CHAD RUNDELL COLLECTION
No. 4607. McCracken Toady T-4 (N370CR c/n T4)
Source unknown

McCracken Toady T-4

06/30/2011. Remarks by Chad Rundell: "Bill McCracken from El Paso, Texas, USA, built four airplanes. They were, Toady T-1, Toady T-2, Toady T-3, and Toady T-4, the name "Toady" was a nickname Bill had for his wife. The Toady T-1 was a modified Porterfield, presently owned by a fellow in Oregon, although its registration is revoked. Toady T-2 was a highly modified Piper Tri-pacer converted to a taildragger with clipped wings and large spillplates on the end of the wings, its fate is unknown. Toady T-3 looked similar to Toady T-4, but was a fastback configuration, low wing taildragger, it burned in a hangar fire back in the 1970s.

The Toady T-4 was built entirely from 0.032 in (0.81 mm) aluminum, but joined and flush-riveted. The wings were two outboard sections of a Cessna 150 (from the strut attachment, outboard). The wings were joined in the middle with a carry-through and re-skinned with 0.032 in (0.81 mm) aluminum, but joined and flush-riveted as well. The Toady T-4 was reportedly built within just a few months by McCracken in 1969, and was registered N11116. It was way ahead of its time, as even back then, it had electric aileron and elevator trim on the stick. By the late 1990s the aircraft had changed hands a few times and was stored outdoors.

A subsequent owner restored and modified the aircraft back to flying condition, registered as N370CR. Fitted with an 135 hp Lycoming O-290 D2 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine, the aircraft has currently a cruising speed of 180 mph (290 kmh). The airplane is extremely clean and has no flaps. Currently it is registered in Texas."


Created October 15, 2005