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Thread: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

  1. #1

    Join Date
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    Default Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    Hello Kitfox Nation,

    My name is John Conway and my Grandfather is Robert Croft. My Grandpa built a Kitfox 2 in 1988 and taught me to fly in that plane. He lived in Colorado at the time and we had countless adventures cruising around the mountains and having lunch under the wing at some remote strip. So many great memories!

    He had the plane for quite a while, moving it to Arizona and finally New Mexico where he sold it to a family friend. It was sold again and I lost track of it.

    My Grandfather passed away last fall and it really got me thinking about all of the great times we had in "The 'Ol Fox." and if she was still flying.

    According to the FAA site, it was last registered in 2013 to a Mr. Aaron Vanshoiak in Hayti, SD. (The tail number is N81589.) I wrote to the address listed (As well as 3 other addresses from white pages/internet searches/etc.) but all of the letters have been returned as undeliverable. I tried searching thru Facebook and other sites but also no luck.

    If by chance anyone out there recognizes the plane or knows the owner, would you please forward this to him or her? I'd like to think she's still flying, but if the Kitfox is sitting in a hangar somewhere and needs a little restoration, maybe we can get her back in the air!

    Thank you all for your time!
    John
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  2. #2
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    Great post John. I so hope you end your quest with success. We are all building and like your grandfather, hopefully sharing those memories with others.
    We have almost 5,000 members on here now so you never know. Good luck.


    DesertFox4
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  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    This Aaron guy was rebuilding Kitfoxes for a while. He was posting on either Team Kitfox or AvidFoxFlyers forum for a while showing progress he had made on recovering one of them. Haven't heard anything from him in quite a while. JImChuk
    Last edited by Av8r3400; 08-15-2017 at 09:05 AM. Reason: Took out phone number.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    Thank you for the info! Any lead is greatly appreciated!

    -John

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    I'd bet this is the guy ? Just a guess but maybe N81589 was crashed and deregistered. Possibly rebuilt and re-registered as N493QV ?


    http://www.barnstormers.com/classifi...ne+wanted.html

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    Thank You TY2068---That's the best lead I've had in a long time! The FAA website has his name spelled 1 letter different and that's the name I've been chasing. (Doh!) That's gotta be the guy: Everything else matches.

    I emailed him this afternoon, thanks again to everyone for the info!
    -John

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    Let us know what happens!

  8. #8
    ppilotmike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    Good luck with your hunt. I will be watching this thread. Mike

  9. #9

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    Spring, TX
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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    The search continues!

    I talked with Aaron in Washington: He has rebuilt 10+ Kitfoxes but he did remember my Grandpa's plane.....and sold it to a guy in Nebraska around 2013.

    So far, this is the general trail: Grandpa sold it to a guy named Fred in New Mexico (Early 2000's), at some point it was sold to someone in AZ, Aaron bought it around 2012 (Told me it had pretty extensive damage and the guy he bought it from had it as a project plane), Aaron sold it to "a guy in Nebraska who he never heard from again and never registered the plane in his name."

    So......I don't suppose this rings a bell to anyone in the Kitfox community?

    I'll keep looking and keep you posted!
    Thanks again for the info and the well-wishes,
    John

  10. #10

    Join Date
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    Brush Prairie, WA
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    Default Re: Trying to locate a Kitfox built by my Grandfather

    Here I am, with a little more info for you.
    I did a little digging and it looks like I bought in Nov of 2010.
    I picked it up in San Manuel Arizona.

    I did repair the fuselage at the tail and cabin over structure.

    Then I did a complete recover and paint.

    I upgraded the 532 for a 582 and flew it for awhile.

    I sold it around Labor Day 2011.

    I last contacted the buyer in July of 2012 to inquire about the registration still being in my name. He did respond, but I've had no communication with him since. I don't have a phone number for him, but I did email him this evening to see if he still has the Fox.
    I will let you know if he responds.

    In the meantime, here is what you would be looking for if it still bears the paint job I gave it over 6 years ago.

    Also, click this link for the thread mentioned above that shows the pics of what it was when I bought it, along with what was the start of the recover process. My thread

    IMG_7302.JPG

    IMG_7304.JPG

    IMG_7305.JPG

    1.jpg

    IMG_6586.JPG
    Aaron

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