What would you Import?

Hi All

Something to keep an eye out for is that a “lifestyle” program produced in Melbourne recently displayed these “fantastic ” new tables /desks made out of aircraft wing tips and horizontal stabilizers. The ones on the program were DC3 but they said that “others” were available. They were getting $15,000.00 for the larger ones so it would be some incentive for some B*&%&$D to go into business – I might add I think the best place for a wingtip is ..on the end of a wing Doh!

I am in no way suggesting that the manufacturer of the products on the show uses anything but new build or properly sourced parts but it might have given someone an idea?

Regards
John P

Matt

Can’t believe some of the low-lifes out there , we will be running a picture of a brand new set of B-24 wing tips that were stolen in the next ‘Classic Wings’.. a damn disgrace. How are they useful to anyone else other than those restoring such a beast?….go figure :confused:

Dave

Werribee B-24

Hi Mark,
I’m not involved with the restoration of the B-24 at all (used to be a member of the Association however), but I can fill you in somewhat. The restoration is continuing, and while very well advanced, is still a reasonable way from completion.

I personally last saw the aircraft around this time last year. Since the official dedication of the aircraft in Aug 2000, a lot of work has been devoted to actually restoring parts that were ‘positioned’/assembled to make the aircraft look complete on the day.

Unfortunately, the restoration hangar has been broken into on at least two occassions, with the resulting loss of tools and some, not insignificant, parts. This has been a tremendous blow to the team. To make matters even worse however, the roof of the storage hangar collapsed very early this year I think it was. Parts were damaged, and access was essentially impossible for quite some time. As part of the assessment process, I believe that access was heavily restricted to the restoration hangar (same type of structure as that which suffered roof collapse).

Just today I had a mate here who used to be heavily involved with the B-24, and still is involved on a reduced level. Restoration work has recommenced now, and the stored parts have been relocated to other storage facilities. Climbing over and trawling through some of my piles of ‘junk’, he pointed out that the boys down there might require a few of the items I have. So, I might have to make another journey down there sometime in the not too distant future.

Apologies for rambling mate, and I hope this might have answered your question at least partially.

Cheers,
Matt

Whilst we are thrashing the B-24 to death on this thread, do any of our ‘Aussie’ posters have a ‘sitrep’ on the B-24 restoration at Werribee, just outside Melbourne?

I last saw it in June 2001 and jolly good it was looking then.

Have they pulled it outside the restoration hangar yet?

Mark

The B-24 at Werribee.

Whilst we are thrashing the B-24 to death on this thread, do any of our ‘Aussie’ posters have a ‘sitrep’ on the B-24 restoration at Werribee, just outside Melbourne?

I last saw it in June 2001 and jolly good it was looking then.

Have they pulled it outside the restoration hangar yet?

Mark

DX B-29

Hi Guys,

Since we beat the hell out of DX 24 the other plane they have on display I would like to see return to this side of the Pond is the B-29 you guys have their.

Really now don’t we all think it would look better in the air flying formation with FiFi. I’m sure we could find a nice Cockpit section the could be put on display.

Cheers Crazymainer

Lovely idea, and I understand that it was a serious possibility at one stage, but unfortunately it’s unlikely to happen now due to costs. Apparently the CWH Lanc flies just a fraction of the BBMF Lanc’s hours annually anyway due to the costs involved in operating it, so any transatlantic deployment is sadly out of the question.

We all know this will never happen Steve but as this is a hypothetical discussion with ‘money no object’ I would also love to see the Canadian Lanc fly over here and also get ‘Just Jane’ airworthy for the remake of ‘The Dam Busters’! 😀

😡 but one thing that really does irritate me is when people refer to the BBMF Lanc as PA747, ITS NOT ‘PA747’ 😡 😡 😡 , Her serial is PA474!!!!!!!! PLEASE GET IT RIGHT FOLKS!!!!!! Sorry for the gripe

…what ever happened to this?

The inscription on the back of the print reads:-

‘September 1973. Lockheed Lodestar bellied in 50 miles N.W. of Yellowknife N.W.T., happened in about 1955.’

Not a side scan radar shot but a grossly enlarged portion of the air to ground print on the textured paper of the time

Mark

Hi Mark,

This aircraft was recovered and as far as I know is now under restoration to airworthy condition in Canada. I believe this is the only Canadian Ventura that’s left. I have an article of an Air Classic special about Ghost Warbirds and there this aircraft was reported on in detail.

Mmm, just got back from a short holiday and I am still sifting through all those pages you managed to fill the past five days.

Cheers

Cees

[/QUOTE]Hey Sparky,

The Black Widow is No longer on outside display. The rumor is that its either been put away for safe keeping or that someone from the States has bought it.
[QUOTE]
As long as it gets preserved, to flying condition preferably who cares which country it goes to

I was thinking D-INJR the Me209V1.

I suppose this shouldn’t be that difficult. If the Germans manage to extract the sole surviving PZL P.24 from the Museum in Turkey, I guess the Cracow people might agree to swap.

I was thinking D-INJR the Me209V1.

Wouldn’t that be something to see?
By the way, they only have the fuselage of this aircraft, don’t they? Does anyone know of any good photos of the complete plane out there on the net?

T J Johansen

I was thinking D-INJR the Me209V1.

As for Krakow I am sure if they decided to part with items of no relevance to Poland they could make some good additions with the money raised. Certainly there is at least one aircraft that belongs back in Germany.

