SWIFT HISTORY & PRODUCTION

Bob:
Your airplane was definitely built by Globe originally. Many airplanes lost their actual identity when they were sold by Temco, In which case, they were simply registered "Temco" Swifts. My own N2431B was made in 1950, long after Globe was gone, but it was a "Globe Swift" on the registration, by furnishing the FAA with the original wt & balance & equipment list plus the original flight test report from 1950, I convinced them it was a Temco & they changed the paperwork accordingly. Having said that, it really doesn't make much difference! A cup of coffee still costs me $1.10 at the local restaurants!

Who changed yours to a GC-1B? Was it Temco? It should have been done according to S.B.#27 - on a 337 form not an STC. The big thing in years gone by was to install a "new look" kit, which replaced the slope shelf with a flat shelf and installed the Temco style "D" windows. Nowadays, we would make out a 337 form on this. (major alteration). But it’s on the original ATC & Temco & others used to install them with a log entry & sometimes not even THAT! Many old time FAA (CAA) people used the Globe & Temco terms interchangeably, after Universal (Univair) bought the type certificate many Swifts became listed as "Universal" as the manufacturer, even though Univair never manufactured any airplanes.  --  Jim

Bob’s postscript...
Jim,
Thanks for clearing the fog on my questions. Sure do appreciate it. Actually, the conversion to a GC-1B from an A was done according to SB #27 and not an STC. My error. I checked my airworthiness certificate and it says GLOBE GC-1B. The old registration says TEMCO GC1B. I talked to the FAA and they told me that they make out the registration according to what's on the airworthiness certificate. Doesn't seem so in this case. Seeing how I just bought the aircraft and the registration is still pending, I am going to see if they will just correct it according to what they have on record for the airworthiness.

MONTY THE MATCHMAKER...
Back on the 15th of July I asked for your help in finding a Swift. You gave me the tip to call Jerry Ramerth. To make a long story short, I did and I now own 77759, except I don’t have it home yet. Anyway, wanted to thank you for your help. Would you have any idea on where or how I could come up with the original or close to the original Temco design on the control wheels. The wheels on mine have been repainted and so they are now blank.
Thanks again,
Jerry Swartz (Jsw7211963@aol.com)
Sioux City, IA

Jerry,
Congratulations on getting N77759. Incidently, the 777 series of Swifts were unique. They were made in the transition period between Globe and Temco, mostly from Globe parts, but were finished by Temco. I believe N77759 was originally made by Globe as s/n 28. Probably, it had some mishap at the factory, and was simply pushed aside in the weeds. When Temco was trying to get started up again in early 1948, it was repaired and refurbished and fitted with a new firewall foreward, and given a new s/n 3631, and sold as a new aircraft.

The control wheels were maroon in color. The Globe airplanes had a Globe decal or paint logo in the center. The Temco airplanes had a similar “Temco” design. The last time I saw N77759, it still had the blue stripes and red “Swift” bird painted on the cowl, that is the “correct” scheme for s/n 3531. I don’t have a detailed drawing, in case you need to redo it, but if you can get up here, we have several original Swifts locally. Look at the Swift site on the web and look at my site for photos of N2431B.  --  Jim Montague

WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GET THEIR PARTS???
I have noticed that some parts on swift that have data tags are the same s/n of the aircraft. were all the parts matched to the aircraft in production"? If this is so my R/H elevator is off of s/n 111.
Thanks, Lee Davis (n80730@aol.com)

Lee,
Over the years I have seen a lot of those s/n data tags. I believe they 'kind of" tried to match s/n's but many were off a few numbers right from the factory. For instance, my first Swift, which was s/n 42. The fuselage and centersection were s/n 42, but the wings were slightly different and most of the control surfaces were slightly different, like s/n 43 - 44 - 45 etc. ( long time ago, I forget exactly) s/n 3760 which I am working on now has ailerons tagged 3759. Many GC-1Bs around s/n 1100 had control surfaces & wings s/n's like 450, of course, they never made a 450, GC-1A production ended at 409, but they had the parts made up and they used them as they needed them. I wish now I had paid more attention to this. Of course, now many parts have been swapped around, but I know for sure some were like this from the factory.

