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My (and soon to be Jeff Gacek's) coupe 2749H Ser# 3374 rolled off the assembly line on Sept. 12, 1946 and it's a C model that been upgraded to a 85 hp but that's all. ----- Original Message ----- From: "William R. Bayne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "COUPERS - TECH" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 3:48 PM Subject: Re: [COUPERS-TECH] 415 CD ? ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- on 12/17/02 1:04 PM, Jack Gocha at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Every so often people in our group refer to 415 CD Ercoupes... Dear Jack, I substantially agree with Richard Wilkins. ERCO 415-C NX ships Ser. Nos. 3700 and 3701 are known to have been used in factory prototype flight tests as 1400lb. gross 415-D models (as were some others). The "production date" for 3701 was 9/27/46. 3700 appears to have been manufactured (or altered from "C" model specs before CAA flight certification) as a "D" on 11/12/46. Serial number 4424 was the first "D" model (see T.C. 787) and it's "production date" was 3/25/47. Serial no. 4435 was the last. It was produced 4/1/47 as N3810H. The model CD started with Serial No. 4501 & N3800H and a "production date of 3/25/47. 4510 was N3809H and 4512 was N3811H. Considering N3810H had already been issued on 4435, the fact that serial number 4511 was never registered in the U.S., and other credible production/delivery information I have it would be my opinion that an airframe with serial no. 4511 was never built. The reasons ERCO could not produce the "D" model in quantity (that model's sole reason for existance was the higher gross weight) is that the CAA adopted testing criteria which was both inreasonable and unduly prejudicial against aircraft certified as "spin-proof". This criteria alone resulted in the now-infamous 9ยบ up elevator limit for the 1400 lb. gross coupe which was then responsible for the low speed (landing) characteristics unacceptable to both ERCO engineers and original owners as compared to the "C" model. (both original production factory "D" models were subsequently modified to "CD" specs at owner request) Hartmut is correct that quite a few (I have numbers and serials) "C" models were unsold dealer stock when "CD" production began which were factory-modified to "CD" spec before being sold with (modification dates/plates of different dates). Previously accepted production numbers of "C" models and CD models will differ significantly if the defining criteria be what model each airframe was when originally produced or what it was when first sold retail. I'm finishing up a book on ERCO/Ercoupe design/production that will reconcile with verifiable facts much conflicting (or just plain wrong) information that has been endlessly repeated. For now, I must keep some secrets! Regards, -- William R. Bayne <____|(o)|____> (copyright 2002) ========================== To leave this forum go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm ========================================================================== ==== To leave this forum go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm
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