Comanche 32 Papa - N9032P - Page 2.

This page is about the real 1966 Piper Comanche B airplane owned by an old friend of my from the 1970's.  I met Reid Anderson when I attended a CATV technical seminar two weeks after getting my first job with Jerrold Electronics Corporation when I completed my three-year enlistment in the US Army in July 1971.  An 8 by 10 photo image is on PAGE 3 of this section of the web site.


Here are more photos taken of the real Comanche B in Kentucky between 1980 and 1982 during the life of my first Stafford RC Comanche kit.  I took some photos prior to 1980 that gave me the details needed to make my first RC kit a good replica of the REAL Comanche B seen here.

This angle shows the trim tab on the full flying stabilator.  The Comanche does not have a fixed horizontal stabilizer with elevator.  This configuration minimizes the possibility of flutter in the tail.  Similar tail configuration was adopted on the Lockheed F-104 Star Fighter and all the supersonic military jets.

I took this photo while standing on the wing walk.  It shows the two fuel tanks on the right wing.  With all four fuel tanks filled, it holds 90 gallons of avgas.

This is left wing tip showing the landing light and the RED navigation light equipped with a clear Plexiglass adapter that sticks above the wing tip to show the pilot the light is working.  The secret to this adapter is the 45-degree beveled angle on top of the adapter.  This configuration is repeated with a GREEN light on the other wing tip.

This is the right wing showing the fresh air intake to co-pilot with a similar arrangement on the pilot side.  The right landing gear dominates this photo.

Here are the linkages for the Fowler Flaps that extend back and down in one motion.

This image looks up at the attachment of the stabilator at the tail.

Here is another look at the tail from the right side.

Here is a look at the left side of the tail out in the bright sunlight.  The tie-down hook is used with a rope and winch at the back of the hanger to put the airplane inside.

This image shows the Comanche parked near the fixed base office on the Cynthiana airport.

The door is open, let's get a look inside the cabin.

The instrument panel is FULL with dual NAV/COM radios with ILS capability.  There is a LORAN receiver for navigation that was used in the years before Global Positional Satellites were launched and are now very common in cell phones and portable GPS receivers like my Garmin GPS 296 mounted on my Van's RV-9A instrument panel.

From nose to tail shows the images paired below.  The white VOR antenna is near the top of the vertical stabilizer.  The rudder has counter-balance weights on both sides of the rudder near the top.  These weights are forward of the rudder hinge to insure the rudder does not flutter at high speeds.

The variable pitch propeller for the Comanche is made by Hartzell of course. I have a Hartzell variable pitch propeller on my Van's Aircraft RV-9A.  It works very well to insure I get maximum fuel efficiency in all speed ranges of my airplane.  The top speed for the full size Comanche is listed as 190 MPH with a wing span of 36 feet.  My Van's RV-9A has a top speed of 210 MPH.  It is lighter and has only a 28-foot wing span with a Roncz airfoil to achieve that performance.

Here is the view topside looking forward, and of course toward the rear.

This last photo below appears to be taken at the Cincinnati / Covington International Airport (CVG).  I had flown up there from Florida via Delta Airlines to work with Reid's son to teach him many details about the Jerrold Electronics equipment that is the heart of the CATV system purchased in 1971.  Reid flew his airplane up to the "BIG AIRPORT" to fly me back to Cynthiana.  I stayed for a few days to do the training and to have a good visit.  When my work was completed, Reid flew me back to the Ocala, Florida Airport.  It was a good day for "Flight Seeing" and for me to play with the VOR receivers and use the sectional charts to check our position.  Reid had programmed the flight route into the Loran receiver and the autopilot flew the course.  He kept the airplane at the assigned altitude and switched fuel tanks to keep the airplane balanced laterally.

We were at 9,000 feet MSL when we crossed Taylor VOR in North Florida in the clear.  We ran into rain showers passing by Gainesville, Florida.  We got past the front a few miles north of Ocala and had a normal VFR approach and landing.