For Montana

[GregP]

Hi Montana,

I ran across the owner of the engine shop we were discussing awhile back, and he still has the Ranger Inverted V-12 pretty cheap.

Maybe you want to look it over while you are here locally.

If so, I can arrange it. Just let me know. :)

Oh yeah, many propellers fit!

[Montana]

Greg,

this summer, I'll be looking you right in the face, alive and personally. Mark that.

I am glad, the engine is still there. You don't know, how hard I was biting my knuckles last November, when, in www.barnstormers.com, the equipment of a COMPLETE ENGINE SHOP was sold, which was specialized in the Ranger 770 engine. They sold EVERYTHING, from TWO RANGER-ENGINES IN CRATES, to literally TONS (i.e. METRIC TONS!) of precious, new-old-stock parts and pieces.

I got a cardiac flutter, when I saw this ad the first time. All had to go for a laughable 50.000 bucks, complete!

At that moment, I was SOOOOOO close to murder that bloke, who still owes me 125,000 Euros, I swear...

Anyway, Greg - count on me. I'll be there this summer.

Until then: "Keep on riveting, Rosie!"

Cheers!

Montana

[GregP]

Hi Montana,

Speaking of riveting (and my name is NOT Rosie ...), we have finished the landing gear hydraulic cylinder bracket we have been working on for about a year. We were ready in mid-November last year, but waited until recently (for a batch process) to get the heat treatment to harden the Aluminum.

So ... about the only thing stopping us from putting the wings back on are two things:

1) Our annual airshow is taking place 17 - 18 May 08 and everyone is concentrating on AIRSHOW between now and then. If you can time your visit to be in Chino on those days, you'll see all our flyable aircraft fying. If not, well I understand an international trip NOT depending on an airshow ...

2) As long as the Hispano wings are off, it's a great time to strip them for painting. So ... we're probably going to do that before we put them back on.

After the "wings on" thing, we still need the hydraulic cylinders repaired. Still, nothing stopping the aircraft from being assembled into a semblance of a Buchon. Once done, it will be complete except for hydraulic cylinders, engine, and propeller.

Piece of cake! .... NOT! :)

And this Ranger V-12 is desperately in need of some nice SAI-403 Dardo in which to commit hosepower. Once in the air, it'll SING again. :D