it belongs.

Do you still have the lump on the back of your hand that yours gave you??

Lynn

Still feel it when the weather is going to change. The last time I saw a picture of my old bird it was repaired and at Reno at the Rolls Royce competition. Don't know if it was entered or won anything but it was on the ramp with the other competitors.

Franklin engines suck. Period. Yes all of them.

I disagree completely. And yes I have flown behind them. Lycoming O-145 engines suck. Valves usually.

Let me clarify my remark a little. "Real men fly Franklin's" I had one blow up on me 8 minutes after takeoff, on my first flight in a Stinson 108-3. I had to make a dead stick landing, from the right seat, with no brakes , on an 1800' grass strip with the entire windshield covered in oil except for a small plate sized clear spot on the far right side of the windshield. It was not a fun moment, and I believe a modern Lycoming or Continental would be a lot safer alternative.
I think the L-5, L-13, H-13, H-23, Seabee, etc. are otherwise great aircraft.

They are still building Franklins by the way (I think). You may have had a bad experience, but I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with the design.

So what caused the "blow-up"?

Yes I would to be interested in what caused the blow up. No matter what you can't blame the brakes on the Franklin. Maybe we can discuss it over a beer sometime, but I still think they are a quality well engineered engine. The Poles (PZL) sold out to P&W Canada and they will not spin off the Franklin production citing liability concerns so no new engine construction although there is now an abundance of parts and the engines are no longered orphoned. The main problem with Franklins would be overcome if we could still buy 80/87!

This was ten or twelve years ago, and the buyer paid about $16,000 for the Stinson. It looked great and I inspected it closely, and it had new hoses, paint, flight control cables, lot os things you like to see. It had just came out of annual inspection and had a fresh top overhaul. The engine was dry as a pin.
We did a proper pretakeoff run up and checklist, and the engine blew about three minutes after takeoff, oil pressure going to zero and oil blowing everywhere. Postflight, there was oil all over the place. I used plenty of "adult military phraseology" that he needed to repeat back to the seller and the IA that signed the annual off and I never talked to the guy again. I think he had a lot of junk parts in his engine.
Yes, accidents happen in "3's" and while confident in my flying,(over confident), it would have been smarter to fly left seat first and swap over later.