My s/n 3731 (N2431B) has had the left elevator changed, it is s/n 3762, which aircraft s/n was never built. That elevator came new on aircraft 3758. It was destroyed, and the elevator was put on s/n 3687 (N2387B) that aircraft was damaged and many of the parts off N78122 were used to rebuild it. I got the elevator many years ago and put it on my plane to replace one that had a scratch on it. Thanks for the note, I love the history of this stuff. BTW, s/n 111 is flying so I doubt if your RH elevator came from it, thats probably just the way Globe used control surfaces that day. I guess we Swift guys can’t be like the Corvette owners and advertise “all serial numbers match”, since so many didn’t right from the factory.  --  Jim

MONTY FIGURES OUT JUST HOW MANY SWIFTS WERE BUILT...  (4199)
I decided to sit down and determine how many Swifts were actually built. There were 409 GC-1A serial numbers; s/n 1 was not a Swift as we know it, so count ...408

The Globe GC-1B's start at s/n 1001 and go to s/n 1504, which counts 504 aircraft, but s/n 1002 and 1004 were converted GC-1A's and have already been counted, so subtract two. But looking a little further along you see s/n 1527, so add one. Total count for this series ...503

The Temco built 1946 Swifts total 329 serial numbers, but s/.n 2001 and 2003 were converted GC-1A's so subtract 2 from 329. Total count here...327

The Temco airplanes from s/n 3501 to 3760 total 260. s/n 3531 was evidently converted from s/n 28 so subtract one from 260. Total count here...259

TOTAL SWIFT BUILT = 1497

Other Swifts may in fact have been converted GC-1A's, so the count may even be lower. I would welcome any input or commentary. -- Jim

MORE DISCUSSION ON SWIFT PRODUCTION NUMBERS...  (11199)
From: George Isenbruerger <gi@globe-swift.net>
Subject: numbers of Swifts...
Hi Monty,
I just read that email below ("UPON FURTHER REVIEW..." from the Oct. #4 GTS Internet Update) and I wonder how many Swifts are currently flying worldwide. I assume that we have 2 Swifts (N2451B and D-EJYB) flying in Europe with one being repaired (Roger Hamletts Swift G-AHUN). I also heard of two other Swifts that were purchased by a father and son team from airbus industries in Tulouse, France. However I do not know if they are already in France (N3333?? and N333??) What about elsewhere? Regards -- George

George,
I would invite you to go through the lists and count them! I've tried it and I'm sure I never got an accurate count. Some of the airplanes listed are "paper airplanes" and only exist on paper. Others are non-flying for one reason or another and the owners couldn't care less about keeping the record straight. Others are still unknown and we still find one every month or two, perhaps stored in a barn or destroyed years ago. The FAA records in the US still show almost half of the original production still registered. The total flying, or which could fly is somewhat less worldwide, about 500 airplanes.

I don't believe those Swifts ever made it to France. I think N3333K was sold to a gentleman from Texas and N333DK is for sale in Florida. Puzzling, to me, The one that had the 220 Franklin and canopy is no longer listed as having either. Incidentally, there are two Swifts in Australia, several in Brazil, one in Chile and more in Canada and South Africa. There were two in the Philippines but they have been returned to the US, one sat on a dock in Los Angeles and now suffers terminal corrosion and the other, which flew around the world in the '50's is now in storage in Illinois. Jim

SWIFT SERIAL NUMBER LISTING...
Subject: ???????????????
To: Pete King <peetking@earthlink.net>
Hi, Jim,
Why do you set the 3500 series swifts apart from 36 & 3700 series?????? in your genealogy print outs??????
High regards, Pete

Pete:
The reason I include the 3500 s/n's in with the '46 Globes is so I could show the transition of "N" numbers. Note N3811K is Globe s/n 1504 and N3812K is Temco s/n 3501 Note also I have the original Globe s/n's in parenthesis thus: 3502 N3813K (1506) Also note Globe s/n 1527 is N3834K, Temco must have forgot to take "credit" for that one. It also shows the origin of the N777 series of Temco Swifts which were assembled by Temco out of Globe produced parts.  N3899K and N2300B are adjacent s/n's and probably near identical airplanes, they just represent the change in block "N" numbers as assigned by the CAA. -- Jim

