Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts


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Current Price: 8,850.00 USD

For Sale

Experimental Bushmaster/ Blanton V6-STOL/ Wag-Aero 2+2 Project looking for a good home. Similar to a Bearhawk at a fraction of the cost.

Too many projects and the realities of retirement necessitates the sale of this project. I have slightly over 1400 hours of labor invested.

I will entertain any reasonable offer. The project is located in El Paso TX (at KELP).  I can be reached at 915-503-7004.

This is an easy to finish project that will have no problem meeting the 51% rule for certification as an amateur built.  There is very little fabrication remaining, just assembly, cutting, fitting, covering, etc. The only welding remaining is attaching the cove mounting brackets to the hinge tubes on the left wing.

I have kept a detailed builders log, and extensive photographs. The Blanton V6 STOL manual, a set of Wag-Aero sportsman 2+2, and many piper drawings are included. A CD with all the piper drawings is available from the Short Wing Piper Club. Even though I am retiring, I plan to be around for a long time, and will be happy to answer questions to a new owner.

In broad terms the project consist of a ready to cover fuselage on conventional gear, ready to cover tail feathers, a ready to cover right wing, a left wing which has essentially all parts built, but needs to be assembled and covered.  Also, the flaps and ailerons for both wings are complete & ready to cover. There is nothing forward of the firewall except a conical motor mount.

This is not a showboat, just a good solid aircraft. If you are interested, please continue reading, and refer to the photos for more details.

This is a mixture of Piper factory parts, and built from scratch parts. There is so much here it’s hard to describe it all.  It is primarily built following the Blanton V6-STOL manual, the Wag-Aero 2+2 drawings, and original Piper factory drawings. There is no original paperwork, or data plates. I acquired an undamaged Tri-Pacer fuselage from a plane whose engine and wings were removed to repair a wrecked Super Cub, and then used as a “parts” plane. It was picked clean of parts. I bought a second fuselage and set of wings from a wrecked Tri-Pacer. This fuselage was badly damaged, mostly in the rear, but had most of its parts. The damage to the wings was not too bad, and was limited to the ribs, control surfaces, and leading edges. I also had some parts from a barely started Wag-Aero Sportsman 2+2 fuselage kit that was donated to me.

The undamaged Tri-Pacer Fuselage has been stretched ~ 20”, and converted to conventional gear. The width and location of the main wheels is the same as a late model Pacer. This is the same as specified in the Blanton manual. Toe Brakes have been added.  The control system is complete except the final connection to the wings, and is stock Tri-Pacer with all new control cables and new endless trim cable connected to standard piper jack screw, installed. The control pullies are a mixture of new, and used.  In the photos, you may notice components of Brittain wing leveler, but that has been removed, and is not included. 

The fuselage is essentially ready to cover. It Includes the original firewall, and a conical motor mount for Lycoming engines.  It has the original boot cowl, but it has some cracks, and elongated holes.  I think it could be repaired or certainly used as a pattern. No windshield.  Needs brakes and new tires. It comes with a used Scott 2400 tailwheel that is serviceable, but needs a little TLC.  All floor boards are there.   Includes all interior trim pieces and headliner bows. It has both front seats, but the pilot seat back is missing. The rear seat frame is there, but all these need re-covering. Or leave out the rear seat for hauling lots of cargo. I have old seat coverings that can be used as patterns.

The Tri Pacer wings are extended 20 “according to the Blanton instructions.  The spars are Tri-Pacer aluminum with the Blanton Spar reinforcement, the original compression members and drag wires were used, and two additional compression struts and braces were fabricated. There are 16 newly constructed wood ribs per wing as compared to 13 in the original Tri-Pacer wing. The ribs were built according to Wag-Aero 2+2 plans (same airfoil as original Piper). The leading edge is full wrap, full span made in three sections. The wings are squared off and have fiberglass droop tips. The outboard end of each wing has a removable threaded rod at the end of each spar. This allows the wing to be carried, or attached to the rotisserie gig (included), for covering, after the droop tips are installed.   Each wing has an 18-gal fuel tank which are from the Tri-Pacer. Both tanks were dented in on the top when the donor plane flipped over in the wreck. I was able to “pop” the dent out of the right tank with some low-pressure air (be careful! emphasis on low pressure). The left-wing tank is still dented, but I think the same procedure would work on this tank too.  The original fuel level sending units were no good. I have new, non-certified senders for both tanks, and installed one in the right tank, but not yet in the left.  There is also a lift reserve sensor mount in the right wing. The sensor (included) can be installed after covering. To complete the Lift reserve indicating system two flexible tubes need to be run from the wing root to the panel. Also, a differential pressure gauge (included) needs to be installed in the panel, the face of the gauge needs to be marked with the appropriate operating limits.

The right wing is essentially ready to cover, just needs a couple of small braces installed on the bottom of the butt rib.

The left wing is still somewhat together in its original configuration, but a lot disassembly has been done, and I continue to work on taking it apart.  (Most all the original ribs were damaged especially in the nose area).  Essentially all the parts to reconstruct the left wing have been built. Including new aileron cove material, and pre-cut leading edge skin. There is hardly any fabrication left, just fitting and assembly.

The control surfaces are complete. They are a combination of Tri-Pacer salvage, and newly built parts. The flap and aileron hinges, that are mounted to the spars, were newly fabricated following the Wag-Aero design. The flaps have been extended about 20” and have had a third hinge added, following Blanton’s instructions. The ailerons are the same size as the original Tri-Pacer but have been squared off.

Tail Feathers are newly built from scratch and ready for cover.

There are 3 front lift struts, and 2 rear lift struts. These haven’t been fully inspected, but they appear to be in good shape.

Included are the original front and rear doors plus baggage compartments. These are in fair condition and won’t require a lot of work.

The project includes a rotisserie jig for the fuselage, a wing rotisserie jig, and a wing rack.

These are some of the other parts that are included with the project, new throttle cable, tail brace wires, new fuel gauge,  lots of hardware, cabin heat air boxes, defrost tubes, rear cabin heat tube, wing tip nav lights, all the flap and aileron hinge pins, and much, much more.


Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts
Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts
Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts
Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts
Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts Experimental STOL Bushmaster type aircraft project Piper TRI PACER parts


Click here to purchase or contact the seller of this item on eBay