Warbird Information Exchange

B24 / LB-30 for sale!!!!!

Ok....what's the story?

For sale by Precious Metal Engineering in Florida.

What have I missed. Is that the hulk recovered from the swamps many moon ago?

http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/2084037.html

Unless it is an old posting......

Isn't Precious Metal Engineering one of the Whittington Companies? I know they are based in Florida.

If I was a betting man, I'd say this ad is for the Ft. Collins LB-30, AL557.

AL557 was an RCAF bird, but used almost exclusively for transport. After the war, it went to the Morris Knudsen company as N92MK to deliver components for the DEW line in Alaska and Canada. It was wrecked in an accident in the 1950s...not badly by today's standards, but by 1950s standards, it was bad enough to have it pushed to the side of a remote airport with a bulldozer. It was rescued first by a museum in Alaska then sold to the Whittingtons. It's been languishing at Ft. Collins for the better part of 17+ years now. "Project" is definitely an appropriate description. It's going to need a heck of a lot just to be static, let alone a flyer.

I've always thought M-K used it as a personnel transport rather than a freighter.
Can anyone confirm one way or the other?

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I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

This is from an old magazine called "Liberator Lore," a four-issue set published under the banner of the Air Museum Journal. The photo shows a pallet of oil drums being loaded into N92MK, and the text mentions her hauling a wide variety of cargo.

SN

Thanks....I've wondered about that.
With M-Ks money, I'm surprised they didn't have C-54s or C-82s by that time.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

Anyone have some photos of what the project looks like today?I seem to recall it wasn't that bad.

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Hang The Expense

I'm with him ^ , I'd like to see a recent photo or two if possible. I think the airframe looks kinda cool - dare I say sleek - with the round nose and cabin windows. It would make a nice subject for a model, although I doubt that configuration would get too many airshow invites?

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
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"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

I think B-24's have it hard enough on the airshow circuit already, what with seemingly always being in the 17's shadow. An LB-30 isn't going to turn heads in my opinion. IF this project we're to ever be picked up by someone AND they decided to restore her to fly, then I'd like to see the end result be a D or J model. Or maybe some sort of hybrid convertible between the two, where the nose section could be unbolted and exchanged.

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Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

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Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

These are from about ten years ago (not my photos.) I doubt it's changed much.

SN

Cool pics.The mighty eighth museum needs to jump on this and use the D model nose section on it.The wing is the important part and the fuselage, not so much.

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Hang The Expense

you need to be 20 and have a boat load of money to touch this heap of scrap metal right? ... im just saying that coz i dont own it

Anybody know the estimated asking price?

There was a set of B-17 outer wing panels in that stash as well - one marked with Bolivian reg. CP-588 and the other with a faded roundel and green tip. Are they still there? And were there any other Fortress bits?

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Yep,I said that, but since the number of 24s is so thin and there aint a chinamans chance of finding another they might want to get after this oh and start training the 20 year olds now.Most of the people capable of doing this kind of rebuild are just flat out old and that includes me.

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Hang The Expense

[/quote]


I think B-24's have it hard enough on the airshow circuit already, what with seemingly always being in the 17's shadow. An LB-30 isn't going to turn heads in my opinion. IF this project we're to ever be picked up by someone AND they decided to restore her to fly, then I'd like to see the end result be a D or J model. Or maybe some sort of hybrid convertible between the two, where the nose section could be unbolted and exchanged.[/quote]

Chris: I think you will find that most folks that are investing in the rebuild of warbirds aren't giving a second thought as to whether they are going to be invited to airshows or not. The number of shows has dwindled an any idea that airshows can begin to fully support the operation of a warbird (except in very unique circumstances such as a sponsor like the DAV) has long been given up...