quemerford wrote:
Yes it should be flying, but with a/b it won't be restored to fly. Most airshow goers want to see P-51s, Spitfires, B-25s and F-86s. 95%+ wouldn't know a Starfire from a Scorpion and that's often what pays the bills. So unless a Cold War enthusiast or the son/daughter of F-94 personnel (with mega bucks to support the world's only operational afterburning J48) steps in, it's static museum fodder.
So you have to ask what museum has 20k to spare on a fuselage for a static restoration? After all (as many will see it), it's an airframe with no combat history or even an operational squadron history. And yes there are complete airframes out there for around, or less than 20k.
Nevertheless I do hope it goes somewhere where it will be safe and maybe get some wings too!
Several points here. First, if “what airshow goers want to see” is the motivation, stop now.
Secondly, if
your restoration incentive is making money, or even “paying the bills”... stop again. You aren’t the right entity for the task.
This is a golden opportunity to acquire a major airframe portion of a very very rare, unencumbered, early US jet that has the potential to fly again. Believe me, that is not small potatoes. It will require a person with an undying love of the F94 to do it, but it can be done and should be if the new owner has the means, but most importantly the DESIRE AND WILL to do it.
The lack of an afterburner is in no way a deal killer. An afterburner is a thrust AUGMENTER, not a thrust replacer. With adequate runway, an F94 does not need an afterburner for takeoff. It is in essence a modified F80/T33 platform which will fly just fine un-augmented, just as it’s familial relatives did, and do. Sure, an A/B would be nice, but in the event one is not available, or buildable, the craft will operate just fine without it.
Museums generally do not wish to pay a cent for anything. They are a business. Perhaps, a non-profit business, but a business nonetheless. They thrive on donations, both monetary as well as physical. Although I agree (to a point) that no museum will pony up 20Gs for a partial F94, that will most likely sit in a restoration area waiting its turn in the queue forever, I don’t believe this is the best caretaker choice for this opportunity, even if they were.
There are a lot of WWII types that were less than iconic that most here would trade a testicle for, if they had the opportunity to acquire one. If they had the will, they would overcome all obstacles to return it to the air. We have flying examples now that years ago every naysayer claimed would never fly again. And in most cases, they are the first in line at the air show ticket booth waiting to catch a glimpse of what they steadfastly deemed impossible years before.
In the early 1970’s, a CAF “Colonel” declared to me that vintage jets would never happen. Thankfully, some folks with the will overcame the obstacles, and made it happen. As will more to come.....
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