DAN SHUMAKER COLLECTION
No. 5576. Thurston TSC-1A Teal (N2005T c/n 5)
Photographed at Merced, California, USA, 1990, by Dan Shumaker

Thurston TSC-1A Teal

08/31/2011. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "This small two-seat amphibian was created by David B. Thurston based on his experience of designing Grumman's G-65 amphibian and the Colonial Skimmer which became the Lake LA-4. Thurston set up Thurston Aircraft Corporation at Sanford, Maine and built the TSC-1 prototype (N1968T c/n 1) which made its first flight in June 1968, powered by a 150 hp Lycoming O-320-A3B engine.

Thurston TSC-1A Teal

The Teal gained its type certificate on August 28, 1969 and Thurston Aircraft delivered the first TSC-1A production unit (N2002T c/n 2) at the end of that year. This was followed by 13 further TSC-1As before the introduction of the TSC-1A1 which had new wing leading edge fuel tanks, a retractable tail wheel and an optional hull fuel tank.

At about this time, early 1972, Schweizer Aircraft Corporation at Elmira, New York, bought the design and production rights, hired David Thurston as Engineerings Manager, and built 12 further examples (c/n 20 to 31). The Schweizer version was the TSC-1A2 Teal II and it incorporated slotted flaps, a higher gross weight and many detail changes to systems and trim.

In 1976, Schweizer sold the whole project, including airframes c/n 32, 33 and 34 to Teal Aircraft Corporation of Markham, Ontario, Canada. Teal moved production to St. Augustine, Florida, and announced that a higher powered version - the 180 hp Marlin - would soon be available. However, by the time aircraft number 38 had been completed, Teal was in financial trouble and production was suspended.

The pictured aircraft was produced on April 23, 1970, it received its CofA a week later, and the next day, May 1, it was registered to Gordon A. Cheney; Newton Junction, New Hampshire. After some 1,200 flying hours the aircraft was sold to George Lybrand of Long Beach, California, on April 26, 1989, while on December 15, 1995 it was registered to its present owner, James A. Steele of Brighton, Michigan."


Created August 31, 2006