The POF "Judy" is going to taxi today

[Warbirdnerd]

According to Planes of Fame's Facebook page...
Any of our intrepid Chino residents going to be around for pictures?

[old iron]

I thought the Judy was in derelect condition. Photos please!

[Thomas_Mac]

Hoping Facebook images transfer (from the POF page)

[The Inspector]

Mongo want picture.....

[oz rb fan]

bloody awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...great job by all involved...i hope the val starts to get more love once this is finished

[Jesse C.]

That is looking awesome! Yes, someone get out there with the Brownie and take those pics!

Dumb question of the day, is this going to be a flyer or taxi bird?

[lmritger]

Jesse, according to the back-and-forth on the POF FB page, the only thing preventing it from being a flyer is money.

Still, this is just fantastic news... an extinct type breathes again!

Lynn

[C VEICH]

The story I heard from several folks involved with the restoration was that they wanted to keep as much original metal as possible in the Judy which is what is stopping it from being a flyer. Personally I would have preferred a static airframe with the original engine to one that can only taxi with a non-original engine but it is a fantastic and unique piece of history either way. I will look forward to seeing it again with some paint on it.

[The Inspector]

Interesting detail in that last photo. I wasn't aware that it used a 'BUTE Door' setup (Bent Up Trailing Edge) flap cove system ala B-25/DC-9-MD-80 series, to improve airflow over the tops of the flaps when extended.

[old iron]

OK, so now all is forgiven for selling the "Frank" to Japan.

[kalamazookid]

Pardon my ignorance, but what kind of engine has it been re-engined with? Original engine or not, this is a fantastic piece of history and I'm very glad to see PoF has taken the care to restore it.

[Dan K]

Pardon my ignorance, but what kind of engine has it been re-engined with? Original engine or not, this is a fantastic piece of history and I'm very glad to see PoF has taken the care to restore it.

Already discussed here back in August...mounts a P&W R-1830...BT-13 windscreen...

But as previously mentioned, better than derelict.

Last edited by Dan K on Mon Nov 19, 2012 12:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnTerrell]

For those who may have missed it, here is an album of photos of the restoration work as it was happening on the aircraft late last year/beginning of this year, as things were progressing towards the POF May air show: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 789&type=3

As much of the original parts and skins were retained as possible, and as can be seen in a few of the photos, the aircraft still retains a bullet hole, here and there. It's fantastic to see this aircraft together, preserved to a high degree, and ground operational!

Originally built as a D4Y1, the aircraft would have had this inverted-V, inline-engined configuration during the war (up until the point that its engine was removed and the aircraft abandoned):



Restored with a P&W R-1830, the aircraft is meant to resemble a radial-engined D4Y3, as seen here:

[Adam Kline]

This is fantastic. I have been visiting this plane since it was in Santa Monica and now to see it actually going to taxi all in my lifetime. Pinch me.

[Noha307]

The story I heard from several folks involved with the restoration was that they wanted to keep as much original metal as possible in the Judy which is what is stopping it from being a flyer. Personally I would have preferred a static airframe with the original engine to one that can only taxi with a non-original engine but it is a fantastic and unique piece of history either way. I will look forward to seeing it again with some paint on it.

Second. IMHO it looks GD ugly with the R-1830 in it. Personal opinions aside, I have to say good job.

As much of the original parts and skins were retained as possible, and as can be seen in a few of the photos, the aircraft still retains a bullet hole, here and there. It's fantastic to see this aircraft together, preserved to a high degree, and ground operational!

Again, I don't agree with the latter, but also again awesome work. Always good to hear that there is a real effort to maintain originality.