Wag-a-bond project

1/6/2016

 

Last year a local airplane guy and good friend of our chapter donated a Wag-a-bond project that was about 65-70% complete.  It included just about everything needed to get it flying other than the sweat and time!  Unfortunately our donor died before our crew, comonly refered to (jokingly)as "skunkworks", could get it flying.

 

Progress since has been slow but steady with about 5-6 members working on the "Waga" every Thursday night.  As it stands now the little bird should fly sometime in 2016.  It should be quite the performer with a 0235 lycoming up front and all efforts have been made to keep it lite!  Basicly, if we thru a part into the air, and it came back down....it was too heavy.  The bird is equipped with 2 wing tanks of 13 gal each, so range should be about 3 hrs endurance. 

 

Once completed and test hours flown off, the Waga-a-bond with either be given to the Vintage Flying Club Inc. (affiliate of VAA 16), or sold to fund other projects.  Either way, we're all haveing fun working on it.

 

The Wag-a-bond is an exact copy of Piper's little Vag-a-bond produced in the late 1940's, and was Piper's first "short wing" produced.  It could be purchased as the super cheap PA 15 with either a Lycoming 0145 with 65 hp, or the Continental A65 of the same power, single controls and no suspension in the langing gear.  They also produced a PA 17 with dual controls and bungie gear.  Both were produced with only 1 door.  Our Waga has dual controls and bungie gear, and doors on both sides.   The original Wag-a-bond would make about 80-85 mph with it's little 65,  ours should be 100+ with it's 100 hp 0235.

 

If you have any interest in working on this little bird, come on by the chapter hangar at Gardner Muni (K34) on Thursday nights at 7:15pm.

 

Kevin Pratt

Project Manager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Generosity brings us new project                                                                                                                              3/15/2015

 

Dr.Wade Robbinett was kind enough to donate a bunch of aircraft parts, as well as a project airframe he had been working on for years.  A wag-a-bond project that is 95% complete and pretty much just needs assembly and some minor fabrication to get it flying.  Our plan is to complete it in conjunction with the current Aeronca Champ project.  These parts and aircraft add nicely to our mission statement, and to the education of our members, and any and all others that wish to learn some of the basic aircraft building skills.

Thank you so much Doc Robinett!

Kevin Pratt