Warbird Information Exchange

Hi All,

Although I realize I may be tugging on the grenade pin by mentioning "Yanks Air Museum", I'm hopeful this thread stays on course.

Since I've never been to Yanks, I was left with the impression that its impressive collection of aircraft is never flown. Apparently that assumption was wrong, as I recently discovered a photo of the museum's Lockheed Electra Jr in flight in 2017.

Question#1: Other than the Electra Jr, does YAM fly any of its historical aircraft?


The reason I ask is due to Yanks (apparently) acquiring Columbia XJL-1 31399.


http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... ertxt=48RW

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tstbell/22517358678/

http://www.warbirdconnection.com/forsal ... umbia.html


The vendor had been indicating that it was being restored to airworthy, and I always hoped that it would return to flight. Now under new ownership, I'm curious as to what our chances are to witness the XJL airborne.

Hoping for hopeful news...

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Dan, when I visited Yanks in 2014, the head director of restorations stated that the only aircraft that were flown were the Electra Jr. and P-51D. At the time, both of these aircraft were positioned closest to the facility's hangar doors. Since my visit in 2014, however, I've noticed that even the P-51D has now been moved back, farther in with the rest of the static collection, taking up the position that the Museum's P-40 had, which was moved to the restoration section a few years back when work initiated on returning it to flight - as I recall, the P-40 was supposed to have been ready/flown a couple years ago, which never happened.

I seem to recall, many moons ago (perhaps back in the early 90's), that Yanks used to at least ground-run some of their warbirds, but that clearly has not been the case for many years as well.

Thanks, John...about what I expected to hear.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

I thought it was pretty odd that they never flew the P-40 considering how much they promoted the fact that it was going to fly on their social media pages. But that wouldn’t be the first time they’ve done something unusual...

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I'd like to know when that 51 last flew. Funnily enough there are no photos of it flying. In this day and age one would think someone had shot the aircraft when out and about. Any Chino forumite who can relate when they last saw it in the air? Brandon..?

T J

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Make my day, punk!

The P-51 was a few planes deep into the hangar in October 2016 when I was there. I know I took some P-40 photos but that was a few cheap cell phones ago. At the time it was in the restoration hangar but I believe it has since been moved back into one of the display hangars.

I would say 0% percent chance of seeing a "Superduck" in the air. Pima owns the other one. I remember when John Seidel owned one of the two in the 1970's. For whatever reason, like the Martin Mauler, they are destined to not be flown in private ownership.

The Electra flew this past weekend. Don't recall when I last saw the P-51 fly but it must have been 20 years ago or more.