The Boeing 40C of Pemberton and Sons Aviation is on its landing gear and wing assembly is scheduled to take place early in 2005. It’s expected to be flying within two years.
The aircraft, c/ns 1043…C5339 (before the (then) CAA issued “N” registrations) of Pacific Air Transport crashed on an Oregon mountain weeks after entering service.
Its wreckage…primarily the steel tube fuselage…remained on the mountain for years. While the fuselage is newly built, original fittings that were salvageable will be used in the restoration.
Plans for the project came from original Boeing drawings. When completed it will be painted in its original PAT color scheme.
the wing parts have been made, however they won’t be assembled until the project moves into a new purpose-built hangar later this month. Special 20-inch wheels have been made and will be assembled this week. You’ll notice in the photograph, the plane is temporarily on a set of T-6/BT-13 wheels to enable it to be moved in the workshop.
Two other Boeing 40s exist, both in museums (Chicago Museum of Science & Industry and the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.)
Two Canadian-built versions (Boeing 40H-4s) swere sold to New Zealand as ZK-ADX and ZK-ADY. ADY was sold to New Guinea as VH-ACL and was lost in enemy action in early 1942. ADX became VH-ADX when sold in Australia.
For more on the project see the Pemberton website at:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/biplane0/boeing40/
By: Smith - 7th December 2004 at 23:21
Dave – I don’t know who “controls” North Head (Defence maybe) but whoever it is would need to be convinced they weren’t searching for a goose (no, not the Grumman kind, more like Melvin’s). A person or persons would have to put together some sort of linear history of the aircraft in question and create a reasonable probability that one of them is there. Without that, it’s an urban legend.
By: J Boyle - 7th December 2004 at 22:48
Governments of the past have been very negative about letting people in, so it won’t even be worth considering applying to the current anti-aviation idiots in power here now. .
Dave
It maybe worth a try. Perhaps if they knew the potential historic significance of the plane they’d be willing to allow a search. Maybe they think it’s a common old plane….
I’m always amazed by the number of people who still think you can buy a WWI surplus Curtiss Jenny for $500 or that there are hundreds of surplus
B-17s and P-51s for sale in the desert.
Fact is, that most non-aviation types don’t realize how rare and significant most old planes are.
By: Dave Homewood - 7th December 2004 at 13:55
Thanks for that John. It is a really intriguing story about those first Boeings. There have been a few programmes on TV here about them over the years. Many very knowledgable aviation people have attempted to get permission to search the tunnels, but Governments of the past have always been very reluctant. I believe one search was allowed, with extreme restrictions – they were only allowed into certain tunnels, and only had something like 24 hours in the tunnels. It involved much clearing of blocked tunnels taking a while. Of course, they found nothing.
Governments of the past have been very negative about letting people in, so it won’t even be worth considering applying to the current anti-aviation idiots in power here now. I would imagine if the first or second ever Boeing were discovered, the Boeing Corporation would be very willing to pay for it to be returned home for their collection.
By: J Boyle - 7th December 2004 at 13:29
Not that old…..
Dave..
According to my trusty Putnam Boeing Aircraft Since 1916 by Bowers, the two planes you mention are the B&Ws, thevery first Boeing airplanes built.
Built in 1916, the only two made (C/ns 1 & 2) were sold to New Zealand in 1918 as mail planes.
I had no idea either (or any bits for that matter) survived, so if they are indeed underground, it would be a major historic find. Perhaps the government could reconsider their position. Trained professionals…I’m not sure if archaeologists is the right term for something less than 100 years old…might be willing to take some risks. Surely, it’s worth a look.
The Boeing 40s were produced in the 1928-32 time frame. Pemberton’s 40 will be the oldest flying Boeing airliner and I believe the oldest flying Boeing designed aircraft. An earlier Boeing built Thomas-Morse MB-3A may be out there flying, but I doubt it.
By: Dave Homewood - 7th December 2004 at 10:23
Interesting stuff.
I am interested in the two NZ examples you mentioned – I may be getting confused here as i don’t have references to check, but are they the two first Boeing aircraft ever built that were sold to the Walsh Bros. Flying School at Kohimarama in Auckland? Or are these two seperate old Boeings.
Theorists reckon that the Government holed one of the first two ever Boeings inside the myriad of tunnels at North Head, above Auckland city in the olden days. Many groups have sought approval to open these old MoD tunnels to find the priceless aircraft, but the Govt. won’t allow it stating it is too unsafe. Many think that it’s more the case that they are hiding much more than they’re letting on, ie stockpiles of war surplus ammunition that residents wouldn’t want in their backyards.
The Government reckon neither of these Boeings were ever put into the tunnels, and that calves ate at least one of them (which did happen to other Walsh Bros. aircraft!! But many people say they saw a plane hidden in the catacombs before many passages were filled in to restrict access.
By: Stieglitz - 7th December 2004 at 09:55
Great news! 🙂
It looks like there is still some work to do, but it will be great to see such a rare biplane in the air again!
J.V.
By: Hand87_5 - 7th December 2004 at 09:03
Keep us posted !!
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December 7, 2004 at 3:40 am