STOCK vs MODIFIED... (11499)
From: "Frank L. Mason" <flmason@earthlink.net>
I noticed a lot of commentary about modified Swifts in this (last) issue. It brings to mind a question. Any idea how many Swifts are left that have been maintained "as delivered" (with any required AD's of course)? In my entire life I've seen 1 advertised as "owned for 30 years by one owner... as original. Seems a shame everyone is butchering them up.
Sincerely, Frank

Frank,
I agree totally with that last statement! Oh sure, I agree a 210 hp engine is nice, and bubble canopies are nice, but I think we had more fun when you could run out and buy a good Swift for $2,000! Everyone seems to want to go faster, longer, and in more comfort. This is not all bad as a big engine Swift with 50 gallons of fuel and modern radios and instrumentation is a pretty neat airplane. I think a PROPERLY modified Swift has its place, as well as an original or nearly original Swift. -- Jim

(Editor's two-cents worth follow...)

Frank,
I'm not really sure about exact numbers but I'll take a stab at this until someone emails with better information. Every year at Swift National there are at least a dozen, if not more, really "stock" Swifts. Many Swifts that are close to original are being restored back to "as original" condition (or at least as close as possible). The Association has been encouraging keeping stock Swifts stock or restoring back to stock for many years now.

These days, it seems that the majority Swifts that are close to original are not being customized. Most of the recently customized Swifts are made from Swifts that were already WAY past any resemblance to original before further customization began. (At least most of us would hope so...) The Association apparently does not seem care too much if a Swift that is already "cut-up" is customized further. Then you also have the individuals that on rare occasion make so many changes that they have to put their Swifts in the experimental category.

Regarding number of owners. The Swifts in our family probably represent the two extremes. Our Swifts are three serial numbers apart and were built by Globe in October '46. In my mind's eye I can see them going down the line at the Globe plant, almost nose to tail with only '05Kilo and '06Kilo between them, soon to be parted but someday to be together again. My Swift, thus far, has had two owners (or, "caretakers", as some of us prefer to think of it). The original owner from April 1947 to August 1982 was the late Linn A. Gore of Santa Monica, CA. Then myself from Aug '82 through today. My wife's Swift, on the other hand, has had 29 owners. Erin has owned her Swift since February 1986 and has by far owned her Swift longer than her 28 predecessors. Most Swifts will fall somewhere in between our two in number of owners and I would challenge anyone to show me proof of a Swift that has had more than 29 owners. I'm also reminded now, as we are discussing one Swift with many owners, of the one owner that has had many Swifts. Mark Holliday of Lake Elmo has owned, I believe, 30+ Swifts. (And we won't count the Swift he won in a raffle and gave back...) Maybe Mark can email me with the exact number. As of this minute...

Swifts are without a doubt the most modified production light airplane in the world. (Or any size airplane for that matter...) They tend to be as individual as their owners and in point of fact I think that is one of the things, to me anyway, that makes them so special. Like my wife was quoted in Stan Thomas' book, "The Globe Temco Swift Story"... "Swifts are like snowflakes, no two are alike." When you go to a Swift Fly-In if you haven't looked at all the Swifts there you haven't seen them all. Maybe some of the Swifters out there might have some numbers and/or opinions of their own on this subject. -- Denis

NO MORE CALLS PLEASE, WE HAVE A WINNER!!!  (11599)
From: Steve Wilson <SteveWlson@aol.com>
Subject: Re: GTS Internet Update#4
In a past GTS Internet Update you wrote...
<< My wife's Swift, on the other hand, has had 29 owners. Erin has owned her Swift since February 1986 and has by far owned her Swift longer than her 28 predecessors. Most Swifts will fall somewhere in between our two in number of owners and I would challenge anyone to show me proof of a Swift that has had more than 29 owners. >>

I accept the challenge... Attached is a "Word" file containing the names and addresses, including the date of purchase for each of the owners of N3876K, Barb's airplane. There are 31 owners, if you include the birth parents "Temco." OK. what's my prize?..... A nice Swift when Barb is through restoring it is enough!!!

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