Warbird Information Exchange

Before the closing of the Champlin Fighter Museum in Mesa, AZ, these photos were taken of two P-63 projects that were on display.





Has anything been done on these projects since 2002?

Are these from the Kurile Islands? I remember seeing a photo of at least a dozen abandoned KingCobras on one of the Russian Kurile Islands back about ten years ago. Champlin got some of his stash of Oscars from the Kuriles IIRC.

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

The description card at the display had some of the history of the project aircraft. The card described three P-63Cs coming from Russia with two other P-63Bs being from the US. Not much more is given on the two examples that were on display. As memory goes there was also a crate outside the hangar that contained the remains of the Japanese aircraft. Any news on any of the projects?

I think they found that there are absolutly no spare parts for these things.The original gear,flap drives,nose cases(mag) were probably junk.This is the same reason that only one or two of Tallichets P-39s ever got anywhere and they are not flying as of yet either.Compared to a P-40 these things are the space shuttle.

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Hang The Expense

I disagree, there are always ways to make something work. The saying "Necessity is the mother of invention", is the key point here..

Are these not the same airplanes that Warbirds digest had an article on awhile back? they are being restores and the owner has all the armor for a complete pinball aircraft?

If the parts you are making are the same as the originals thats fine otherwise its nothing more than a california hotrod.

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Hang The Expense

Mod Post: Bumped & moved from the Maint Hangar.

Any further thoughts / comments?

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Last I heard, and this was several years ago, they were all in "deep" storage with no plans for them at that time. This news came from one of the Gosshawk guys. I'll be somebody at Gosshawk would probably no more of their current disposition.

The crate with the remains of Japanese aircraft were Ki-43 Oscar components that I think served as patterns and parts for the replicas.

Historically speaking they are underated and didn't really do anything significant to command the status of a P-40, 51, or 47. Same goes for the Wildcat...it is an awesome airplane but doesn't garner the admiration of those willing to foot the bill of the restoration of a Mustang or Thunderbolt.

jim

There use to be my planes. They are part of the Danny Quaffle group that were in the big barn fire.

Any other details? Where? When? What types? How many?

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

It seems like the population of flyable P-63's has remained about the same for about 50 years. A few racers and the CAF's. The one restored by Frank Boorman only replaces the one the idiot crashed in England doing a vertical roll. I remember seeing it at Oshkosh painted orange when Sandberg had it; very nice.
What ever happened to the one formerly owned by the Whittingtons? The CAF has always had the same number, one flyer and a couple of projects. Does this seem accurate?

the one the whittington's owned is the CAF plane. AS far as CAF projects, There is a squadron restoring one, and the other that was stored in AZ is now flying with the Air Museum in Palm Springs Ca.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
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The one in white paint is the former CAFs Tumble Weed/ Danny Chevatal P-63

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IF YOU CAN FIND IT WE CAN FIX IT