Caproni A-21SJ

[[email protected]]

Hello Nick,

We emailed years back when I was flying to Houston in order to schedule a visit. This didn't happen however I
like to give it another try. I am sending this email from Tocumwal Australia where I am picking up a A-21-S build by Gomolzig
in Germany more then 10 years ago. It was meant to be converted into a Jet with a modified TR-18 The project stalled this year and
two planes where sold. Strange thing is that this aircraft has the same serial as yours? 257...
There is a new engine available from the Netherlands with almost 1600N thrust, would you be interested in converting to
this powerful engine? How is your ship? are you flying at all? I be flying to the US next year and maybe have a chance to visit you this time.

Greetings,

Jeroen Peter Bakker

[Mike the Strike]

Wow - a Caproni thread from 18 years ago brought back to life! Is this a record?

I also wonder how many RAS folks even know what one is or have even flown one (I am one of the few, having flown a non-jet version in the 1980's!)

Mike

[Bob Whelan[_3_]]

On 12/5/2013 8:58 AM, Mike the Strike wrote:
> Wow - a Caproni thread from 18 years ago brought back to life! Is this a
> record?
>
> I also wonder how many RAS folks even know what one is or have even flown
> one (I am one of the few, having flown a non-jet version in the 1980's!)
>
> Mike
>

I saw an A-21SJ perform in an airshow in 1972 (Transpo 72!) before I got into
soaring several months later that year; even have a slide (remember them?!) or
two of it in action.

Next read about 'em in Moffat's original "Winning".

Then actually flew an HP-14 in a fun contest - in which an A-21S also
participated - at the old Black Forest in the late 1970s. "Volunteers" avoided
rigging it even more than they avoided rigging the HP-14!

Bob - it's 2F outside - W.

[Dan Marotta]

We had one at the new Black Forest in the 90s. It sat forlornly in a
hangar. I never saw it derigged or flown.

Its owner (I don't recall his name) took it with him when he moved to
Mississippi.



"Bob Whelan" > wrote in message
...
> On 12/5/2013 8:58 AM, Mike the Strike wrote:
>> Wow - a Caproni thread from 18 years ago brought back to life! Is this a
>> record?
>>
>> I also wonder how many RAS folks even know what one is or have even flown
>> one (I am one of the few, having flown a non-jet version in the 1980's!)
>>
>> Mike
>>
>
> I saw an A-21SJ perform in an airshow in 1972 (Transpo 72!) before I got
> into soaring several months later that year; even have a slide (remember
> them?!) or two of it in action.
>
> Next read about 'em in Moffat's original "Winning".
>
> Then actually flew an HP-14 in a fun contest - in which an A-21S also
> participated - at the old Black Forest in the late 1970s. "Volunteers"
> avoided rigging it even more than they avoided rigging the HP-14!
>
> Bob - it's 2F outside - W.

[James Lee]

On Thursday, December 5, 2013 11:57:51 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
> We had one at the new Black Forest in the 90s. It sat forlornly in a
>
> hangar. I never saw it derigged or flown.
>
>
>
> Its owner (I don't recall his name) took it with him when he moved to
>
> Mississippi.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Bob Whelan" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > On 12/5/2013 8:58 AM, Mike the Strike wrote:
>
> >> Wow - a Caproni thread from 18 years ago brought back to life! Is this a
>
> >> record?
>
> >>
>
> >> I also wonder how many RAS folks even know what one is or have even flown
>
> >> one (I am one of the few, having flown a non-jet version in the 1980's!)
>
> >>
>
> >> Mike
>
> >>
>
> >
>
> > I saw an A-21SJ perform in an airshow in 1972 (Transpo 72!) before I got
>
> > into soaring several months later that year; even have a slide (remember
>
> > them?!) or two of it in action.
>
> >
>
> > Next read about 'em in Moffat's original "Winning".
>
> >
>
> > Then actually flew an HP-14 in a fun contest - in which an A-21S also
>
> > participated - at the old Black Forest in the late 1970s. "Volunteers"
>
> > avoided rigging it even more than they avoided rigging the HP-14!
>
> >
>
> > Bob - it's 2F outside - W.

I had the pleasure of riding in my instructor's beautiful Caproni "AS" last year - our picture was in Soaring! Wonderful ship. No jet, but lots of fun.

[Craig Funston[_2_]]

