The Thunderbird Number Designations
Sorry fellas, weather has been good here lately so I have been doing outside things as opposed to inside on this computer. Plus I cannot stand scanning even on a horrible stormy day, so when the sun is shining -scanning is completely out of the question, lol. I have also been having real trouble getting on here for the last month or so.
Anyway, in the late 70's the Madill 071 was gaining huge popularity so Ross Murray (owner of Ross Equipment and Danebo Parts in Eugene Ore) decided he wanted in on the action. The only real downfall of the Madill 071 was the tank, so the Ross boys designed a yarder and had Chapman build it- they called it a 'Thunderbird TMY-45' (Thunderbird Mobile Yarder, 45' was the height). It was available as a trailer mount, a 3-axle self-propelled, and Chapman hydraulic track. I never heard how many were built, but there were a bunch. The first ones were sold in late 1978/early 79. Tower was an A-frame design, not a tube.
I have attached pis of a TMY-45 Self-Propelled on 3-axle.
Ross Equipment was a Chapman dealer at the time and the 2 companies got along very well.
Next they designed a mid-sized swing yarder (122/123 sized) and had Pierce in Portland Ore build that. They called it a Thunderbird PSY-200. (PSY for Pierce Swing Yarder) I have no idea where the #200 comes from. It also was a really good machine, lots were built.
This went on and went well until 1984 when Skagit (in Sedro-Wolley) went broke.
Ross formed 'Ross Corporation' and aquired the drawings, machining equipment, and hired lots and lots of Skagit people.
Then in late 1984 they really hit the yarder market big time!