Enforcer Patch

[Tulio]

As some of you guys know, I recently had the privilege of interviewing Dave Allyn, who flew DC-4Ms (and owned a few) for Cavalier.

For whatever reasons, I had in my mind the image of Cavalier as being something housed inside a huge facility. As this photo (by Dave Allyn) shows, there were two small hangars where the mods took place.



Saludos,


Tulio

[Randy Haskin]

the initial two were modified Mustangs that were purchsed on the open market. Subsequent aircraft were to be new builds.

You're very close....

The initial two Enforcers (the Piper PE-1 and PE-2) were built in 1971. They were constructed out of Mustang parts from the left-over Cavalier stock (Cavalier went out of business in '71 to continue work with Piper on the Enforcers).

The PA-48s (note the difference in nomenclature) were built in 1981 and 1982, and they were the nearly complete new-build airframes pictured above.

[Randy Haskin]

there were two small hangars where the mods took place.

In 1967 a larger hanger was built just to the left side of the facility in that photo. I have a photo showing seven Mustangs being assembled in that new hanger in 1968.

You're right, though...pretty austere compared to other manufacturing/modification facilities.

[skymstr02]

I can't comment on the origin of the blades on the PA-48's prop, but they are certainly hollow.

In the later 70's and 80's, I was working for a Piper dealer, and I remember some Piper literature and the props were shortened Gulfstream I (G-159) blades. I think they were Doty-Rotol originally.

[Warren_C]

Randy, is correct, my father is Tom Cook, he was the Program Manager on the Piper Enforcer. I was not only privledged to witness the first flight, but, because of my father I became an employee. Unfortunatley, with the down turn in GA I was laid off. Shortly after my layoff the Lakeland plant was closed. Having the aviation bug, I joined the Navy, and became an F-14 plane captain/engine mech. Years, later, I'm still in aviation, Jeppesen. Every, Sept you can find me crewing #444 Reno T-6 racer.

I am always amazed how much interest the Enforcer program still generates and how little factual information is known. This was a highly political program, with lots of interesting facts. We are counting on Randy, to set the record straight. I have read some of his drafts and he is heading in the right direction.

One of my favorites myths is: what did Piper know about building military aircraft. Well, lots if you consider most engineers of the day cut thier teeth at places like McDonnel, Boeing, Lockeed. Very few engineers at Piper had only a GA design background. Most of the management had worked on former Military programs XB-71, A-37. As was the case for my father, prior to Piper he worked for McDonnell on the F-4 program, GD on the F-111 program, and Fairchild on the A-10.

I will post a picture of my dad, and his latest venture as an Airpark (TE86)developer down in Texas. If I run across any other interesting artifacts, I will share them here.

Warren

[Eric Friedebach]

I wonder who owns the production rights and what (if any) tooling?

[Randy Haskin]

I wonder who owns the production rights and what (if any) tooling?

The Lindsay family still technically owns the rights to the airplane, and the Piper tooling was destroyed circa 1984 after the test program was done and the AF didn't buy the airplane. Murdo Cameron still reportedly has some of the technical drawings, although when I spoke to him in September he said he hasn't seen them for quite some time, so they may no longer be around.

[Robbie Stuart]

Randy, I did a PM to you about some cool stuff about Trans Florida Aviation. If you did not get it, respond here please. (Finnaly got a computer here at home working.)
Robbie