P-39 44-2485

Fri Feb 03, 2006 5:57 pm

What ever happened to this one that Gary Larkins pulled from a canadian lake many years ago. Anyone have a current pic of it, I remember it was to be restored to fly! T.I.A.

Sat Feb 04, 2006 12:11 am

I think (but I may be wrong) that this is the airframe owned by Jack Erickson that's sitting at Tillamook Air Museum.

Dennis

Sat Feb 04, 2006 3:50 pm

Is it sitting apart in storage or together?

Sat Feb 04, 2006 5:14 pm

Fuselage was off to the side (2003) but close to the warbirds on static display. I didn't see the wings.

Dennis

Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:34 am

Here is a shot of the Tillamook P-39:

http://www.cobrasoverthetundra.com/Imag ... 9%20lg.jpg

Rob - I forget the exact deal on 44-2485, but I believe it was impounded for a period of time (so that it could be displayed at a Canadian museum) and then allowed to leave Canada after than time period expired.

Jim

Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:33 am

The paperwork for recovery wasn't done properly and there were concerns from some local aviation historic groups about the recovery and the illegal export of heritage items from Canada so it was seized at the border. The P-39 sat in storage and on display at the BC Aviation museum while the ownership and export issues were figured out. The aircraft was later released and was sold by the government.

Brian