They have their limitations, but are graceful and sweet to fly.gahorn wrote:...Swift's are beautiful, fun-looking aircraft, but not especially useful except as image-enhancers!
(Yes...I wish I had one too!)
First Plane
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
- jrenwick
- Posts: 2045
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:34 pm
Re: First Plane
John Renwick
Minneapolis, MN
Former owner, '55 C-170B, N4401B
'42 J-3 Cub, N62088
'50 Swift GC-1B, N2431B, Oshkosh 2009 Outstanding Swift Award, 2016 Best Continuously Maintained Swift
Minneapolis, MN
Former owner, '55 C-170B, N4401B
'42 J-3 Cub, N62088
'50 Swift GC-1B, N2431B, Oshkosh 2009 Outstanding Swift Award, 2016 Best Continuously Maintained Swift
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4115
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: First Plane
Yeah, my first wife was something "special" alright...pdb wrote:You know how it is.. first plane and first wife are a bit special.

(I've resisted making this post about as long as I can stand it.

Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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- Posts: 3485
- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm
Re: First Plane
Yes Miles, many of us can relate to that!
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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- Posts: 41
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:56 am
Re: First Plane
I bought my first plane last year. 1948 C-170 N4260V. So far, I'm loving every minute of it.
I must like the classics. All of my vehicles are older than I am.
Looking for a 1/3 partner in my '48 170. PM for details
Looking for a 1/3 partner in my '48 170. PM for details
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- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:45 am
Re: First Plane
I'll use this to introduce myself. I've been hanging around this site for quite a while now. I've never posted anything but I do a lot of reading to soak up as much knowledge as I can. I just bought my first plane back in October at the age of 25, It's a 53' 170B. I flew it from Vancouver Wa back to Cheyenne Wy the day I bought it.


- GAHorn
- Posts: 21292
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm
Re: First Plane
NICE!
Got any inside pics?
(and WELCOME!)
Got any inside pics?
(and WELCOME!)

'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.

- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10420
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: First Plane
Oh I see. You hang around here soaking up the knowledge. Don't even through us a bone question we can easily answer inflating our ego. You go out and buy what you think is a '53 170 all at the age of 25. Then you post a bigger than usual picture with a nice blue sky.
Nicely done.
And you didn't succumb to needing a red airplane so at least we know you learned something with all the reading you've done.
Welcome.
Nicely done.

And you didn't succumb to needing a red airplane so at least we know you learned something with all the reading you've done.

Welcome.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
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- Posts: 248
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:01 pm
Re: First Plane
So what's the story behind the color debate???Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:And you didn't succumb to needing a red airplane so at least we know you learned something with all the reading you've done.![]()
If I end up buying the 48 I'm looking at, I'll be painting it green.....
Andrew Hochhaus
N3996V - 1948 170
N3996V - 1948 170
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- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:45 am
Re: First Plane
A re-paint is in the future, I had white and red in the original 53' trim in mind. If you can prove green is faster I might change my mindBruce Fenstermacher wrote:And you didn't succumb to needing a red airplane so at least we know you learned something with all the reading you've done.![]()
Welcome.

- GAHorn
- Posts: 21292
- Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm
Re: First Plane
In the begining...Fearless Tower wrote:So what's the story behind the color debate???Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:And you didn't succumb to needing a red airplane so at least we know you learned something with all the reading you've done.![]()
If I end up buying the 48 I'm looking at, I'll be painting it green.....
....of these Forums (which actually started as a Yahoo chat room and moved here to the Int'l Cessna 170 Assoc'n website, where it truly belongs) ...
... there was a Member, Joe Harris....who had a green 170A in Grand Prarie, TX. He and I started a friendly argument about his A-model versus my B-model airplane's relative speeds. It graduated to deciding the physical differences were negligible, but that color probably had more influence. The actual argument originated over whose was SLOWER, ...but it evolved thru one which argued which one actually made it to fly ins.... until it became one of which was faster, green or red. The argument continues in honor of Joe, who is beyond the rainbow these days, probably flying the reddest cloud seen in the western skies!

'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.

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- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:52 pm
Re: First Plane
New Guy Here !!!
I was 35 in 1988 and bought a 1960 Cessna 175A, with a Horton STOL kit along with big barn door flaps it would almost hover at 33 to 35. Kept it 5 years and had to sale it when kids started to college. Started a homebuilt "Breezy" sold it half way through. In 2002 I started a Team tandem Airbike , Finished it April 2010. First flight in May 2010. I bought a 1948 Cessna 170 in Jan. 2011. I'm a major airport bum and president of a new EAA Chapter 1515. Happy to be a member the Cessna 170 Association. OOW
I was 35 in 1988 and bought a 1960 Cessna 175A, with a Horton STOL kit along with big barn door flaps it would almost hover at 33 to 35. Kept it 5 years and had to sale it when kids started to college. Started a homebuilt "Breezy" sold it half way through. In 2002 I started a Team tandem Airbike , Finished it April 2010. First flight in May 2010. I bought a 1948 Cessna 170 in Jan. 2011. I'm a major airport bum and president of a new EAA Chapter 1515. Happy to be a member the Cessna 170 Association. OOW
There are old pilots & There are bold pilots, But there are no old bold pilots !!!
2010 Team Tandem Airbike N700XX
1953 Cessna 170-B N3401C
First plane Cessna 175A N7000E
2010 Team Tandem Airbike N700XX
1953 Cessna 170-B N3401C
First plane Cessna 175A N7000E
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4115
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: First Plane
Hey DoubleOught, Welcome to the club!
A couple days before the second Sunday in July, head down US-287, hang a right over I-10 at Beaumont, then a left over I-8 just before you hit Phoenix. When you see the first ocean out ahead, get on the radio and ask them for vectors to Montgomery Field. We'd be glad to have ya at the convention. (Hint: Sometimes the awards for Best Ragwing (Original and/or Modified) go unawarded.
)
A couple days before the second Sunday in July, head down US-287, hang a right over I-10 at Beaumont, then a left over I-8 just before you hit Phoenix. When you see the first ocean out ahead, get on the radio and ask them for vectors to Montgomery Field. We'd be glad to have ya at the convention. (Hint: Sometimes the awards for Best Ragwing (Original and/or Modified) go unawarded.

Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:45 am
Re: First Plane
Here are a few pics I took of the inside earlier today before I flew.gahorn wrote:NICE!
Got any inside pics?
(and WELCOME!)



I keep the back seat out to keep the weight down
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- Posts: 2615
- Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:35 pm
Re: First Plane
Gotta ask.
How much does removing the back seat shorten your takeoff and how easy is it to put back in?
How much does removing the back seat shorten your takeoff and how easy is it to put back in?
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- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:45 am
Re: First Plane
The back seat was out when I bought the plane, I didn't want to put it back in anyways because I don't feel like taking more than one passenger at a time. I also want the extra room for camping gear in the summer. I don't know how much difference it makes for takeoff and climb but with a home field elevation of 6,000 feet I'll take all the help I can get.
Cessna® is a registered trademark of Textron Aviation, Inc. The International Cessna® 170 Association is an independent owners/operators association dedicated to C170 aircraft and early O-300-powered C172s. We are not affiliated with Cessna® or Textron Aviation, Inc. in any way.