China ClipperSpitfires buried in Burma
as of today, 7 17, no new news… i keep looking. I had forgotten about the monsoons.
Whatever they will find will be interesting!
I suspect the rivets, which i recall are magnesium, will be shot.
Spitfire MK959 was restored here in Houston and Rayburn Thompson, who owned then and did the restoration personally, told me he had thousands of new rivets made up to repace ones that had corroded. He said you could see the rivet heads but there was nothing under them… !!!
For awhile MK959 had been on outside display, when he got it.
Still I would think, whatever their condition, these Spits will be an exciting find.
After all, what about the 2 fellows that found the hoard of buried Roman gold and silver im March this year!?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-17480016
They proved, with persistance and determination, it can be done!!!
China ClipperNEW LSFM photos coming up on their website!!
I just ck’d and new photos are available on the lsfm website.
Just click on CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS and you get a list of hangar one, hangar two, etc photos…
http://www.lsfm.org/ikephotogallery.html
please look thru all the folders to see the extent of the damage AND RECOVERY!!!
It’s amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
China ClipperLSFM and Houston, hurricane Ike
Bager,
disagree with what? that LSFM was not responsive enough?
well if you friend went to north houston, he only got away from the storm surge. I hope his house was okay in Baytown!!!! we had bad winds up hereon the north side. the night after Ike hit, we had another rain storm that dumped 12″ on our area. To add insult to injury. LOL
I recall Galveston was bracing for the big storm surge expected as Ike was to pass under Galveston and headed for Corpus Christi. Then the storm swung north.
Still, from Sep 11 warning and evacuation notice, I think LSFM flew out just about everything that was airworthy before Ike got close enough on the 12/13th to make flying dangerous. Besides with an evacuation going on, getting down ONTO Galveston was difficult.
Regardless, they did the best they could.
China ClipperLSFM
The museum is up on grade a bit above the normal ground level…
Galveston, Houston had minimal notice of the hurricane coming. It changed direction northward with little notice. I was in California on business and caughtthe next to last flight into IAH. Very erie to see IAH with only about 6 airplanes there and no one inside…
Museum members have to make decsions in that short time span when the storm really approaches on what to do for home, family, and the museum all at once. Evacuation out of Houston with about 5 million people, wellllll……
But it was better organized than last time.
Not knowing where the storm may go, range of aircraft… where do you fly to get out of the way? Not always cut and dry decisions… and how do you get home to your family with evacuation traffic flowing like rivers on all roads out?
I live 80-90 miles inland from Galveston and was in the direct path. winds were clocked even north of us at 105mph at a small USCG station on Lake Conroe dam/levee.
I lost a good 5 ft of roof down to the rafters and a good bit of bricks to a neighbors oak tree. But we were lucky compared to others. Great neighbors came to aid in the storm. It’s amaznig the LSFM hangar held up to the pounding it took from water, waves and winds.
Ike was a category 4 or 5 storm as far as storm surge levels… The storm surges came well before the winds or Ike did…. and were 15-20 ft in places and very destructive. Then the hurricane hit.
On the bright side, the museum hangars held the planes in!!!!! and follow on help from Collings, US Navy and others has arrived, per their website updates.
Remember several years ago, FLorida got hit by about 5 or 6 hurricanes. 4 of those passed over the Orlando area, well inland, where there were many vintage aircraft sites….
You can’t fight Mother Nature…
Cudos for the museum for doing all they could before and doing all they can afterward.
They are a VERY dedicated group!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is hard to imagine the level of devastation to Galveston. And to areas inland but near water like Galveston Bay…
link to info on Galveston airport also shows a MIG and other aircraft
http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2008/080917galveston.html?WT.svl=FlashHP1
some other pics, some of some aircraft also, to give you an idea as to what the LSFM faced:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_short_but_eventful_life_of.html
http://www.tpicks.com/pictures%20people%20have%20sent%20me.html
China ClipperLSFM Hurricane / Spitfire “encounter”
I am just back from solo lunch at hooks airport grill. stopped by the paint hangar and got the skinny.
(same hangar where MK959 and this Hurricane were painted so nicely.. )
they were landing in trail, hurricane came in first.
apparent hurricane brake problem and it looped left and came around back on the runway… struggling to keep from pulling left.
the spitfire came in for a landing shortly behind.
he came in nose up for a 3 pt landing, never saw the hurricane…
it was not the prop that hit the hurricane. but the right Spit wing…
right spitfire wing took out rudder and elevators on the Hurricane… I think the left wing of the Hurri was also damaged… From the looks of the Hurricane in the pic, the tailwheel is kaput too, tail is crumpled, not sheard and shredded as from a prop.
spit prop came to a stop 4ft from the Hurricane pilot… way too close for comfort…
planes are locked up for investigation.
maybe the Hurricane will come back to Hooks for repair…? tbd.
Best of all, as many have said, glad the pilots are OK…
China ClipperNow on 2 magazine covers
FlyPast and now the US magazine, Air Classics, has Hurricane on the cover.
Air Classics has many more photos and large article inside about the aircraft recovery and restoration.
