Wally spent 29 years and built an award winner! Lots of
quality workmanship here.
Wally is 82 years young and is a retired airline pilot.
He taught instrument flying in the Navy during WWII.
He started the plane in 1969 while living in Japan.
Then he moved his project to Alaska while living there.
He told me he built a jig for the fuselage and the wings.
He sold the jig to a guy in California. I wonder if my fuselage was
welded in his jig? I was told that my fuselage was welded in Nick
D'Apposo's jig and was brought from California. Wally has known Nick for
many years and doesn't think Nick ever had a jig. So it could be
my fuselage was built in Wallys jig.
N321WC. Isn't it a beauty? A very unique paint
job. Cool! That's Wally with the plane.
Wally had worked on the plane for many years. As he was getting older he hired the covering and paint job done by a guy in Oregon. Wally said he made the lower wings just a little shorter so that the N Struts have an angle on them. It is hangered in Livermore Ca. airport near Oakland I think..
Here are the specs on N321WC
Engine- Lycoming IO-540 290 hp with Hartzell two blade
constant speed prop.
Wing span 27 ft.
Landing Gear span 8.5 ft.
4 ailerons
All metal upper wing center section with 30 gal
fuel in two tanks.
Total fuel 60 gallons, 2 saddle tanks, 1 header tank,
& 1 aerobatic tank under the front seat.
6:00X6 8ply tires
Flush riveted everything.
Finished with Stitts with Imron paint.
Wally told me 1821 lbs empty weight.
Cruises at 145 mph indicated.
The hardest part of the project according to Wally was keeping the cost figures away from his wife!