Here's a nice video a friend of mine put together documenting the latest complete beaver rebuild to emerge from the shop a few days ago. As usual the group has done s fantastic job.

I was lucky enough to be involved in many rebuilds there when I worked in the shop, it was great fun geeking out over all the details. When they say they replaced all the exterior fuselage skins they mean it, a laborious but worthwhile endeavor.

https://youtu.be/LdmHV38h-pM

For you Seahawks fans the N-number should give a hint of the new owner's identity.

Sam

Beautiful, I'm sure Jimmy is going to love flying it. The reason behind the military scheme is great. And....

GO HAWKS!!!

Sam, what would a rebuild like that typically run? Just curious how much I need to save

I've seen some of these dolled up Beavers go for 450k or more. I'm sure prices are going up.

Awesome plane!

Absolutely perfect.

But man, I bet that fork lift driver said some prayers before moving an inch with a bird like that a few feet off the ground haha.

SixTwoLeemer wrote:Sam, what would a rebuild like that typically run? Just curious how much I need to save

I've seen some of these dolled up Beavers go for 450k or more. I'm sure prices are going up.

Awesome plane!

You'd need about 800k to do a project like this one. Big expense is those Wipline floats, brand new they run about 250k. This particular set is the second to last set Wipline will build, they have no current plans to produce any more beaver floats.

An airplane we did a couple years ago with a much fancier full G600 panel with FLIR tipped the scales at 1 million US dollars. Another big expense on that one; the airframe had been at an A&P school where they had been practicing their CherryMax puller. Grinding hundreds of #5 cherries out and replacing multiple frames in addition to skins really adds up the labor costs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Halestorm wrote:This particular set is the second to last set Wipline will build, they have no current plans to produce any more beaver floats.

Did Aerocet just wear them down in the market?

Zzz wrote:

Halestorm wrote:This particular set is the second to last set Wipline will build, they have no current plans to produce any more beaver floats.

Did Aerocet just wear them down in the market?

Aerocet doesn't make an amphibious beaver float, only straights. There are currently no new production amphibious beaver floats on the market.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I suspect this one is of the more than million buck variety. It was at the First Ever Colorado Seaplane Splash-in in June. Gorgeous airplane.



Cary

Kenmore sure knows how to doll up a beaver. Anybody have 800k laying around I could borrow?

Anybody have 800k laying around I could borrow?

No but all you have to do is be 6'8" and be able to run a fast accurate route, and catch a football in traffic at the professional level. Oh, and save enough to pay your upcoming medical bills and deal with the long term effects of repeated concussions.

No problem, right?

Here's another Kenmore-restored Beaver, belonging to a relatively famous supporter of GA. I took it from my vantage point at my tent at the end of Row 513 at OSH last month, as he was taxiing onto the runway for a very short take off.



Cary

Love those Kenmore Beavers........especially the yellow ones

DonC wrote:Love those Kenmore Beavers........especially the yellow ones

Those are the 4 beavers that comprise Northwest Seaplanes' fleet, based out of Renton WA. They were all rebuilt and/or dolled up by the Northwest Seaplanes shop.

And they're orange, like a pumpkin.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Calling them Kenmore Beavers is kinda like calling a guy from New Zealand an aussie.

Have no idea what Northwest Seaplanes did to those beauties but I know at least 3 of them came from Kenmore when I bought them and sold them later to Clyde when I retired. Still beauties

Halestorm wrote:

DonC wrote:Love those Kenmore Beavers........especially the yellow ones

Those are the 4 beavers that comprise Northwest Seaplanes' fleet, based out of Renton WA. They were all rebuilt and/or dolled up by the Northwest Seaplanes shop.

And they're orange, like a pumpkin.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

DonC wrote:Have no idea what Northwest Seaplanes did to those beauties but I know at least 3 of them came from Kenmore when I bought them and sold them later to Clyde when I retired. Still beauties

Halestorm wrote:

DonC wrote:Love those Kenmore Beavers........especially the yellow ones

Those are the 4 beavers that comprise Northwest Seaplanes' fleet, based out of Renton WA. They were all rebuilt and/or dolled up by the Northwest Seaplanes shop.

And they're orange, like a pumpkin.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ah, I stand corrected! This must have happened long before my time, I've only been involved in Kenmore for the last 17 years.

I'd always assumed that Rob Richey fixed up those planes for Clyde before he came to work for Kenmore, it's easy to forget how long these airplanes have been around and where they've been. There's a beaver in the fleet at Kenmore now that has over 48,000 hours in service, hard to believe!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Fortunately, deHavilland Canada didn't put a life limit on the Beaver, like they have on the Twin Otter.....

Great old airplanes in any case. I saw one back in Minnesota this last spring with a price tag of $740 K, on amphibious floats, really pretty'd up, full glass cockpit, etc.

MTV

Darn I guess that was about 38 yrs ago Bob Monroe called me twice to make sure that was the color I wanted.

Quote...
"Ah, I stand corrected! This must have happened long before my time, I've only been involved in Kenmore for the last 17 years.

I'd always assumed that Rob Richey fixed up those planes for Clyde before he came to work for Kenmore, it's easy to forget how long these airplanes have been around and where they've been. There's a beaver in the fleet at Kenmore now that has over 48,000 hours in service, hard to believe!"

DonC wrote:Darn I guess that was about 38 yrs ago Bob Monroe called me twice to make sure that was the color I wanted.

How many kids/wives did you have to sell to buy 3 matching Beavers?!?

That must've been a hell of a day when you picked them up.

asadarnell wrote:

DonC wrote:Darn I guess that was about 38 yrs ago Bob Monroe called me twice to make sure that was the color I wanted.

How many kids/wives did you have to sell to buy 3 matching Beavers?!?

That must've been a hell of a day when you picked them up.

They were a lot cheaper back then trust me.... Got them over a 2 year period.