What became of Claude Hendrickson's Skyraider?

[Brad]

Anybody know what finally happened with Claude Hendrickson's Skyraider? Nothing has changed on the website and the entire story seems to have fallen of the table.

http://www.savetheskyraider.com/site/Welcome.html

[Merlin540]

Be very interesting to know who ratted this guy out to ICE in the first place...

[Holedigger]

Probably just a paperwork red flag, good thing he wasn't actually attacking us!!!
Yup, system works!

[Brad]

Nothing appears to have changed on the website but I did find this purely by accident today. Nothing appears to have changed.

http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-stor ... st_64.html

[warbird1]

Nothing appears to have changed on the website but I did find this purely by accident today. Nothing appears to have changed.

http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-stor ... st_64.html

If you look at the article above, you can find reader's comments on it. On the last entry, someone wrote:

"Unfortunately not all the information on this has been put out. He was told before purchasing the plane that he could not bring it back into the US to fly it. It could only be a mueseum piece. He proceeded to buy it and got a temporary permit since he lied to the FAA and said it was only in the country for a few airshows. The cannons were also brought with the plane, that is the reason the ATF involved. More fine reporting by the Birmingham News."


Can anyone verify whether this reader's statement is true or not? Lots of questions on the above statement. First question - why would he be told that he could not fly the Skyraider here in the U.S.?

[mustangdriver]

My guess is the whole thing has to do with the weapons still on board.

[gary1954]

seems to me that it would be a quick fix, to donate the canon gear to the Armament museun in Eglin, and fly on brother!. The Alphabet organizations of the Government are so .....................

[EDowning]

If you look at the article above, you can find reader's comments on it. On the last entry, someone wrote:

"Unfortunately not all the information on this has been put out. He was told before purchasing the plane that he could not bring it back into the US to fly it. It could only be a mueseum piece. He proceeded to buy it and got a temporary permit since he lied to the FAA and said it was only in the country for a few airshows. The cannons were also brought with the plane, that is the reason the ATF involved. More fine reporting by the Birmingham News."


Can anyone verify whether this reader's statement is true or not? Lots of questions on the above statement. First question - why would he be told that he could not fly the Skyraider here in the U.S.?

I talked to Claude at length about this situation when it was just unfolding, the comments above would certainly contradict his account. However, I put Claude in direct contact with a couple of senior politicians who could have helped him with their direct contacts at Homeland Security. They contacted him and then turned it over to their staffers to gather pertinent info. For whatever reason Claude wouldn't/couldn't/didn't provide any of the requested info and the political contacts bowed out. I have steered clear of the whole mess ever since. Hope it get resolved but, "you can lead a horse to water....."

[PinecastleAAF]

I talked to Claude at length about this situation when it was just unfolding, the comments above would certainly contradict his account. However, I put Claude in direct contact with a couple of senior politicians who could have helped him with their direct contacts at Homeland Security. They contacted him and then turned it over to their staffers to gather pertinent info. For whatever reason Claude wouldn't/couldn't/didn't provide any of the requested info and the political contacts bowed out. I have steered clear of the whole mess ever since. Hope it get resolved but, "you can lead a horse to water....."

That is about what I would have suspected so I'm not a bit surprised. He obviously really screwed the pooch on this one big time. Bringing stuff in without the proper paperwork is not something to be taken lightly especially in this day and age. Hopefully the aircraft survives his attempt at ownership.

[EDowning]

PinecastleAAF wrote:

That is about what I would have suspected so I'm not a bit surprised. He obviously really screwed the pooch on this one big time. Bringing stuff in without the proper paperwork is not something to be taken lightly especially in this day and age. Hopefully the aircraft survives his attempt at ownership.

I wouldn't make that assumption either. Claude was being advised by counsel and you never know what goes on behind the scences. I know Claude was very concerned that this might be escalated from a confiscation to a criminal matter. The ICE rep that was involved was very difficult to deal with and took a "we can get this all worked out" attitude face to face and then proceeded with bold enforment actions at every turn. I really think a wise person wouls have to wait and see how this plays out.

[bdk]

My guess is the whole thing has to do with the weapons still on board.

So you think that they were allowed to fly this in France with cannons on board?

[EDowning]

BDK wrote:

So you think that they were allowed to fly this in France with cannons on board?

Having the 20mm aboard is not a problem (in the U.S., anyway, I don't know if the French even know what a cannon is for, much more difficult to throw down than a rifle), it is however, a matter of proper demil and importation.
My cannons, although very realistic and complete, are properly demilled. I don't think I could leave them on the aircraft if I sold it abroad.
Not 100% sure, but most of the problems occurred in Claude's situation because he arranged to have the guns sent seperately and the shipping facility just threw them in with all of the spares. Huge no-no. Not what he arranged for but his responsibility upon receipt.

[RickH]

Posted on Aero News today;

Confiscated Skyraider Still In Limbo After 6 Months Baffled Warbird Owner Feels Targeted By Customs

A Douglas AD-4N Skyraider was seized by Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) in May of 2009 on charges that the owner,
Claude Hendrickson, failed to file appropriate paperwork. The
pilot and warbird enthusiast imported the $100,000 aircraft from
France in 2008 to in Bessemer, AL, where it was being prepared for
air show exhibitions.

The 48-year-old Hendrickson owns several other warbirds,
including the exact SNJ-4 his father flew in the Navy. He flies
several of the planes in air shows and stations them all at
Bessemer (EKY).

ICE, a division of The Department of Homeland Security, claims
that forms required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and
Explosives (ATF) were improperly filed when he imported the
plane. Hendrickson said he was unaware he had to register
with ATF, because he removed the aircraft's artillery before coming
into the US, and did not intend to skip any steps in the
registration process.

The plane initially cleared by US customs when it landed in
Buffalo, NY, after its trans-Atlantic flight. The Skyraider was
inspected by the FAA in September 2008 and issued an Experimental
and Exhibition operating certificate and US registration
number.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office, Peggy Sanford,
told The Birmingham News that that in cases where ICE seizes
property and the owner challenges that seizure, it becomes a
judicial matter handled by the U.S. Attorney's office. The
courts can then decide how to proceed. Until then, the plane
remains impounded and unavailable for maintenance or preservation
efforts.

Hendrickson claims he has not been given specifics on his case
or been charged with a crime. He does report several incidences
since the seizure where he was detained by Customs upon reentry to
the US after trips abroad. A letter from Hendrickson's
attorneys was sent to Customs and Border Patrol Chief Counsel
Alfonso Robles, charging that border patrol officials were
"overly aggressive and violent" towards Hendrickson.

"Ultimately, my intentions from the beginning have been to fly
this plane for five to 10 years in air shows and then donate it to
the Southern Museum of Flight in my father's name," Hendrickson
told The Birmingham News.

"I'm a target. It's like I have been labeled a terrorist,"
said Hendrickson. "I was really just trying to preserve a piece of
American history."
FMI: http://www.savetheskyraider.com,
www.ice.gov

For the WHOLE story, go to http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm ... &Dynamic=1

[bdk]

Not what he arranged for but his responsibility upon receipt.

"Don't ask/Don't tell" doesn't work for importing cannons then?

So they confiscated the entire shipment (including the plane) months after everything arrived because one item in the shipment was improper? Had the cannons been reinstalled by this time so they confiscated what they were attached to?

[EDowning]

Brandon

I can't really answer exactly why, because I just don't know. I have always thought something else was in play with this situation but I don't know for sure, so best not to speculate.