PLT OF A PA12-150 HAS PROP STRIKE WHEN TAXIING AND TURNING THE ACFT AS A STRONG; GUSTING TAILWIND LIFTED THE TAIL OF THE CONVENTIONAL GEAR ACFT.

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LANDED ON RWY 7 SOLO IN PA12-150 WINDS OUT OF COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE BLOWING 18 KTS GUSTING TO 35 KTS VARIABLE FROM THE SE TO 080 DEGS. UNEVENTFUL LNDG. TAXIED CLR OF THE ACTIVE. I REMEMBER I USED L BRAKE TO HELP START TURN; THROTTLE AT IDLE AFTER INITIATING TURN ON TO A PARALLEL TXWY NORTH INTXN. THE WIND SHIFTED OUT OF SE. AS I WENT TO RAISE FLAPS THE TAIL AROSE AND THE PROP STRUCK THE TXWY. I HAD ALREADY TURNED N. I FEEL AS THOUGH; IF I HAD RAISED FLAPS ON RWY THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED; INSTEAD OF REACHING FOR THEM AS TAIL CAME UP. ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE PROP; BENT TIPS. TWR CALLED FAA DUE TO THE PROP STRIKE. THE FAA INVESTIGATOR (OF WHICH THERE WERE 3 FOR A PROP STRIKE; OUR TAX MONEY AT WORK) ARGUED THAT LOWERING THE FLAPS WOULD NOT HAVE HELPED MY SIT. I DISAGREE. EVEN AT SUCH AN ANGLE THE WINGS AND TAIL DEVELOP LIFT AND WILL FLY. IF YOU'VE EVER WHEEL LANDED A PA12; 14; 18 YOU'RE AWARE THAT THE FLAPS REALLY HOLD THE TAIL UP AS THE CTR OF LIFT MOVES AFT. THE TAIL ROSE UP BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETE; THEN THE R WING AND TAIL CAME UP EVEN MORE AND THE PROP STRUCK THE GND; ALL BEFORE I COULD STOP IT. IT WAS A DYNAMIC SIT; THE WIND SHIFTING SE; ME TURNING FROM HEADWIND TO XWIND TO TAILWIND ONCE THE PROP ACTUALLY HIT. BUT BEAR IN MIND IT ALL HAPPENED IN ABOUT 2 SECONDS; ON A 35 KT GUST. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT I RELEASED PRESSURE ON THE STICK WHEN I REACHED FOR THE FLAPS AND THAT I STILL HAD SOME BRAKE ON THE L TO HELP OVERCOME WX VANING AND GET AROUND TO TURN.