Nice to read it will stay local to the LSFM (due to range limitations) … hopefully I will see more of her!
China ClipperHouston Hurricane done, on FlyPast cover
By now you have seen the Hurricane on the cover of FlyPast, with Tom Gregory flying it. Not too shabby, eh? Good article too.
I went to the Lone Star Flight Museum end of season FLYDAY airshow. WOW, what a museum! in addition to the Hurricane flying, they had the B17G, a B25 and 4 Stearman giving rides. They had 4 YAKS flying in formation, and P47, Wildcat, Hellcat and Corsair lined up taxied out together and flew. A very impressive and well run air show, and museum. http://www.lsfm.org
Here are “before” and “after” shots, with the refinisher, pilots and lead mech.
Thanks to the team who allowed me to take all those photos! A super bunch of dedicated guys.
China ClipperNX96RW stencils
Minimal markings. nothing at all like Spitfire MK959, done in the same shop that had oodles of markings, stencils, etc.
even the prop is bare of markings, to reflect the aircraft model flown in Africa.
they may mark the fuel tank capacities as they sort that out. they were measuring fuel gallons by what was pumped from the fuel truck at the start of the day.
China ClipperNX96RW airborne at airshow
Sunday, Nov 11, Veterans’ Day, the Lone Star Flight Museum had their end of airshow season Fly Day max effort airshow. It was fantastic!!!!! There was alway something taxiing, flying by. The Hurricane was gassed up about 10am and taxied out to the main show ramp. It flew later on.
At the flightline, B17, B25, 4 Stearman, 1 Vietnam Huey were giving rides all day. Flying in the show were 3 Chinese Yaks, several liason aicraft, Wildcat, Corsair, P47, Hellcat, (these 4 lined up in a row, 3 flew together) Hurricane, Zero, Jap torpedo bomber. Very impressive show of volunteers there too!!!! Very well run show. The museum hangar (huge!) holds a B58 Hustler, PBY, PB4Y Privateer (in restoration), Japanese Baka Bomb (unused LOL), Spitfire, Bearcat, some liason
The Hurricane looked awesome, started and flew flawlessly. I have it on good authority that the exhaust marks come off with Simple Green. 🙂
Nothing headed for Hooks for repaint, maybe an AT6 newly acquired by the musuem for touch up.
What a way to spend Veterans Day (and I got in free for being a vet…)
China ClipperHurricane flys Thursday
Hello sports fans…
News update. Hurricane will do a run up today. Gear were cycle tested yesterday. Many panels back on, still a few to go. some touch up paint will be done here and there. Spinner is on, sexy, eh? A crew of about 8 working diligently… people dropping by to ck in… Aeilerons, flaps on, new magneto fitted. The list goes on… You wonder how they ever fast turned these babies for scrambles in the war. they must have held screwdrivers in each hand. haha
I will miss the flight, if it is tomorrow. The LSFM chief pilot is taking her up. (it’s his hangar here…)
Me? I’m going up to NYC to see my daughter in college in Manahattan. Bad timing… (RATS!) Hurri will be in Galveston the day after it flies. I will see it at their FlyDay airshow Nov 11 down there tho. More pictures then, I promise!
China ClipperHouston Hurricane near flight ready
Work is moving fast on the Hurricane. The goal is for it to fly in the Lone Star Flight Museum Nov 11, Sunday Fly Day end of flying season air show.
With some test and photo flights before then.
A crew from the LSFM is working busily on her… Canopy was painted and put on this week, scads of panels are being padded and reattached, gear cycle testing is planned. spinner color will match the red on gun blast covers. The cam shafts were out an inspected.
For as many times as I visit the site, it never ceases to be exciting!
With the museum crew working on the aircraft, you can really feel the dedication and intensity to get it ready.
China ClipperMK959, changing hands
Here is the listing… which did not take long for offers to flow in… A buyer’s substantial deposit too…
http://www.courtesyaircraft.com/N959RT%20Spitfire%20MK959%20Spec.htm
Rayburn already has built up a new 2 seater helicopter ( a 3 yr task in 7 months) that is in for paint.
He flew MK959 at the recent October Wings Over Houston airshow in formation with numerous other warbirds.
Those of us around Hooks Airport and elsewhere in Houston will miss MK959.
China Clipperhouston pics, P38
My friend Mark P was at the Wings Over Houston airshow last wkend and provided these pics.
He indicated the plane was not flying due to cooler problems.
China ClipperHouston, Glacier Girl here
This last weekend (Oct 6-7) was the annual Wings Over Houston airshow.
Glacier Girl was here on display.
I was not there and don’t have any pictures.
China ClipperRoger Houston, we have a Hurricane! ROLL OUT!
They rolled out the Hurricane today around 1130am in the hot Texas summer sun.
It was strikingly colorful!
A total of 7.5 pushed/guided it to another hangar for final work. (I am the .5 body since I was also taking pictures.. LOL)
(It was an honor to be able to help!)
All agreed we were glad it wasn’t the P-47 we were pushing!
No attempts were made for take off speed…. 🙂
Spinner will be red. Various trim attached, masking tape cleaned up. And lots of other “stuff” to be done…
She’s a beauty!
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