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gear and normal aspiration, its systems were basic, and it was a reliable performer for him. He flew it for a year and loved it but soon moved on to other things. In retrospect, it remains the twin he looks back on with the most fondness (for having owned and flown) and regret (for having sold). Fast forward to the past few years...
Knowing Pep’s interest in abandoned aircraft, a friend sent him a lead. There was a C-182 and a C-337 abandoned in Phoenix, Arizona. Both were traced to the same owner. While Pep was not looking for any more projects at the time (much less two), a package deal for both was struck. Thus, years after selling his 336 and without any intention to do so, Pep returned to the Skymaster game.
It Takes Three to Make Two
The Phoenix 337 was rough and had been sitting idle for 15 years. Soon, Pep and Jim were readying both the Skylane and Skymaster to be ferried across the Rockies. However, the Skymaster’s front engine was badly corroded, and a decision was made to truck the plane to GRB instead. Jim then found a different 337 in Texas (we’ll call it SM2). That one had suffered wing damage in a partial hangar collapse. Otherwise, it was in relatively good shape. Initially, they thought they would remove the wing from SM1 (in AZ), and take it to Texas to install on SM2. As fate would have it, while towing an empty trailer to Phoenix to remove the wing from SM1, they learned of yet another Skymaster (SM3) languishing in California without engines. So, they
bypassed SM1, driving on to CA to retrieve SM3. Changing their minds yet again, they trucked SM3 home and decided they’d repair the wing of SM2 on-site in Texas instead. A month later, they finally got to Phoenix to load up SM1 for its drive to GRB. Surprise! They also found a sad-looking Tri-Pacer while there, struck a quick deal for it, and put it on the trailer with SM1. The little Piper “milk stool” is also in GRB, awaiting the replacement of its 1960s linen fabric.
With SM1 (from AZ) and SM3 (from CA) safely in GRB, they returned to Texas to repair the wing of SM2. The intent was to make it ferryable, not to do a permanent repair. That would allow the big job of changing the wing to be done at GRB (the twin boom configuration of a 336/337 makes swapping a wing a significant undertaking). In Texas, the right wing of SM2 was partially re-skinned forward of the spar, and several rib repairs were made. A paint touch-up was applied with rattle cans before it headed north. Over the course of that winter, the right wing of SM3 (CA bird) was pulled and then installed onto SM2 (TX bird). Pep and Jim worked through its squawk list, giving it a fresh annual and some rudimentary paint improvements. Pepe has been enjoying it throughout 2024. SM2 (TX bird) is the Skymaster you see pictured here and will likely be the preferred cross- country machine for Pep and his wife for the foreseeable future. Pep reports that they both love the Skymaster not just for its flying qualities but for its ease of entry/exit, as well. Something to consider as aging begins to play a bigger role in what planes you choose to fly.
The twin tails and center thrust line are quintessential features of the Cessna Skymaster line of aircraft. [Matthew McDaniel]
Cessna’s Push-Pull Twin
Many centerline-thrust twins were designed and built before Cessna first flew its Model 336 in 1961. So, when Skymaster production began in 1963, it was not a revolutionary concept. It was hoped the configuration might reduce loss of control accidents due to mishandling of asymmetrical thrust. That would be game-changing within the light twin market that existed then.
The 336 wasn’t a big success out of the gate, and only 195 were built. For the 1965 model year, the 337 “Super Skymaster” was introduced, sport- ing retractable gear, a rear-engine air scoop, a horsepower boost from 195 to 210 per engine, and other re- finements. The 337 model line took off. Turbocharging was introduced in 1967 (T337), and pressurization in 1973 (P337). The military operated over 500 O-2 Skymasters throughout the Vietnam era and into the late 1980s. By the time Cessna ended production in 1982, almost 3,000 had been built. In time, the simplified “Skymaster” name became a synonym for all 336 & 337 variants.
August 2024 / TWIN & TURBINE • 25