MATS Connie starts final trip.

I had the privelege of seeing the SAC bird pretty often when living in KC, but 1994 was the last display that I witnessed (air races in Kansas City). Are there any projects in the works to get another Connie airborne?

Easy for YOU to say, YOU’VE got a flying Connie now and we’re down to ONE over here, and the last time I saw IT (the Save a connie bird) was back in 1994!!

M

Thanks to Vern Veburn, the Connie was safed from a very uncertain future at the time, and kept flying for over a decade. If it goes into retirement its fine with me.I hope that now its spare parts are no longer needed to keep it in the air, they can be made available to the other Connie operators so that they can operate their Connies for another, without doubt, limited time. As long as they can fly it is great, but when their days are over, and they will be preserved into collections/museums, well I can’t see nothing wrong in that. BW Roger

Hi

I guess the British will have to live with what has happened to black 6 which is in my book worse than giving her back to us – flying warbirds is at least a growth industry at present downunder as opposed to what is happening “in the mother country”!!!!!!!

Regards
JohnP

Hi Tim

As I type I have an RAAF photo above my desk 2X3 foot of Black 6 in the desert under the control of several famous RAAF types and the story has too much traction here for me not to believe it. I will post the full story from the Sqn record when I find it. Give it back I say!!!!

Regards
John P

Would be nice to say if you promise to fly it you can have it But Hendon won’t be letting her go away.
As to the MATS connie it is really sad i remember when she displayed at Biggin Hill, I had never seen a Connie before and was so excited to see her fly, We are lucky in Europe that we have two that can fly but its a crying shame to see the MATS is going to be a dust gather she should be much more than that.
As to Kermit i think maybe he has enough Aircraft already and as the Sunderland and Mossie he owns prove he does not keep everything flying.

Give it back I say!!!!

Regards
John P

There must be some mistake. The RAAF looked after the estranged Black 6 and donated it to the UK as a mark of gratitude for all we have done in the colonies.

Surely it would be an insult to Australia if we were to return such a gift. 😀

Two wrongs do make a right, she was lets face it captured by a bunch of convicts 😀

Hi Tim

As I type I have an RAAF photo above my desk 2X3 foot of Black 6 in the desert under the control of several famous RAAF types and the story has too much traction here for me not to believe it. I will post the full story from the Sqn record when I find it. Give it back I say!!!!

Regards
John P

Hi Tony

Well Black 6 really should come back home downunder and not stay with the thieves who stole her after the RAAF captured her – True!!!

Regards
John

John

But where did these RAAF personnel capture Black 6?

Tim

Hi Tony

Well Black 6 really should come back home downunder and not stay with the thieves who stole her after the RAAF captured her – True!!!

Regards
John

I think Black6 was time expired and due to be withdrawn from flying after his last doomed flight.

On the contrary, Black Six was in good health prior to its final flight and was going into the museum because the powers that be had only approved flying for a few seasons and wanted to preserve the a/c in flying condition and not expose it to the risk of an accident. Ironic that she should crash on her final landing, but she was rebuilt to full flying spec, so I am told.

I think Black6 was time expired and due to be withdrawn from flying after his last doomed flight.

It doesn’t make a great deal of sense to de-commission perfectly airworthy Constellation and turn it into a static museum piece. Was the a/c at the end of its useful life, ie airframe hours?

The B29 Hawg Wild flew in to DX and never flew again, and Black 6 ME109, was rebuilt to airworthy and put into Hendon on static display. There are no doubt many more examples.

Such a shame they couldn’e aquire a non airworthy example. Perhaps the answer lies in the cost of transporting and assembling a non-airworthy a/c. Lets hope it is well maintained and not left to rot.

Sad, sad sad sad…..feel like an old friend just died, quite frankly….this plane WILL be misse and I’m glad I still have a couple of T-shirts from her concession stand and a good pile of pics of her in action…

I HATE that they plan to retire her from flying….wish Vern could’ve found someone to keep her going….what, was Kermit broke or what?

mark