Welcome to the Timber Tiger ST-L Subforum - Introductions

[freerangequark]

I'd love to see you're thoughts on paint schemes...

Paint schemes for the airplane or paint schemes for the propeller?

 

[cynamonb]

I was thinking about the airplane, but why not both?

 

[freerangequark]

Well my airplane I'm doing in civilian colors...or lack of colors... I mean, seriously, what color is a mirror anyways?

The entire fuselage and wheel pants, gear leg fairings and cowl will be polished aluminum.

Wings will be painted silver and I'm debating what kind of silver to use. Vintage aluminum silver or modern glossy polyurethane metallic.

The answer is not obvious to me as I am not building this plane to be a replica.

I'm building this plane, which i have named "Aluminaire", to be a modern tribute to a timeless classic.

I even have the N number reserved N14423 as well as serial number 101, which are the same numbers that the prototype Ryan ST had back in 1934. The prototype was all silver as well.

My selected prop is a Sensenich ground adjustable, painted black, with nickel leading edges and silver tip stripes that are painted square to the span of the blades. Normally Sensenich paints the tip stripes at an angle to give the prop a modern sporty look.

 

[Dana]

I always liked this one... the photo is an R/C model, but it's an accurate rendition of the original.

 

[freerangequark]

That is my favorite painted Ryan-ST. That one used to be owned by Mike Heuer and family. We know it best from the Sig Catalog though! Unfortunately that aircraft was destroyed in a fatal crash.

 

[cynamonb]

While I dearly love the polished look, I don't think want to have to deal with maintenance. I am considering going with either a stylized pre-WW2 trainer look combing elements from the early primary trainers and the P26 Peashooter or a 1930's racer look similar to the one above. We have a very talented and well known aircraft airtist/painter here on the field who'd love to work on an ST-L.

 

[freerangequark]

I always liked this one... the photo is an R/C model, but it's an accurate rendition of the original.

View attachment 83947

 

[cwilliamrose]

I remember that airplane from when John Gosney owned it.

 

[Larry Lyons]

I can remember seeing it once or twice when it was based in Rockford IL. A long time ago!

 

[FloridaFlier1903]

Hey all, after my initial emails to Nick in early 2021 and the ensuing excitement, I was getting a little bummed from lack of ST-L news until I found this thread. Hopefully I will be ordering some airframe parts from Timber Tiger in early 2025; this year I’m cautiously planning to build some Zenair 1450s for my kitfox 5 and pay off credit card debt!
Ive been wondering which ST-L builders are closest to completion? And, is there a master list of builders other than from Timber Tiger? I would like to make a map of where the ST-Ls are taking shape (in my huuuge stock of spare time )

Flyin’ Ryan
Center Hill, FL

 

[cynamonb]

Hey all, after my initial emails to Nick in early 2021 and the ensuing excitement, I was getting a little bummed from lack of ST-L news until I found this thread. Hopefully I will be ordering some airframe parts from Timber Tiger in early 2025; this year I’m cautiously planning to build some Zenair 1450s for my kitfox 5 and pay off credit card debt!
Ive been wondering which ST-L builders are closest to completion? And, is there a master list of builders other than from Timber Tiger? I would like to make a map of where the ST-Ls are taking shape (in my huuuge stock of spare time )

Flyin’ Ryan
Center Hill, FL

Hi Ryan

I am working on a tail kit in Weirsdale, Fl. Just up the road from you.

 

[freerangequark]

Regarding other builders and levels of completion, I would have to recommend that you reach out to Nick. I don't have access to that information.

Glenn

 

[FloridaFlier1903]

Bruce, I saw! Would be nice to fly up there if and when I get the kitfox in FL, which may be this spring or autumn, depending on moving parts in my personal life.
Thanks Glenn. I will probably be emailing him about a tail kit sometime soon.
I just flew over O61 back in October coming back from Tahoe, was my last real trip with the Kitfox at Freedom Field near SMF. I drove around O61 in Apr '22 to check it out, my how time flies. There was a pretty yellow Glasair Sportsman there that day.

 

[32fordboy]

News on the ST-L has slowed a bit for a few reasons. Mostly it is that the kit has reached a level of "maturity". Small refinements are complete, the inventory lists and methods have been dialed in, etc. So no news on that front.

We have, however, started a newsletter that goes out monthly or bimonthly, whenever makes the most sense based on the quantity of "juicy" stuff that people want to know about. People who want to be added to that list can send me their email address. The next newsletter is expected to go out in a couple of weeks

A lot of the newer news from TTA is regarding the Jenny or Speedster, as well. The Speedster project has definitely slowed my ability to work on videos, news updates, etc. We're trying so very hard to get it marketable by AirVenture...without cutting corners.

Back to the ST-L, I'll try and get a builder list together this week. The best I can do right now is a number of builders per state. Many builders have opted to remain anonymous and at least one is working in total secrecy so he can surprise people. The next ST-L to fly should be done this summer.

The big takeaway here is that TTA is alive and well! 2023 was admittedly slow, something I attribute to interest rates and uncertainty in the worldwide political environment. 2024 is looking to be a banner year for us, especially over the summer. We've been getting a record number of emails and calls for some time now, especially regarding the ST-L.

Nick Pfannenstiel
Timber Tiger Aircraft

 

[cynamonb]

Guess what I saw?

 

[freerangequark]

Sun n Fun!!

 

[jetsareforkids]

Looking good, still absolutely beautiful.

 

[SierraWhiskey]

While I dearly love the polished look, I don't think want to have to deal with maintenance. I am considering going with either a stylized pre-WW2 trainer look combing elements from the early primary trainers and the P26 Peashooter or a 1930's racer look similar to the one above. We have a very talented and well known aircraft airtist/painter here on the field who'd love to work on an ST-L.

If you model an STM-2 variant, the sky is really the limit - from the Nationalist Chinese Air Force to captured Dutch STM's in Indonesia in IJAAS markings. Then there are the various air forces in the Americas.

This is one attractive plane and is on my build short list.

- Steve

 

[freerangequark]

Steve, are you at Oshkosh this week?

 

[SierraWhiskey]

Steve, are you at Oshkosh this week?

No sir. I'm in coastal North Carolina building a new shop. Then comes a skiff for the grandson, and then comes The Build. It will probably be a plans-built or antique. If I do a kit, it most likely would be the ST-L.

Enjoy yourselves out there.

-Steve