Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1946 Culver Dart GC

This airplane looks as though it’s enthusiastically anticipating the next opportunity to fly. [screenshot from AircraftForSale listing]

Typically, rare, museum-quality aircraft from the golden era of aviation with a modern restoration go for princely sums of money and include princely operating budgets to boot. But there are occasional exceptions to this rule, and if you’re lucky enough to find one, chances are, it will still cost more than the $57,000 asking price for this 1946 Culver Dart GC listed on AircraftForSale.

The Dart was unique from the beginning. Designed in the 1930s with the help of Al Mooney, it sported several different engine options, mostly 90-horsepower radials and the slightly more powerful Continental O-200 of Cessna 150 fame. With a fabric-covered wooden airframe, nicely rounded tips on the wing and horizontal stabilizer, and a jaunty stance on its tailwheel gear, it looks as though it’s enthusiastically anticipating the next opportunity to fly.

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This particular Dart is especially unique. Rather than leaving the pilot with only around 100 horsepower and precious little excess thrust to clear departure-end obstacles, it has a one-time STC for a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320. This notable increase in power is sure to deliver bigger climb rates and bigger smiles alike, particularly as it’s fully stressed for aerobatic flight.

The Dart’s new owner will likely go many years without significant scheduled maintenance concerns. With only 1,000 hours on the airframe, 466 on the engine since major overhaul, and entirely new Polyfiber fabric installed in 2004, the most significant items have been addressed.

Although fewer than 100 Darts were produced, some 20 remain on the FAA registry today. So, while the type is indeed rare, a small community of owners exists that might be leveraged for ownership support. It’s not every day a unique and nearly pristine golden-age classic becomes available, and it’s especially rare that one comes up for a price on par with a new pickup truck.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance and quickly calculate your monthly payment using the airplane finance calculator. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

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Jason McDowellAuthor

Jason McDowell is a private pilot and Cessna 170 owner based in Madison, Wisconsin. He enjoys researching obscure aviation history and serves as a judge for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association. He can be found on Instagram as @cessnateur.