Sad state of ex military aircraft in a museum

[hueyfan]

I happened upon these pics the other day. Not sure if anyone has posted this link but you can take a gander at the poor state of the aircraft at this museum. The Cobra helicopter makes me want to go grab it at night and trailer it home for some tlc...

http://survincity.com/2013/05/unformatted-museum/

[Nathan]

Are you Tomahawk?

[Warbirdnerd]

Having visited the Russell Collection all I can say it appears much of their equipment were instructional airframes and probably headed for the scrapper before they got them. They do 'restore' things as time, money and skills are availible. They would much rather have you contribute $10 (Admission) towards this end instead of charging you with theft... For what it is worth the F-16 back in one piece...

[Tom H]

Those that critique should try running a not for profit museum.

It is not easy at the best of times...large or small.

Money doesn't just fall from the sky and something as simple as a Jeep costs a fair chunk to restore
as anyone that has done it knows.

Tom H

[hueyfan]

You guys are exactly right! and my apologies for the little quirky statement.

I am writing a check as we speak and will send it as a contribution. I wish I had the resources to sponsor that Cobra and have it restored for the museum.

Just breaks my heart but I DO know how hard it is to get funding and manpower to work on donated aircraft...case in point having worked many years ago in my younger days for the Barksdale AFB Museum and their superb outdoor collection.

[Warbirdnerd]

When I stopped in they were closed. A nice lady saw me looking through the fence and asked if I wanted to look around. I said yes, gave her $10 and she proceeded to open up the doors and turn on the lights. After looking over the trucks, tanks, airframes, and engines inside I headed into the yard and spent another hour poking around out there all by my lonesome. Several of the exhibits including a Huey and a Humvee are set up/opened up for Kiddos climb in/on and enjoy. Not polished up and roped off.
I wish I lived closer, I'd love to climb all over Hueys again, harking back to my days as a 68B in a Guard Huey unit...
More of the pictures I took that day are here:
http://s18.photobucket.com/user/Warbird ... 8046293065

[JOHN MILLER]

I have alot of hours helping on museum aircraft and these tell me that they saved them and intend to restore them as they can. Far better then a scrap yard any day of the week.

[Clifford Bossie]

Two M47s! I would love to take one off of their hands! I would like their F-84F as well. All in all a nice collection. And not in that bad of shape either.

Keeping a museum up and running is tough. Maintaining and restoring is even harder. War Eagles is lucky in that we have a trust in place to support the museum, but it is not bottomless. And we always need more volunteers than we have. I still have a job that requires my attention and can not volunteer as much as needed. Sadly I am one of the "youngest" volunteers. Russell surely has all of these challenges as well. I wish them the best and some day hope to visit. Wish I could help more. Now, About those M47s...

[Digger]

Well, what would a good static Huey be worth?

[Pathfinder]

That PBR looks solid! A great place to lounge and scan the skies for vintage aircraft! "Don't get outta the boat!"

[JohnB]

Well, what would a good static Huey be worth?

Judging from what I see in Trade-A-Plane...potential fliers are worth quite a bit even without any expensive stuff (engine, rotor system, avionics).
Even heavily stripped examples for film and static use are to expensive for someone to buy as a backyard toy.
Pity, I have a 4 acre pasture in my backyard that really needs a helicopter.

[tom d. friedman]

i think for the most part everything looks basically fine, but a weedwacker & some landscape clean up would help asthetically to the eye.

[p51]

Never even heard of this place before now.
Where'd the HIND come from?

[Warbirdnerd]

Never even heard of this place before now.
Where'd the HIND come from?

They picked it up somewhere in Texas according to what I was told on my visit.

http://russellmilitarymuseum.com/

[Chris Brame]

Looks like a new version of the Victory Air Museum! Looks like they need a tankerload of Roundup, and probably a case of Raid to keep the wasps at bay. And like the VAM, they also have part of a T-33... but no Buffalo .