Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

[CargoDog58]

Hello Kitfox Nation,

My name is John Conway and my Grandfather is Robert Croft. My Grandpa built a Kitfox 2 in 1988 and taught me to fly in that plane. He lived in Colorado at the time and we had countless adventures cruising around the mountains and having lunch under the wing at some remote strip. So many great memories!

He had the plane for quite a while, moving it to Arizona and finally New Mexico where he sold it to a family friend. It was sold again and I lost track of it.

My Grandfather passed away last fall and it really got me thinking about all of the great times we had in "The 'Ol Fox." and if she was still flying.

According to the FAA site, it was last registered in 2013 to a Mr. Aaron Vanshoiak in Hayti, SD. (The tail number is N81589.) I wrote to the address listed (As well as 3 other addresses from white pages/internet searches/etc.) but all of the letters have been returned as undeliverable. I tried searching thru Facebook and other sites but also no luck.

If by chance anyone out there recognizes the plane or knows the owner, would you please forward this to him or her? I'd like to think she's still flying, but if the Kitfox is sitting in a hangar somewhere and needs a little restoration, maybe we can get her back in the air!

Thank you all for your time!
John

[DesertFox4]

Great post John. I so hope you end your quest with success. We are all building and like your grandfather, hopefully sharing those memories with others.
We have almost 5,000 members on here now so you never know. Good luck.:)

[avidflyer]

This Aaron guy was rebuilding Kitfoxes for a while. He was posting on either Team Kitfox or AvidFoxFlyers forum for a while showing progress he had made on recovering one of them. Haven't heard anything from him in quite a while. JImChuk

[CargoDog58]

Thank you for the info! Any lead is greatly appreciated!

-John

[TY2068]

I'd bet this is the guy ? Just a guess but maybe N81589 was crashed and deregistered. Possibly rebuilt and re-registered as N493QV ?


http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_1273561_Project+airplane+wanted.html

[CargoDog58]

Thank You TY2068---That's the best lead I've had in a long time! The FAA website has his name spelled 1 letter different and that's the name I've been chasing. (Doh!) That's gotta be the guy: Everything else matches.

I emailed him this afternoon, thanks again to everyone for the info!
-John

[GuppyWN]

Let us know what happens!

[ppilotmike]

Good luck with your hunt. I will be watching this thread. Mike

[CargoDog58]

The search continues!

I talked with Aaron in Washington: He has rebuilt 10+ Kitfoxes but he did remember my Grandpa's plane.....and sold it to a guy in Nebraska around 2013.

So far, this is the general trail: Grandpa sold it to a guy named Fred in New Mexico (Early 2000's), at some point it was sold to someone in AZ, Aaron bought it around 2012 (Told me it had pretty extensive damage and the guy he bought it from had it as a project plane), Aaron sold it to "a guy in Nebraska who he never heard from again and never registered the plane in his name."

So......I don't suppose this rings a bell to anyone in the Kitfox community?

I'll keep looking and keep you posted!
Thanks again for the info and the well-wishes,
John

[foxfever]

Here I am, with a little more info for you.
I did a little digging and it looks like I bought in Nov of 2010.
I picked it up in San Manuel Arizona.

I did repair the fuselage at the tail and cabin over structure.

Then I did a complete recover and paint.

I upgraded the 532 for a 582 and flew it for awhile.

I sold it around Labor Day 2011.

I last contacted the buyer in July of 2012 to inquire about the registration still being in my name. He did respond, but I've had no communication with him since. I don't have a phone number for him, but I did email him this evening to see if he still has the Fox.
I will let you know if he responds.

In the meantime, here is what you would be looking for if it still bears the paint job I gave it over 6 years ago.

Also, click this link for the thread mentioned above that shows the pics of what it was when I bought it, along with what was the start of the recover process. My thread (http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=1992&highlight=maid)

13891

13892

13893

13894

13895

[CargoDog58]

Aaron,

Thank you for the pictures, the background information, and especially thanks for taking the time to dig into your records and pass along the history. My family and I really appreciate it! By the way, your restoration looks great!

Thanks again and take care,

John

[Wheels]

Wow, Foxfever you're a champion. I"m just watching the thread, and loving it. Hope all goes well.

[CargoDog58]

A member sent me a PM about a Craigslist ad he had seen: A model 2 with a Rotax 582 in Nebraska. I called the owner and talked to him about it's origin. Unfortunately that Fox had been made in Minnesota. (I'll attach the ad) Owner was very nice and very helpful---he asked what it looks like and thanks to Aaron I could give a good description. He said there's a Kitfox in Beatrice, Nebraska that fits that description but doesn't know the owner. ????

[Rodney]

This is such a cool story. My dad had a 108 Stinson he sold in 1953. I was only five years old but I clearly remember flying in that airplane. After many years, I found it in a barn in northern Arkansas. It was a basket case, but I was able to buy it. Maybe someday I'll get to restore it.

Ok. Beatrice Ne is in Gage county Ne. Searching the FAA Database there is a Kitfox 3 in Wymore Ne, not far from Beatrice.

Donald J Roche. 49191 US Highway 77. Wymore Ne

I'd call the airport in Beatrice and see if the airport manager knows where your kitfox is or knows Mr Roche. Also ask if she knows any old guys around the area that love tube n fabric airplanes. That was a key question that led to me finding Dad's airplane.


