Where is Nord 1101 c/n 162, N208K --?

[Ryan Keough]

Hello all... I was poking around the websites for both the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach and Fighter Factory in Suffolk, VA and didn't happen to see anything listed for their Nord 1101 / ME-208, c/n 162, N208K that was delivered there around 2004 when purchased/traded from Bill Anderson in Geneseo, NY. I remembered visiting the shop in Suffolk shortly after it was brought in and the technicians were taking apart at the time for repair, but I haven't heard or seen anything of it since then.

I know it's not a very historic type, but when Anderson purchased it in 1996 from Harold Kindsvater in CA, it was pretty well restored and though it went downhill over the years in Geneseo from being "ridden hard and put away wet", I didn't think it was far enough gone to require a full re-restoration. Regardless, it isn't even listed as a restoration with them, though the FAA still has the N-Number registered to "Training Services Inc" which I know is a corporation connected to Jerry Yagen.

Just curious... always liked that airplane and had a few great flights in it to boot.

[CAPFlyer]

I'm pretty sure that Jon Brawner put up a photo either on his Facebook page or one of the MAM threads here that they were starting work on putting the airplane back together.

[Mike]

I saw what I believe is the engine from this airframe under rebuild for Yagen at an airfield near Paris back in 2009.

[sdchalker]

N208K is in storage at the moment, there is a lot going on at MAM. The Fighter Factory has moved from Suffolk to Va Bch, a storage building has been built, so things are in a state of flux. Also, currently our WW II Luftwaffe hangar is being assembled, and 2 more storage buildings are being built, the plan is to get everything on site at Va Bch. This past Saturday when I was there the BF-108 was sitting outside the FF without it's engine, according to Jerry, it is in the process of having a new engine installed. So I would think that the 208 might be close behind for restoration to flight status. Currently we have a Jungmeister, FW-44, Ju-52, FW-190, Storch, ready to roost in the Luftwaffe hangar (except I don't think that the Ju-52 is going to fit.) That's not counting what's in the restoration pipeline of German aircraft. Jerry is pretty tight lipped about what he has, but he did confess to having 7 Fw-190's including the one we already have, and I know of a Bf-109 in restoration. OOPS, how could I forget our Me-262! It is at Suffolk waiting permission from the FAA to fly it from a grass strip.

[Fouga23]

7 Fw-190's

[sdchalker]

Yes, he said 7! I can account for 6. One new build (N447FW, FW-190 A-8/N), one new Dora (N623TB), one original Dora (G-DORA), two A-8's in Texas, one A-3 in Texas. There may be another in Texas, I'm not sure.

[Fouga23]

Nice! That will be one heck of a formation if they someday all get airborne And to think we had none flying only 10 years ago..

[davetheWWIInut]

Ahhhh i stumbled on this post......the Butcher Bird behind me look familiar? I volunteer down at Jerry's Military Aviation Museum. Let me tell you, the other guys call me "The FW 190 guy" I have spoken to Jerry myself about how many actually Butcher Birds he owns. I can confirm what is said above. We also right at this moment have our FW 190 D-9N "Black 12" that used to belong to Mr.Blair from Florida being prepared to be shipped to Germany to have the Jumo 213 installed. It is a beautiful plane, that one I put my hands on and the motor mounts are HUGE! PROP IS huge! Right now all the hype is on our ME 262.

[The Inspector]

N208K is in storage at the moment, there is a lot going on at MAM. The Fighter Factory has moved from Suffolk to Va Bch, a storage building has been built, so things are in a state of flux. Also, currently our WW II Luftwaffe hangar is being assembled, and 2 more storage buildings are being built, the plan is to get everything on site at Va Bch. This past Saturday when I was there the BF-108 was sitting outside the FF without it's engine, according to Jerry, it is in the process of having a new engine installed. So I would think that the 208 might be close behind for restoration to flight status. Currently we have a Jungmeister, FW-44, Ju-52, FW-190, Storch, ready to roost in the Luftwaffe hangar (except I don't think that the Ju-52 is going to fit.) That's not counting what's in the restoration pipeline of German aircraft. Jerry is pretty tight lipped about what he has, but he did confess to having 7 Fw-190's including the one we already have, and I know of a Bf-109 in restoration. (OOPS, how could I forget our Me-262! It is at Suffolk waiting permission from the FAA to fly it from a grass strip.)

Love the irony!! An aircraft designed to be operated from grass and dirt during a war is awaiting the blessing of some pinheaded desk jockey to fly FROM grass to CEMENT

[Mike]

Love the irony!! An aircraft designed to be operated from grass and dirt during a war is awaiting the blessing of some pinheaded desk jockey to fly FROM grass to CEMENT

A world of difference between operating a jet with low-slung engines off grass in wartime, out of necessity, and doing so today. There are already significant concerns about the 262's engine-out flying characteristics without adding increased FOD risk into the mix.

[CAPFlyer]

Mike, as far as I'm aware, there are no engine out concerns with the new Me-262's as the engines installed have significantly more thrust available than the original and can be accessed simply by holding the throttle(s) against a spring. This was one of the important factors in getting the aircraft certified as FAR 23 compliant to allow things like IFR flight and minimize the insurance costs.

[kmiles]

Mike, as far as I'm aware, there are no engine out concerns with the new Me-262's as the engines installed have significantly more thrust available than the original and can be accessed simply by holding the throttle(s) against a spring. This was one of the important factors in getting the aircraft certified as FAR 23 compliant to allow things like IFR flight and minimize the insurance costs.

Just because they have the extra thrust needed does not mean that they have the directional control needed to be able to use it. Adding too much thrust on one engine may create enough of an asymmetric thrust issue that the rudder is not large enough to remain in control.

[L2Driver]

A world of difference between operating a jet with low-slung engines off grass in wartime, out of necessity, and doing so today. There are already significant concerns about the 262's engine-out flying characteristics without adding increased FOD risk into the mix.

I don't think they were operating off grass out of wartime necessity. It was the norm for that time.

You're more likely to ingest FOD from a hard-surface runway. Grass tends to trap loose items. Certainly more rolling resistance with grass so slower acceleration and a longer takeoff roll.

[JohnB]

How many of the 7 FW-190s exist...as opposed to dataplates, paperwork, scraps collected from a Russian swamp?