The Stinson 108 Voyager My Personal Questions about the Stinson 108 By Larry Westin - February 12, 1996 http://personalpages.tdstelme.net/~westin Updated - Rev G - 6/24/00 In researching the Stinson 108 I have encountered some questions which I would like to find additional information about. If anyone has more information about any of my questions please contact me at: Postal Address E-Mail Larry Westin Larry Westin 233 Pratt Road westin@tdstelme.net Newport, Maine U.S.A. 04953 6 - The Spanish AF is the only military service I am aware of which used the Stinson 108 (I'm not counting Stinson 108's seen in movies with false paint schemes). Apparently 18 Stinson 108-3's were purchased by Spain and identified as the L.2. Would particularly like to know construction numbers (serial numbers) for these airplanes, whether Spain purchased the airplanes new from Stinson or acquired them second hand. Pete from Air Britain sent me the following additional details. Going back t Of 18, at least 8 were civilianised 1965/66: L.2-2 to EC-AZT 11/65 L.2-3 EC-AZO 3/66 L.2-8 EC-AZU L.2-10 EC-AZP L.2-12 EC-AYZ L.2-17 EC-AZQ 7/65 still current, cn unknown L.2-? EC-AZN L.2-? EC-AZD 6/65 cn 4338 ex N6338M current in 1972 On the Air Britain 1980 register -AZQ was the only one then listed. John Wegg's book "General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors," page 144, has photo of Spanish AF L.2-17. ***************************************************************** Homepage viewers have provided many further details to my earlier questions 1 thru 5. Appreciate any updates for any of my questions. I look especially look forward to hearing about the information you have for the question 6 above! 1 - Serial number 108-3100 is listed as a 108-1, but the serial number is in the middle of the 108-2 production. Does anyone know why sn 108-3100 is a 108-1 rather than a 108-2? June 24, 1997, Bob Winters, current owner of serial number 108-3100, called to explain the reason this airplane is a 108-1. The airplane was built in July 1947 as a 108-2, and in fact the data plate still labels the airplane as a 108-2. About two years after the airplane was built (9/20/49) an engine problem occurred and the factory installed Franklin 165 was replaced by a Franklin 150. This installation required FAA (then CAA) field approval at which time the FAA decided the lower horse power made it in reality a 108-1 rather than a 108-2. The rudder bungee unique to the 108-2 is retained. The current FAA type certificate data sheets specifically define this airplane as a 108-1. My thanks to Bob Winters for taking the time to contact me and clear up this question! 2 - Registration Questions - Several different sources, books, magazines and others, depict a Stinson 108 NX-31519. I believe this was the first prototype. Photo's show it first with a model 10 tail, later a standard early small Stinson 108 tail. N31519 is not a Stinson on the current U.S. register. This particular aircraft is shown with a different engine grill than was used on all production aircraft, but otherwise similiar as far as I can tell from late photographs. Can anyone tell me more about Stinson NX31519? What was its serial number? What happened to the airplane? By the way some photo's show the registration NC31519. A second unknown registration is NX31532. 12/9/97 - obtained the FAA records for these airplanes. These two airplanes are the prototypes model 108 airplanes. Each was converted from a Stinson model 10A Voyager. First in late 1944 NX31519 was flown, later NX31532. These airplanes did carry serial number 1 and 2 respectively. There was also a production serial number 1 and 2, but these were built from scratch as model 108's, not converted. It does seem unusual to me that the serial numbers were issued twice but that is apparently what happened. 3 - Further research indicates to me that serial number 108-1563 was probably the model 108-4, until converted back to a standard model 108-2. Does anyone have more information about the 108-4? NX8563K, which is now N8563K, is the airplane used to test the single lift strut, but the wings were replaced by standard wings and lift struts before delivery. This airplane also tested a Lycoming 190 Hp O-435 engine. Thanks to Bill Stoos, current owner for this additional information. I am still unsure if this is the model 108-4. Received a drawing from Sherman Oxford for the model 108-4 door. It is slightly different in that it appears to have a brace in the window. I suspect that brace may have been intended to allow the use of a "wind wing" type window, common on period automobiles. 4 - The current type certificate sheet A-767, dated Nov. 8, 1992, Rev. 26, lists the eligible serial numbers for the model 108-5 as 108-3501 and up, same as 108-3's. Janes All The Worlds Aircraft, 1976-1977, indicates a prototye and at least 17 production model 108-5's were built up to 1 March 1976. Janes also shows a photograph of a 108-5, N5576V. My understanding is that Univair Aircraft in Aurora, Colorado, current holder of the type certificate, built only one 108-5. N5576V is not a Stinson on the current register. Can anyone provide more information about the Stinson 108-5? 5 - If your aircraft falls in the serial number range of 108-5000 thru 108-5260, original registration numbers NC4000C thru NC4260C, I would like to know if you have the original 108-3 style big tail. A British publication indicates very late model 108-3's assembled and sold by Piper have a vertical tail similar to the model 108-2. I have never seen a 108-3 with a small tail, however if I did see it I may have thought it was an earlier version. As of 1/12/98 - Several people have now emailed me to let me know there Stinson DOES have the big tail. In fact nobody has indicated they have anything but the big tail in this serial number range. So now I would like to change my request to ask that you please let me know if you have something other than a standard big tail on the above serial numbers! As much as I respect the book "Piper Aircraft and there forerunners" an Air Britain publication. I now feel they must in error. Russ (RMegargle@aol.com) E-Mailed me to let me know that he owns Stinson 108-3 N4040C (SN 5040) and it does have a big tail. June 21, 1997 - David Roe E-Mailed to say their Stinson, VH-ROA, (ex N4215C) serial No 108-5216 is a Piper Stinson 108-3 and definitely has a large tail. This is one of the last 60 Stinson's built. Mr. Roger Peperell and Mr. Colin Smith wrote the Air Britain publication "Piper Aircraft and their forerunners." Page 89 deals with the Stinson 108 as purchased by Piper Aircraft and makes a statement about different tails for some late airplanes. Page 101 of the NEW edition of the Piper book comments that some of the aircraft taken over by Piper "lacked rudders, and as the dies for forming the skins had been scrapped, the skins were redesigned at Piper and tested .... 108-4695 ... was used for this." The words from page 89 of the first edition referring to a "different shape" have been dropped from the second edition. My thanks to Pete of Air Britain for this info. Thanks for taking the time to read my questions. I look forward to hearing from everybody who has more Stinson 108 information. Have fun flying, and fly safely! Larry Westin