Model Airplane News Cover for June, 1962
Piper PA-24 "Comanche"
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Here is what the blurb about the cover has to say:

"... Florian Piorkowski's very excellent scale control-line contest winner is captured in all its colorful glory by MAN photographer Richard Miller. Piper Commanche besides being a good model subject is an excellent 4-place executive aircraft with a good range and high cruise speed at 181 mph with its 250 hp Lycoming engine ..."

About the Model

Florian Piorkowski is a famous craftsman of scale models. His version of the Commanche was scaled at 1 1/3" = 1"; the only deviation from scale is the elevator design needed for radio control. You may read about the details of construction, marvel at the photos and look at the plans by clicking to enlarge the following photos

     

Florian Piorkowski's Piper Commanche
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About the Full Size Airplane

The Piper PA-24 "Comanche" is a four-seat, low-wing, all-metal, light aircraft of monocoque construction with retractable landing gear that was first flown in May 1956.

  

Piper PA-24 "Comanche"
Click to Enlarge

Comanche production began in 1957 with the PA-24-180 model. Production of the Comanche ended in 1972 when torrential rains from Hurricane Agnes caused the great Susquehanna River flood of 1972, flooding the manufacturing plant and destroying airframes, parts, and much of the tooling necessary for production. Rather than re-build the tooling, Piper chose to abandon production of the Comanche and Twin Comanche, and continue with two newer designs already in production at Piper's other plant in Vero Beach, Florida. The Comanche production run ended with the disposal of all of the tooling, and completion of the last seven airframes. After the Susquehanna River receded, Piper moved the last aircraft to Vero Beach and completed construction there.

Herre is a video showing the Piper Commanche.

Click here to learn more about the Piper PA-24 "Comanche".

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