From: "Todd Robinson"
To: "Dudley Fort"
Subject: Re: SF260
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 09:01:13 -0800

Dudley,

I just read that Northstar is discontinuing the IFR M-3 model GPS due to a vendor problem. What a drag.

My airplane was one of four sister c-models that came out of the Air Force of Burma. I know that the Experimental status had to due with the import deal they had to make. What is the benefit of having it standard category? One of the four Burma planes has been upgraded to standard category but it took time and some money. The rest of us have discussed upgrading the other three airplanes at the same time.

I'll put together a story for the web site next week. I'm off to New York tonight on business and until Sunday. It really was pretty much a fluke though, as I wasn't even looking.

I hade my first Marchetti ride with actor/director Tony Bill who co-own Patlin's plane. I had additional rides in that plane and Pete Leffe's bird (a modifide B-model) as well. Here at SMO Tom Cruz owned a D-model until it had an unintended incursion with the ground. (with another pilot flying) There is a turbine model that splits it's time between SMO and Fla. Then there is the other D-model that is for sale. Over the past few years there have been several other 260's making their home in Santa Monica, one that was involved in a fatal crash with three fatalities. (low and slow) In addition there are at least thee other 260's in the LA area that I know of including the one featured at the top of your web page.

So, there have been no shortage of 260's to drool over in my neighborhood. I was at first put off by the right seat driving but got used to that in about five hours and now don't even think about it. In fact, I think it's a total positive at this point because my friends who are pilots are more comfortable in the left seat anyway and since there is a full compliment of instruments over there they always feel like they;re PIC and never ask to fly right seat, and that suits me just fine.

More soon. Thanks again. Best, TR

Belgium Air Force
Early 1969 Belgium ordered 36 SF.260M's to replace the Stampe SV-4B bi-plane as a primary trainer. Thus becoming the first military customer. Deliveries took place from November 1969 untill Spring 1971. An additional nine SF.260D's were all delivered during 1992. These are IFR equipped, they operate alongside the eldery SF.260M's. From early 2000 all belgium SF.260s will be repainted in a yellow color scheme after undergoing IRAN (Inspect and Repair As Necessary).

If the picture does not show up then right click on the little box with an X in it and select the show picture option.
Some of the following planes will give a much enlarged picture if you click on them.
ST03 Erwin Eeckhaut (erwin@pasystems.be / http://www.aeroscouts.be) wrote:
For sale: - The one and only handcrafted 100" scale RC Marchetti in Europe. Its an exact copy of the original Marchetti. There are no plans available for this plane. They were flown at the Elementary Flying Scool Goetsenhoven (Belgium Airforce). The fuselage and the retracts are made exactly like the original. It flies superbe with a 5 cubic inch bicylindre, equipped with a smoke system. This 15 year old masterpiece is unique.
you can see a photo of it at:
http://www.aeroscouts.be/pictures/warbirds/warbird8.jpg

The plane is fully handcrafted and has taken approx. 3,000 hrs to build. I do ask 5,000 $ for my plane. It is the one and only Marchetti made at this size.

ST04
04OldPaint
ST-07
ST15
ST-07
ST21
ST22
ST-23
ST-24
ST25
ST25PaintScheme
ST-26
SF-34 before being repaintedThis plane must have been repainted in new colors.
ST-34 in white.3. White ST 34 - I'm not sure why this one was painted white. Perhaps it was one of the experimental paint jobs when they were trying to decide which colors to use on the SF 260 fleet. Personally, I liked the cammo look with the red tail and sharks's mouth.
ST-35

ST401. Yellow ST 40 in the new BAF training colors. The wolf head insignia on the vertical stabilizer is the insignia of the training base - "Mother Wolf" looking after all her cubs.
ST-44
ST-45 ST-40 till ST-48 are SF.260D's built 1992


ST-46
ST-47ST-01 till ST-36 are SF.260B's built 1969-1971


another
ST-105 2. Red and white ST 105 painted in the colors of No. 5 Sqn. The art on the fuselage is the Squadron insignia, an Egyptian falcon, dating back to the squadron's WW II days.

Instrument panels

ST-20, BAFD instrument panel Note:
1. The red switch near the LDG switch is an emergency landing light switch. Normally the landing light can only be turned on when the landing gear is down and locked. This switch is a bypass which allows the light to be turned on with the gear retracted.



ST-47 BAFM 2. The red and white striped plate is the gear switch guard. From what I'm told the aircraft did not originally have a guard on the switch until an incident with an accidental gear retraction while the aircraft was on the ramp. Ouch!

Alex



  1. More ST pictures

  2. http://belgium.decollage.org/images/MPhotoMarchetti.html

  3. Other ST aircraft pictures

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