On Thursday, December 5, 2013 11:18:20 AM UTC-8, James Lee wrote:
> On Thursday, December 5, 2013 11:57:51 AM UTC-5, Dan Marotta wrote:
>
> > We had one at the new Black Forest in the 90s. It sat forlornly in a
>
> >
>
> > hangar. I never saw it derigged or flown.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Its owner (I don't recall his name) took it with him when he moved to
>
> >
>
> > Mississippi.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > "Bob Whelan" > wrote in message
>
> >
>
> > ...
>
> >
>
> > > On 12/5/2013 8:58 AM, Mike the Strike wrote:
>
> >
>
> > >> Wow - a Caproni thread from 18 years ago brought back to life! Is this a
>
> >
>
> > >> record?
>
> >
>
> > >>
>
> >
>
> > >> I also wonder how many RAS folks even know what one is or have even flown
>
> >
>
> > >> one (I am one of the few, having flown a non-jet version in the 1980's!)
>
> >
>
> > >>
>
> >
>
> > >> Mike
>
> >
>
> > >>
>
> >
>
> > >
>
> >
>
> > > I saw an A-21SJ perform in an airshow in 1972 (Transpo 72!) before I got
>
> >
>
> > > into soaring several months later that year; even have a slide (remember
>
> >
>
> > > them?!) or two of it in action.
>
> >
>
> > >
>
> >
>
> > > Next read about 'em in Moffat's original "Winning".
>
> >
>
> > >
>
> >
>
> > > Then actually flew an HP-14 in a fun contest - in which an A-21S also
>
> >
>
> > > participated - at the old Black Forest in the late 1970s. "Volunteers"
>
> >
>
> > > avoided rigging it even more than they avoided rigging the HP-14!
>
> >
>
> > >
>
> >
>
> > > Bob - it's 2F outside - W.
>
>
>
> I had the pleasure of riding in my instructor's beautiful Caproni "AS" last year - our picture was in Soaring! Wonderful ship. No jet, but lots of fun.

There's a very nice jet version in Ephrata Washington http://flightlog.seven-alpha.com/ca.html

Craig

[son_of_flubber]

On Thursday, December 5, 2013 10:58:12 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
> Wow - a Caproni thread from 18 years ago brought back to life! Is this a record?

It will be outstanding if Nick Leonard replies.

[Dan Marotta]

Would that be Nick Leonard of Pipe Creek, TX? I've got quite a story...


"son_of_flubber" > wrote in message
...
> On Thursday, December 5, 2013 10:58:12 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
>> Wow - a Caproni thread from 18 years ago brought back to life! Is this a
>> record?
>
> It will be outstanding if Nick Leonard replies.

[[email protected]]

Hi, Dan! A friend alerted me to the A21SJ. Thread being picked up...after these many years..gasp!
Re the Capronis...still have both I-Jett and Starship ...that's the last one made..number 257. The A us bird we called DUE. Pron dou-way. She is not 257...That was a number of convenience.
Have considered re-engining at least one of the birds....right now both girls are in storage pending more time in future.
Dan...you should tell how we met up.....it is a hoot. The most perfect contract ever !

Cheers,

Nick L.

[Dan Marotta]

Indeed it was, Nick, so here goes...

It was April 2, 1988 (I looked in my logbook) at Marfa, TX. I was there
with a group from the Texas Soaring Association (TSA) and had my grungy,
beat up Mosquito. I saw this guy (Nick) pulling a glider out of the trailer
and went over to offer assistance.

It was an ASW-19b freshly restored after a trip through a barbed wire fence
and finished like brand new. It had a lightening bolt flashed across the
fin and the contest letters, ZAP. There was also a Porsche prancing horse
on the instrument panel
(http://flippies.com/adflipoff/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/e9e62_porsche-logo-05.jpg)
or was it the Ferrari logo? I'm not sure... I still have the digital stop
watch that was velcroed to the panel. It served me in my next three
gliders, two LS-6s and my current LAK-17a. It's retired to my dresser now
but is still running after 25 years. I think I replaced the battery once in
all that time.

I remarked on how great the ship looked and Nick told me all about the
restoration. He then asked what I was flying and I told him it was a
Mosquito. He said that the Mosquito was his favorite ship and I immediately
offered to trade with him even-up. I also asked what it would cost to
finish the Mosquito to the same standard as his -19. I gasped at the
number...

We flew our gliders that day and, that night at dinner in Alpine, TX,
decided to swap ships for the next day. Thermalling together on April 3,
and discussing each others' gliders, one or the other of us, I don't recall
which, allowed that we could make an even swap!

After landing, Nick rummaged through his papers and found one FAA bill of
sale. Since we didn't have two forms, we flipped a coin to see who would
get the official document. I won and Nick sold me his -19 for a dollar and
other valuable considerations. I wrote out a bill of sale on the back of an
envelope and handed it over to Nick with the promise that, upon returning to
Dallas, I'd execute a proper bill of sale and mail it to him. He accepted
my word and I followed through.

What a perfect contract, as Nick said - thermalling together and closing the
deal in flight!

Thanks for the memories, Nick!

BTW, someone else on this news group is still flying ZAP. Maybe he'll join
it.

Dan

> wrote in message
...
> Hi, Dan! A friend alerted me to the A21SJ. Thread being picked up...after
> these many years..gasp!
> Re the Capronis...still have both I-Jett and Starship ...that's the last
> one made..number 257. The A us bird we called DUE. Pron dou-way. She is
> not 257...That was a number of convenience.
> Have considered re-engining at least one of the birds....right now both
> girls are in storage pending more time in future.
> Dan...you should tell how we met up.....it is a hoot. The most perfect
> contract ever !
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nick L.

[son_of_flubber]

Go ahead.

http://member.guinnessworldrecords.com/register/register.aspx?existing=0

[[email protected]]

Thanks for that,Dan. The idea of acquiring a sailplane whilst thermalling at Marta is too neat to forget!
You might be amused to note that I still own a Missile....the last serial numbered one in the Americas,I believe. I still think a great deal of that sailplane!
Cheers,
Nick L.