I discovered this project on Barnstormers a couple of months ago. "For sale, the one and only, the prototype Dalotel DM-165." A tandem, low wing, retractable gear, aerobatic plane designed and built in France in the late 1960s. Only one was ever built.
What an opportunity or what was I thinking?
The more I looked into this plane, the more interesting I found it.
It all started with an innocent e-mail to Ray Ordorica, the fine gentleman who was selling this project. Ray had acquired it as a wreckage about 10 years ago and had it shipped from the UK to the US. It had an engine out, off field landing about 40 years ago and then sat in a hanger in the UK for close to 30 years. Since Ray got it he had done a great job rebuilding the empennage and had started repairing the left wing. Ray had also built all new ribs for the right wing. The right wing was seriously damaged in the accident 40 years ago so it needed to be built. As things happen for many of us, life got in the way for Ray (he's an author and adventurer) and his project stalled out a few years ago. Ray came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to get around to finishing it so he wanted to see it in the hands of someone else who might be able to finish it and get it flying. That someone else became me. I had some previous experience that would be useful for this project.
Ray's project was written up in Nov 2010 Sport Aviation, What our members are building/restoring. I've attached the article for your reading pleasure.