Sun & Fun Question - Lysander, P-63 and Sea Fury

[Enemy Ace]

When I came in the gate at Sun & Fun on thursday morning there were a P-63, Lysander and Sea fury sitting out in the grass. Does anybody know who owns these planes? they are not airworthy and could all really use some restoration work. The Lysander especially is deserving of restoration IMHO.
Are these Weeks airplanes?
And I hope they normally live indoors?
Thanks for any info. -Robert

[Wildchild]

Yes, there weeks planes and the only spot they can be put is outside

[TAdan]

Yup, as Wildchild said they (The Lysander and Tempest) belong to Kermit Weeks. He posted a picture of them on his Facebook page a couple days ago. Both Kermit and Fantasy of Flight have very active Facebook pages. They have posted numerous updates from Sun & Fun and the Splash In this week.

[Chappie]

Weeks has a Tempest? Are there any airworthy Tempests or Typhoons?


Chappie

[Mike]

Weeks has a Tempest? Are there any airworthy Tempests or Typhoons?


Chappie

No. None.

There have been various attempts to rebuild a Tempest II to fly over the past 30 years or so, no-one has yet succeeded in completing one.

There is only one Typhoon left, in the RAF Museum.

[Sopwith]

I would like to see a picture of the Lysander,didn't realise that it was back together.I helped dismantle it about 14 years ago for it's transportation to the U.S.It was in good condition then.

[triumph]

All three aircraft belong Weeks Aircraft, the Sea Fury is actually our Tempest project. The aircraft are only outside during Sun n Fun and are normally inside one of the Sun n Fun hangars the rest of the time. Eventually all three will return to our facility in Polk city when more storage space becomes available. All are in need of TLC when time permits.

[Wildchild]

All three aircraft belong Weeks Aircraft, the Sea Fury is actually our Tempest project. The aircraft are only outside during Sun n Fun and are normally inside one of the Sun n Fun hangars the rest of the time. Eventually all three will return to our facility in Polk city when more storage space becomes available. All are in need of TLC when time permits.

If you work at FoF, you have the coolest job in the world

[Mike]

All are in need of TLC when time permits.

Which is sad, as the Lysander was airworthy (and regularly flown) when acquired.

[triumph]

You are correct it is sad but we can only do the best we can with the staff we have at this time. Sorry to dissappoint some people out there.

[Wildchild]

You are correct it is sad but we can only do the best we can with the staff we have at this time. Sorry to dissappoint some people out there.

If you need help, I have a question. What's the age limit for a job?

[John Dupre]

Speaking of Tempests any word on Kermit's Tempest V project in the UK?

[TAdan]

Speaking of Tempests any word on Kermit's Tempest V project in the UK?

John here is a blog entry from Kermit from a couple of years ago about the Tempest V.

http://blog.kermitweeks.com/?p=1337

And a more recent entry with a pic of the Tempest.
http://blog.kermitweeks.com/?cat=33

[JohnTerrell]

Speaking of Tempests, it's nice to know of both the Tempest II project at Ezell's, and the Tempest II project that Pioneer Aero in New Zealand will be working on, both of which are to fly when completed. There is also that Tempest II project in England, which only a couple of years ago seemed it was right on the verge of flying, just waiting on its engine. As I understand it, the Centaurus engine more commonly known for use with the Sea Fury, is not the same type of Centaurus engine used on the Tempest II's, which were smaller, earlier versions, and drove a four-bladed prop instead of a five-bladed prop as on the Sea Fury. (Something like a Centaurus V was used on Tempest II's, while the Sea Fury uses a Centaurus XV engine)

[airnutz]

I remember several years ago reading a blurb that Kermit's Napier Sabre's were being evaluated back at Ricardo Engineering....wonder what ever came of that?