In Utah

Unloading in Nephi

A couple of big birds in the hanger

For a little while we had the use of a large hanger in Nephi, but after a few months the owners wanted to double the rent, then double it again (which would make it $2000 per month), so we were forced to find a new home for the plane as we couldn't afford that much money. This hanger was so big that we could fit both Tom's and our plane into the hanger.
Tom had to travel down from Salt Lake City, which was close to one hundred miles each way, so although it was a great facility, it was hard for him to get there. He then decided to take his plane back up to SLC. Then when we had to move out of the hanger Tom moved his back up to his workshop where he ran his business from. Not ideal but a lot closer. I think shortly after that he sold it and moved on to a different project, but not too sure about that.

Heading out from Nephi

It was nice having that space, and being able to work out of the weather, but with no rich uncles to support our pricey habit, we had to move the plane again. This time we would do it ourselves, without the semi trailer and cranes. The destination was Spanish Fork, and I remembered that the previous owner had lifted the tailwheel into the back of a pickup and just towed the plane down the road in Seattle, from the dockyards to the airport. So that is the way it would make the 40 mile trip up to Spanish Fork. As the main gear is 12 feet wide, we were able to get a wide load permit and haul it down the freeway. What a sight. Cars passing slowed down and cell phones became cameras for an unbelievable picture. The truck/plane combination tracked well on the road, and we arrived back in the Springville - Spanish Fork area without any problems. Our destination was a block building that was basically disused, but large enough to keep all the parts out of the weather. We were able to barely get in the door - with about 1/2 inch to spare - after letting some of the air out of the tires.

Squeezing in the door

A few months later, I  decided to move the plane down to the SF airport, so I could start work on it. The building it was in had no power or lights, and no way to do any work. First I moved it to the backyard of my house for a while, then down to the airport. At the airport it would have to again be stored in the open, but at least I could get some work done. Parked at the end of a row of hangers, it became a landmark for the helicopter school pilots to line up with as the came in to land.
After most of the winter there, we built a house in Santaquin and moved it to the backyard of our new house. There were only one or two houses in the entire subdivision, but the HOA did not like have the plane there at all, so after several threatening letters over a few months, I finally found a small private airstrip over the hill from my house where the fuselage could sit in peace until time to work on it. The wings are in a storage unit and at the house and now it is time to get to work in earnest.