My Ifly database show the airport manager as : Diane Smith. 402-223-5349

Good Luck and please keep us informed.

Rodney

[Rodney]

Hey. I found a phone number for Mr Roche :: 402-674-3322


Good Luck

Rodney

[avidflyer]

If you run the N # for your grandfather's plane on the FAA data base, you will see it's still listed as being in the previous owners name. I don't think that is your Kitfox, but it's worth a shot anyway. JImChuk

[CargoDog58]

Thanks again to everyone for the info and encouragement!

I'm out of the country for work, but when I get back I'll call some of those folks and hopefully get a little closer. :)

Take care and fly safe!
John

And Rodney.....love that story about the Stinson: What a great connection with your Dad. Thanks again!

[foxfever]

I don't mean to be a jerk, but I don't support posting someone else's personal contact info on public internet forums.

I think if you have found some info that you think is helpful, it would be better to just pm or email to the person that you think would benefit from it.

You never know what kind of person is browsing these perfectly legitimate sites with ill intentions. And now someone who is probably not even a member of this forum has their personal name and phone number posted for all the world to see.

Thanks for your understanding

[Rodney]

Aaron

All of the information I provided is all ready on internet.

Hope that clears that up!

Rodney

[Paul Z]

Hell, I subscribe to an internet service that will tell me if you ever had a criminal record, if you are being sued, what schools you go to, and also gives me your name, address, phone number & age.

[CargoDog58]

Any information, suggestions, and/or leads are greatly appreciated. If you'd rather not have it public, please feel free to PM or email me at johnrconway4@gmail.com

Thanks Again!
John

[CargoDog58]

Seems the trail has gone cold for the moment......

I was able to speak with Mr. Roche and he is the builder of that Fox. He couldn't think of anyone in the area that has or had one either.

The manager of Beatrice airport, Diane, was incredibly helpful but no leads there either. We chatted for 15 minutes and she was kind enough to go thru her records and see if the Kitfox was ever based there. (No luck). What a great lady! She was racking her brain trying to help.

So the search continues!

On a side note: My family and I live in NW Houston and luckily were unscathed by Harvey. If anyone here was affected and needs any kind of help, please let me know.

Best Regards!

[DesertFox4]

Hope the trail gets warm again John. Thanks also for the offer to help in the Harvey disaster. My niece and her family are in N. E. Houston but so far have not had major damage. Very lucky so far. What a mess.
"Houston, we have a problem.":(

[TY2068]

My next step in the search would be to look up contact info for both public and private airports in and around Gage county. Some calls may lead you right to it. I'd bet it was pranged and is sitting in a hangar or barn in the area.

http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=36.296&lon=-99.776&zoom=10

[foxfever]

After much time, too much I guess, I located the old Fox. I called John to let him know but he had already purchased another one of his grandfathers planes and was no longer interested in the Fox. So, I bought it back and brought it home to Wa with me.

It was sitting in a hangar in central NE for quite some time. The fellow that bought it from me never did transfer the paperwork and let it expire so I am renewing it now. I talked to the FAA and they said no problem with it. He had the right rudder pedal start pealing off of the torque tube after landing one day, causing it to go around on him when he was almost completely stopped. He was going so slow when it went around on him that there was no other damage than the rudder pedal. Prop didn't hit the ground, wing didn't get scratched, no bent tubes, and no wrinkled fabric. His mechanic moved shortly after leaving him with 2 planes in the hangar that he hasn't flown for years now.

And now since the time I agreed to buy it back, the private strip close to me has now closed to public traffic. Go figure huh? Hangar rent is too expensive here and i'll rarely use it now since I have to trailer it back and forth to a much more distant airstrip. That strip has radio requirements, usage fees, and special operating parameters. The owner literally watches out his window and critiques anybody that he can over anything he wants to. Not my idea of enjoyable, recreational flying.

So now I'd like to pass it on to someone else that wants a light project that will get them in the air quickly.

I've put it on barnstormers if anyone is interested in it:
https://www.barnstormers.com/ad_manager/ad_detail.php?ID=1341019

[Ramos]

Aaron, are the last two pictures in the ad current? Would it be possible to get current pictures, including interior? My email, below. Will be out this afternoon until Monday morning.

jonr(atsymbol)mcgg.net

[foxfever]

Sorry, I don't check in here very often.
The kitfox has been sold again and went to a new home in Idaho.

This time, I sent in a bill of sale with the registration renewal so hopefully it will get out of my name when it gets processed :p

[CargoDog58]

Hello All!

Just wanted to say thank you to the teamkitfox community for all of your help and support in tracking down the Fox that my Grandfather built.

It sure was a fun experience just seeing where it has been and what it has become. Thanks for all of the encouragement and time spent helping in the search. A special thanks to Aaron who was the key to unlocking the mystery. His restoration looks amazing and hopefully it keeps the old bird flying for a long time!

Recently, I had an opportunity to purchase the second plane my Grandfather built. I was lucky enough to spend some time both building and flying this plane with Grandpa, so I am overjoyed at the idea of keeping it in the family and teaching the third generation to fly.

Best of luck to all of you and my sincerest thanks!

-John