Warbird Information Exchange

OK, I searched for XC-99 and got no hits. Got 3 hits when searching for XC99, but the posts were 2005 era and she was still at Kelly. The latest information I found was that it was rumored to have been moved to AMARG. With the plans for the NMUSAF to build new museum hangars to move the X planes into for public viewing, any possibility the plans include moving the XC-99 back (if it is indeed in AZ) to Wright Pat to begin restoration? Mustangdriver always seems to have good NMUSAF info.
Anyone have updated info? Rumor mill? Thanks!
Tommy

Cut into pieces and transported to Wright-Pat, I believe

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

I too have heard that at least some of the pieces of the XC-99 have been shipped to AMARG to get them out of the Ohio weather. According to the airliners.net captions, the photos posted above were taken in 2011. I last visited the museum this past August, but I don't recall if the disassembled XC-99 was still sitting outside restoration or not (and I always drive up Col. Glenn Hwy and check out the ramp area.)

When I last toured the restoration/storage hangars in September of 2011, the horizontal stab and I think the outer wings were inside. The aircraft is in very rough shape..due to extensive corrosion most of the original magnesium skins will have to be replaced. The tour guide told us the museum plans to use aluminum, as the magnesium skin is no longer available.

Here are a couple of pics of the stab, showing just some of the corrosion issues. Regular museum visitors aren't permitted to take photos of anything outside.





If the project is beyond Dayton's capabilities to restore and display, maybe Pima might be interested. They've got lots of room, and already have a B-36 to keep it company along with a bunch of other Cold War era heavy iron.

SN

It was mentioned here within the past year or so major components of the plane will be shipped out to AMARC for long term storage. When restoration is ready to begin many, many years from now, those components will be brought back to the NMUSAF one at a time for the restoration process. I dont know if thats still the plan or not but rite now I'm 60 years old and I know I wont live long enough to see the plane back together again in one piece.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Maybe they should consider just trying to stop the corrosion and display it preserved and indoors but unrestored. Changing the skins from magnesium to aluminum would not only be a huge project but would fundamentally and irreversibly change the artifact. Resources required for full restoration will be huge and might be better directed elsewhere as the plane is a one-off of no great historical significance.

August

It is too far gone for that.

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

I was there in April it looked like all of the fuselage was sitting outside, but like Steve said they won't let you take any pictures outside so I didn't try to get any. The tour guide did say that it was all going out to sit in the desert until it can come back and be restored. The restoration work that has been done on the stabilizer was done because that section was too far gone to even make the move. It's going to be a while before the whole thing is in airplane form again though, the restoration team has something like a 20 or 30 year back log working at their current rate and the XC-99 isn't in the queue yet.

Here are a couple pictures I took in April.

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Definitely agree!


Any idea how bad NASM's backlog is compared to NMUSAF's? I know they have their own massive collection, but I don't know how it compares. (By the way, it's "queue" not "cue". )


Ooooh, lookie! Its the MiG! I never did understand why they didn't just shove that thing on display. It's of course missing the wings, which were never found, but aside from that it looked to be in good condition. An aircraft missing wings on display is better than no aircraft at all. In addition, there's such a great story behind its acquisition, I would think it would be a good draw.

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

It would just be an eyesore.
If it had some historical significance in an unrestored condition (original paint, combat markings, etc)..there might be an argument for that.
Heck, I wouldn't even want to look at the thing in its current (unrestored) condition.

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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.

Two questions:

1) How do you supposedly stop severe corrosion in magnesium from progressing?

2) What does it take (at least to you guys) to qualify as "historical significance"?

Note: There was something in the Large Flying Boats thread about the Convair XC-99 being the "largest piston-engined land-based transport aircraft ever built."
I'd call that "historically significant."

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“To invent the airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything!” - Otto Lilienthal

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Boris: "I always got plan. They don't ever work, but I always got one!"

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Monster looking thing ...


XC-99 in flight (US Air Force photo)

Don't ask me. I have no idea.

As I just indicated in another thread...

In the spirit of further education: What exactly is the problem with stopping magnesium corrosion?

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

Noha 307, The backlog of restorations at the NASM is about 100 years and with absolutely no restorations taking place now, it will most likely be alot longer than that. They have been "working" on the wings for the He 219 for something like 5 years now with another year or so to go. It's not a good situation at all and with all the budget problems piling up in Washington, it will only get worse.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Thanks for the info. I noticed that about the 219 wings. I kept wondering why the heck the fuselage had been sitting there forever by itself. I remember looking it up prior to at least 2010; actually having a chance to go U-H in 2010, noting that the wings still weren't on; then as recently as last year looking it up again and being amazed that they were not attached yet. I was hoping that it was just an issue of building the new restoration hangar and the restorations would pick back up after it had been completed. The one reason for the delay I would be willing to accept is if they are taking their time to do it "right"; as far as I'm concerned, they can take another 5 years if that is what is required for a good restoration. I would assume that they operate under much more stringent documentation and preservation standards being a national museum and all.

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

I took the resto tour last August and told the head tourguide I hoped I would live long enough to see the 99 restored (and I'm younger than 60) and she said very matter of fact "You won't."