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Grumman Avenger down in Cocoa Beach, Florida

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Grumman Avenger down in Cocoa Beach, Florida

Old 21st Apr 2021, 19:30
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Originally Posted by treadigraph
Sycamore, I assume you never flew Stephen Grey's Wildcat? I think the standard method of undercarriage retraction/extension involved a considerable number of turns on a cranking mechanism, with the facility to crack yer knuckles if your hand slipped...

If Lomcevak reads this, he can probably confirm the first bit, hopefully not the second!
First confirmed, managed to avoid the second. If not well rigged then when lowering the gear it can free fall and the handle rotates very quickly! TFC’s is well rigged.
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Old 22nd Apr 2021, 00:36
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The Avenger glides like a brick. Heavy aircraft with lots of drag, windmilling prop or partial power. If you start turn the situation get worse quickly says I who just made it back to a runway in mine when the engine quite turning a reasonably tight base. I immediately pulled the gear up and left the flap as it was [about half] and at about 200' over the fence put the gear down and had "jellied" legs....
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Old 22nd Apr 2021, 22:57
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You have got to be seriously kidding....... words fail me re recovery.

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Old 23rd Apr 2021, 07:34
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The decision to write it off perhaps might have been made before the drag.
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Old 23rd Apr 2021, 07:44
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
You have got to be seriously kidding....... words fail me re recovery.

https://youtu.be/XSORkfEGTVI
Blancoilirio on YT has a video explaining why it had to be recovered that way. The initial plan was to support it with inflatable pontoons and tow it to a nearby inland waterway where it was to be lifted onto a lorry but the local authorities objected to that plan. As a result and because the crane couldn't get closer than the edge of the beach, it had t be dragged out as seen on the video you posted, He also pointed out that some of the damage to the torpedo bay doors probably happened overnight as they organised the recovery, when the Grumman grounded on the beach.
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Old 23rd Apr 2021, 08:46
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They`d have done better with a Chinook,or a -53/64....
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Old 23rd Apr 2021, 10:30
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Or even some rollers.
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Old 23rd Apr 2021, 13:05
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So why didn’t they float it with bags position it over a sledge and pull the sledge up the beach, heck even a boat trailer would have been better and simply modified to sit it on.
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Old 23rd Apr 2021, 13:42
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Originally Posted by West Coast
The decision to write it off perhaps might have been made before the drag.
I suspect that is the case, given the relative cost of another complete nut and bolt strip and rebuild vs. cost of just buying another already airworthy Avenger?
Probably trying to get it out as quick as possibly to salvage as many parts and components as they can before the salt ruins everything.
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Old 25th Apr 2021, 05:45
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Originally Posted by GeeRam
I suspect that is the case, given the relative cost of another complete nut and bolt strip and rebuild vs. cost of just buying another already airworthy Avenger?
Probably trying to get it out as quick as possibly to salvage as many parts and components as they can before the salt ruins everything.
GeeRam
One would have to wonder how many airworthy Avengers there are that are available to purchase.
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Old 25th Apr 2021, 08:21
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This one for starters...

https://www.platinumfighters.com/inv...bm-3e-avenger-

Mind you, I'd prefer the Bearcat they are also advertising but it is a teensy bit more expensive...
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Old 25th Apr 2021, 08:52
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tredigraph,
you should not have put up that link ! I should have been cutting the grass and was sidetracked to the site. The Waco Cabin Class would be my take home ! Or perhaps the SF 260.
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Old 25th Apr 2021, 12:44
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Well at least it’s not an SF260W so is a civilian model, bit of a pain getting spares for, the “factory” is geared towards the military.
Looked after one for quite a while, nice to fly in too, but took a lot of slowing down. It took us 6 months to get a nose leg for the one I looked after, getting motor brushes for the gear / flaps etc was a nightmare.
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Old 25th Apr 2021, 16:37
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Originally Posted by Bksmithca
GeeRam
One would have to wonder how many airworthy Avengers there are that are available to purchase.
That's relatively easy, there are about 30 currently airworthy TBM's in North America alone, and the airworthy one that was based in Switzerland has I believe recently sold for a lot less than the advertised price of the one in the ad that NutLoose linked to. With a 'value' of under $500k to buy, but a restoration cost of probably 3 to 4 times that, it will have to be a very dedicated team to undertake another restoration on this. Mind you, the Blenheim team did it, but they are a lot rarer!!!

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Old 25th Apr 2021, 18:06
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$495,000 USD, that’s a lot cheaper than I would have thought. Anyone want to go in halfs?
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Old 27th Apr 2021, 06:57
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From Dan Gryder ...
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Old 27th Apr 2021, 08:15
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Ouch!

As someone who regularly flies an 82-year old aeroplane, this makes appalling listening.

Mog
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Old 27th Apr 2021, 08:30
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Scary stuff.
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Old 28th Apr 2021, 05:54
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Scary indeed, and he's obviously not worried about defamation laws. Can I ask what his reputation is like? I find some people on the web who don't think highly of Dan Gryder, and I have no way to make a judgement.
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Old 28th Apr 2021, 06:34
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Sounds like the cowboys are going to stop us having nice things again ...
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