Do you mean the PZL P.11 the Germans fought so hard to get, back in 1939?

Hi

Getting back to important matters like what would you import and why

I think there are real advantages to be had in running “tours” of aircraft with a common theme from other countries through a season such as happened in the Warbirds over Wanaka 2004 with the Bretling Fighters. This is a common theme at this airshow and they always have something special imported for the occasion.

As JDK says the sooner we start digging up the side of Duxfords strip so we can create a proper pond for the seaplanes the sooner we will be able to mount a huge display there with all our good Aussie warbirds.

Once this happens I am sure the Yanks will get jelous and send over a couple of squadrons themselves

We could bring as I said earlier Several Boomerangs, Vengance, Kingfisher, Black Cat, Beaufort, Hudson, Wirraway’s Etc etc

I know the recent Leg ends was all the better with Polikarpov and P39(although the P39 is to remain) and cross fertilisation can only grow our interest/sport/industry. There are lots of example of touring aircraft brightening up an airshow season so why shouldn’t we all get behind an organised effort to create more of it on a regular basis.

I know that sponsorship and logistics will be an issue but surely this can be overcome if enough interest can be generated.

James sits astride his JCB at Duxford as we speak!!!! and I have already started building crates. We just need a couple of suitcases of cash and we are away.

Kindest regards
John Parker

TJ,

Yes thats the location Ft. Collins and yes I believe the photo was either in Flypast or Air Classic which one I don’t remember.

Cheers Crazymainer

Hi again Crazymainer,

It seems to come back to me now! (Me think). This is that ex- Morrison-Knutsen or something like that N92… plane which crashed or bellied in several years ago in Alaska? :confused: 😮

T J Johansen

P. S. Wasn’t there some photos of this plane in a magazine some years back, sittin outside a hangar in Ft. Collins?

T.J,

The 24 In Quebec is the one that Tom Reilly try to import from Labador, he got permission from the land owner and from the Canadian Gov. but the Quebec Gov. stop them saying that it was a Cultrual item of Canadia.

The short of this story is that this was a USAAF bird that got lost on its way to Blue’2. I rather not get into the Geo-Politics of my friend to North. 😀

As for the LB-30 this is owned by World Jet, this plane is located somewhere in Colorado. Its been advertised a few times but its in rough shape.

While we are on the subject of 24 there is the LB-30 located in Alaska plus a a D model 40-2367 that is also in Alalska. Then their is 42-41091 at Faita PNG along with another unknow aircraft at Faita.

Hope this helps TJ

Cheers Crazymainer

David I spent two year has a Vollenteer with the Collings foundation and I can tell you from first hand experaince that haven a 24 Vet walk throu the 24 and touch and tell his grandchildern that this is were I work during WWII is such a moving sight.

Well I think you’ve just answered yourself there – are you happy to deprive all the Liberator veterans who live in the UK or who visit Britain that same experience?

As well as the USAAF connections with Britain (which was the battleground they fought from, not the USA!), the Royal Air Force also operated B24’s, and as well as there being many British veterans who’d want to visit a real Lib, these were flown by crews from all over the world (esp RNZAF and RAAF crews) and in many theatres from Coastal Command to the Mediteranean to India.

Many of these people visit Duxford no matter where they come from, because it is the world’s best known aviation museum. Few people have heard of these obscure USAF bases where they have others tucked away. So who would take the trouble to visit them?

Plus as said many times here, loads of US veterans also visit Duxford and the other ex-USAAF bases. I know that other Air Force veterans do the same, even ex-RNZAF aircrew go all the way back there to see their old haunts and their old planes. It must remain at DX for them all to see, and as a tribute to those who flew the type from Britain, and furthermore the Liberator is not there just for them, or for British enthusiasts, it is there for everyone and people from across the world go to Duxford to see just such exhibits.

Now you must admit would’nt a flying DX 24 do more good then it sitting collecting dust.

That argument could be put to almost any aircraft in any museum (except perhaps dangerous ones like the Flying Fleas). If it were ever to get flying it should remain at DX anyway, where it belongs.

The B-24J sitting in exile in Quebec(lets not start this thread again)

The LB-30 Meat Hauler owned by a private person.

Cheers Crazymainer

Hi Crazymainer,

Sorry about starting something here, but just which aircraft are these? Are they well known, or very hush, hush?

T J Johansen

David, John,
In my first post about the 24, their was a group of people who were willing to step in and buy the 24 from the USAF and also pay for the fiberglass Copy for both Lackland and Duxford.
So lets move on OK
Cheers Crazymainer

Crazymainer…I know woy have the best interest oif the B-24 at heart…please don’t take anything I said as a personal attack. 🙂
Just a quick note….having seen the Liberator at Duxford and the fiberglass copy at Lackland, as nice as the fiberglass plane is …you would not want it at Duxford…where knowledgeable people can get up close. The plastic P-51 is mounted up high…and I could tell the difference but I’m betting your average visitor couldn’t.

Please go back and read my first post

David, John,

In my first post about the 24, their was a group of people who were willing to step in and buy the 24 from the USAF and also pay for the fiberglass Copy for both Lackland and Duxford.

This plane of all of the USAF 24 outside of Strawberry Bitch was the most complete. This was the last Operational 24 in the USAF service and could have been put back into the air in two to three years.

We are not going to change each other views I along with other would like to have this plane back and you both think its great to have it at Duxford.

So lets move on OK

Cheers Crazymainer