old bellancas

I believe it was the first or second Columbia Fly-in that we had both a 14-9 (with a much larger engine) and a 14-12-F3. The F3 also had a slightly larger than original engine. A Franklin 150 as opposed to what I think was 125 HP Franklin in it originally. As some of you know, I live on a shut down airport (it was open when I bought here) and at one time I owned several parcels along side the runway. This is old ranch country, and there was a typical junk pile under some brush on the property, that had old farm parts and model T parts, etc. I was looking at this junk pile one day, and realized that there was part of an old fuselage among the scrap. I pulled it out and discovered it was the center section of a low wing Bellanca. I called Dan, and described the details, and he told me it was from a 14-9. I contacted one of the original owners of the airport, and he didnt remember any Bellanca crashing, or being abandoned on the field. It is just one of the little Bellanca mysteries. I am glad this part of the forum has gotten a jump start. _____Grant.
 
I was at the Columbia fly-in when the 14-9 was there. As I recall, it was NC 130E, with a 180 Lycoming.
This was a former CAA airplane with the registration NC 130. It came from SoCal and is probably still there.
I don't remember the 14-12F3...it wasn't the airplane I have now. There is another 14-12F3 active in Kingman, AZ.,NC28974.
The 14-12F3 was originally powered by the Franklin 6AC-264F3, 120 Hp. engine. This is a rare engine. I doubt more than 25-30 were built. When the 150 Franklin became available after WW2, most surviving 14-12F3s were converted to this engine. The factory issued a bulletin that stated the engine was allowed if Bellanca drawing #XXXX was complied with. It was basically an R and R job with very few changes.
Only 13 14-12F3s were built before Bellanca moved into subcontracting work for Fairchild and Martin during WW2.
Dan
 
The 14-12 F3 that was at Columbia was the one from Arizona. I saw it 6 or 7 years ago when I was down there. It is rarely flown now, as the owner has an Aerocommander as his family plane. The Bellanca is hangered, so wont die outside. The owner also has the coolest replica Daytona race car that I have ever seen. It has a Rolls Royce PT boat V12 in it. I didnt realize that they were about 50% more displacement than a Merlin. The locals tell me that when he runs it up and down the taxi way, you can hear it for miles. WOW. ______Grant.
 
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