Because Zane so loves these "what plane for me" threads I thought I would add mine.

I am almost set on start looking for a Stinson 108-3 project but I wanted to give the Maule pilots a chance to talk me into a early M-5.

The plane is going to be on straight floats living on a 1000'MSL lake that is easy to get in & out of. During the winter it's going to have wheel/skis.
Ok fire away guys. Why should I rebuild a Maule M-5 over a Stinson 108-3?

-Todd Giencke

Hey while your answering Todd's topic. Clue me in the difference of the M-4, M-5, M-7.

I know the difference in the M-1, M-1A1, M-14, M-15, M-16, But the Maule thing has me confused Have never been around them much. I tried to get into a Maule several years ago 1995 to be exact. It had an O-300 for an engine, little for radios and light on instuments. However the guy wasn't interested in a partner. So I did little research.

Thanks, Bub

the converted 108-3 that he is talking about is an exceptional performer. They have a very good sustainable climb in the 1400-1500 ft/min range and have very short take offs.

I can give you the emails to several with this conversion if you like.

The one draw back is the loss of useful. My 108-3 has 1150 useful, not bad for a plane from the late 40's, not many now will compete, and non for the $$. With the conversion you will loose several hundred #, and with floats I do not know the exact amount. A more popular conversion is o-470 250ish hp.

I have pics of this conversion if you like.

Great seaplane pictures are Dave Miller's 108-3. Look them up.

Dane[/img]

Th 108-3 with the IO360, (210) is a great plane. I knew a guy in WA who had done the conversion and it was very effective. I could cruise faster but the two were right there for everything else. I'm partial to the Maule but I have always liked the Stinsons, great planes.
If I'm not mistaken, that plane may be up for sale. It was based in Renton, WA and is silver and blue. Very clean and well taken care of.

YELLOWMAULE wrote:Th 108-3 with the IO360, (210) is a great plane. I
If I'm not mistaken, that plane may be up for sale. It was based in Renton, WA and is silver and blue. Very clean and well taken care of.

Yes it was up for sale, I don't know if it sold or what the asking price
was, I was told it needed fabric work. It's N912C.
Good luck in your search.

The down on the 108-2 and also I think the -3 is that the cables are run behind the back seat. When you take out the back seat for hauling more stuff there is still the bulkhead that separates the back seat area from the bagage area. I have the extended bagage in the 182B and I am spoiled.

Tim

Go to Jeremy's web site. He has a spec sheet that has all the different Maules and years and what the differences are. It was very helpful when I was looking for my Maule.

my dad had a 108-1 and a 108-2 so when we went airplane shopping we were looking for a 108-3 with an engine upgrade. i flew a -3 with the 220 hp frank and a -3 with a 260 hp lyc.
both were absolutely awesome performers. the 220 powered one climbed out at 1000 fpm with 4 adults on board- and it was gaining speed... the 260 horse was an incredible hotrod.
long story short- we ended up with a maule. the stinsons were more money, and were 35 years older, and didn't have much for radios. our maule has a full king stack with dual 155's. it still has factory support for parts. and its 35 years newer.
also the edo 2425 floats for the 108's seemed to be hard to find. and in various states of disrepair.
but the stinsons still catch my eye. they have more class. there was one in the other day with an 0470 on it and patroller doors and vg's. looked like fun.

as far as maule models- jeremy has a page on his website that details the differences. but very bassically...
m4= short wings and round tail
m5= short wings and big tail
m6= long wings, very small ailerons and long flaps, torque tube flaps, short fuselage (same as m5)
mx7= long wings with more appropriate aileron length, short m5 fuselage.
m7= long wings and fuselage several inches longer and taller for 5th seat.

Bub - I thought you were starting out talking about Main Battle Tanks...

The original M-1 had a 105mm main gun while the later M-1A1 (and A2) have the 120 mm smooth bore.

BRD,

Yes they did. However I was thinking of the small arms.

I have a fairly nice DCM M-1 Grande that I do a little plinking with once in a awhile.

Be safe, Bub

Well, I just got back from the Maule flyin so missed the question, so for a beginning, go to maules.com then to 'specifications' then to 'chronology' and hopefully that will sort alot out re models. The flap mechanism change started in 1981 with the M6. The round tail was on all the M4's and then everything since has the Viking tail. The 4 door system is on everything except the very early M4 and the retro M4 180V. Once you fly with that door you will want nothing else but a 206 or Chero 6.
Jeremy

For what it's worth...

A Maule owner was about to wash his plane at the local strip so I popped by for a short chat. He has an M-5/210 (I think). He said he used to fly a Stinson but bought the Maule because he wanted something faster. "Used to fly in Idaho" and the Stinson did him well. He liked the avionics in his Maule. It had full IFR and Autopilot but he said he misses his Stinson. Two people and half fuel he claimed similar field performance to the Maule if I heard him correctly.

Got me thinking a Stinson might not be a bad way to go, eventually. Tossing about a Champion 7ECA (not the performance but better mileage) or a Stinson now.

Craig

pic1083 wrote:

YELLOWMAULE wrote:Th 108-3 with the IO360, (210) is a great plane. I
If I'm not mistaken, that plane may be up for sale. It was based in Renton, WA and is silver and blue. Very clean and well taken care of.

Yes it was up for sale, I don't know if it sold or what the asking price
was, I was told it needed fabric work. It's N912C.
Good luck in your search.

Saw that airplane on the ramp at Port Townsend yesterday. No indication of it being for sale.

Not that you would ever need any replacement parts, but Maule is still in production and has the cheapest parts in the business. I think a new aileron was about $600 if I remember right.

A friend of mine ran the shop at an FBO a few years back. They got a job to repair a ground-womped Maule (M5?). The FBO's charter/rental fleet was all Cessna, so my friend was amazed y the low prices when he ordered up the replacement parts (including an aileron) for the Maule. He told me later it's a good thing the parts were so cheap, cuz nothing bolted right on. Just about everything required extensive fitting. FWIW

Eric

Sometimes you get what you pay for I tell people the good thing about my Maule is that it is a cheap airplane and the bad thing about my Maule is that it is a cheap airplane. I do like the fact that the interior has no plastic parts etc. I'm sure it's that way because they never made enough of them in a year to justify the cost of tooling.