Cavalier Aircraft
Encyclopedia
Cavalier Aircraft Corporation was a Sarasota, Florida, aircraft manufacturing, sales, and maintenance company whose most famous products were refurbished P-51D Mustang
s known as "Cavalier Mustang
s."
P-51 Mustang
s into plush business aircraft called Executive Mustangs. Later, the aircraft were renamed Cavalier Mustang
s and were produced in several different versions: Cavalier 750, 1500, and 2000 (the numbers indicating the approximate range of the aircraft in statute miles). Trans Florida marketed and sold these aircraft, trained the new owners to fly them, and maintained them for customers after purchase. Lindsay also accumulated an immense stockpile of P-51 spare parts and sold these to Mustang owners worldwide. Many of the spares and entire aircraft were purchased from scrap dealers intending to melt them down. Lindsay also developed and received FAA approval for several improvements to the P-51D including: avionics, autopilot, baggage door, fresh air system, rear passenger seat, additional wing bladder tanks, high pressure oxygen system, and wingtip tanks of 110 gallons (416.4 l).
The original builder of the Mustang, North American Aviation, purchased a new Cavalier for famed test pilot R.A. "Bob" Hoover in 1962 to use to promote the NAA name at airshows.
In 1967 the company was renamed Cavalier Aircraft Corporation due to the strong product identity of the Cavalier Mustang.
. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Dart
and later a Lycoming
YT-55 turboprop of 2300 hp, the aircraft had impressive performance and was equipped with Bristol ceramic armour to protect the engine, airframe, and pilot. Despite Cavalier's best efforts, they were unable to secure a government purchase of the aircraft. Due to the limited manufacturing capabilities of Cavalier Aircraft Corporation, Lindsay sold the Enforcer concept to Piper in late 1970. Cavalier closed up shop in 1971 so the founder/owner, David Lindsay, could help continue develop the Enforcer concept with Piper.
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
s known as "Cavalier Mustang
Cavalier Mustang
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Darling, Kev. P-51 Mustang . Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 2002. ISBN 1-84037-357-1.* O'Leary, Michael. Mustangs: North American Aviation's P-51: Past, Present & Future, Warbirds International, Summer 2007....
s."
Origins
The company was originally formed in 1957 by Florida newspaper publisher David Lindsay (1922–2009) and named Trans Florida Aviation. Trans Florida specialized in modifying surplus North AmericanNorth American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
s into plush business aircraft called Executive Mustangs. Later, the aircraft were renamed Cavalier Mustang
Cavalier Mustang
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Darling, Kev. P-51 Mustang . Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 2002. ISBN 1-84037-357-1.* O'Leary, Michael. Mustangs: North American Aviation's P-51: Past, Present & Future, Warbirds International, Summer 2007....
s and were produced in several different versions: Cavalier 750, 1500, and 2000 (the numbers indicating the approximate range of the aircraft in statute miles). Trans Florida marketed and sold these aircraft, trained the new owners to fly them, and maintained them for customers after purchase. Lindsay also accumulated an immense stockpile of P-51 spare parts and sold these to Mustang owners worldwide. Many of the spares and entire aircraft were purchased from scrap dealers intending to melt them down. Lindsay also developed and received FAA approval for several improvements to the P-51D including: avionics, autopilot, baggage door, fresh air system, rear passenger seat, additional wing bladder tanks, high pressure oxygen system, and wingtip tanks of 110 gallons (416.4 l).
The original builder of the Mustang, North American Aviation, purchased a new Cavalier for famed test pilot R.A. "Bob" Hoover in 1962 to use to promote the NAA name at airshows.
In 1967 the company was renamed Cavalier Aircraft Corporation due to the strong product identity of the Cavalier Mustang.
Military contracts
In 1965 the company was contracted in by the government of the Dominican Republic, with US State Dept. approval, to IRAN 36 aircraft in Sarasota. In 1967 the USAF contracted with Cavalier for to create military-capable Cavalier Mustangs that were to be provided to friendly countries as part of the U.S. Military Assistance Program. These aircraft were called the Cavalier F-51D Mustang, and the Cavalier TF-51D Mustang. Cavaliers of these types were supplied between 1967 and 1969, via the USAF, to Bolivia, and directly to El Salvador, with spare parts and maintenance assistance also provided to Guatemala. Modifications varied, but included: vertical fin extension of 14 inches (35.6 cm), addition wing hard points, avionics upgrades, increased engine power, and wing tip tanks. Cavaliers were also constructed for Indonesia as part of a similar U.S. Military Assistance Program, called Peace Pony, in 1971 by Field Services,Inc.The Enforcer
In 1968, Cavalier owner/founder David Lindsay began developing a highly modified version of the Cavalier Mustang for use as a counterinsurgency aircraft called the EnforcerPiper PA-48 Enforcer
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Darling, Kev. P-51 Mustang . Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 2002. ISBN 1-84037-357-1....
. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Dart
Rolls-Royce Dart
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:*...
and later a Lycoming
Lycoming Engines
Lycoming Engines is a U.S. aircraft engine company, known primarily for its general aviation engines. For most of its history Lycoming has been part of the AVCO group as AVCO Lycoming. In 1987 AVCO was purchased by Textron to become Textron Lycoming...
YT-55 turboprop of 2300 hp, the aircraft had impressive performance and was equipped with Bristol ceramic armour to protect the engine, airframe, and pilot. Despite Cavalier's best efforts, they were unable to secure a government purchase of the aircraft. Due to the limited manufacturing capabilities of Cavalier Aircraft Corporation, Lindsay sold the Enforcer concept to Piper in late 1970. Cavalier closed up shop in 1971 so the founder/owner, David Lindsay, could help continue develop the Enforcer concept with Piper.