Sturmovic at Pima

[Chris]

A few pics of an IL-2 in storage in the Harrah hangar. We were very fortunate to be allowed to view this stuff. Again, Thanks to Scott the museum director and Jeff, our tour guide. I'll post his picture in this one.




Original Klimov engine




Jeff, our tour guide

[gregv]

very cool pics, thanks for posting them!

pardon my lack of knowledge on this particluar project, but is it going to be a static restoration? Wasn't there a few new-build wood rear fuselages that came out of Russia a few years back, for a Jim Pearce project(s)? The Mikulin looks to be in decent shape.

Anyways, very interesting.

cheers

greg v.

P.S. is that a P-47 wing in the background?

[Trey Carroll]

I went there for spring break last year and remember seeing a P-47 fuselage somewhere in that hanger, I also saw the IL-2, pretty cool airplane. I think the '47 was a razorback.

[jamesintucson]

The engine isn't in as good a shape as it looks. It is the one that was in the aircraft when it crashed and got twisted pretty good, then it spent 50 years under water. We have a much better one on display. The center section of the fuselage is scheduled to go on display as is sometime in the next couple of years while it waits its turn in the restoration hangar.

There is an early P-47D in there waiting for restoration. It'll be awhile before we get to it though. Anyone who wants a look at our complete inventory list can go to here:

http://www.pimaair.org/index.php?option ... Itemid=238

James

[Chris]

James in Tucson has all the first hand poop on the Pima stuff. I volunteer at the CAF in Mesa, Az but I love to go to other museums and check out whats going on. If you haven't noticed by now, I'm also nuts about taking pictures and sharing them with anyone who is willing to take a look. ( Thank God for digital). I try to get down to Pima at least once a year because something new is always going on. In the Harrah hangar, they have enough work in there to keep them busy for twenty years. Really neat stuff. Razorback P-47, P-40N, SBD and lots and lots of parts.

[Warbirdnerd]

Any Idea where the P-47 came from? I don't see that serial listed as a survivor anywhere...
TIA

[airnutz]

very cool pics, thanks for posting them!

pardon my lack of knowledge on this particluar project, but is it going to be a static restoration? Wasn't there a few new-build wood rear fuselages that came out of Russia a few years back, for a Jim Pearce project(s)? The Mikulin looks to be in decent shape.

Hi Gregv, Pima doesn't fly their restorations, it'll be static. As for the
new-build wood stuff, I think your referring to the Mig-3 resto and replica's
being done by Avia Restorations in Russia? At the top of the page is a
search feature, plug-in Mig-3 and you'll find a few earlier threads with
links. You got the Mikulin right tho, should be an AM-38F.

Thanks for the photos Chris and to the Pima folks for letting you tour the
barn. The IL-2 gunners must have felt quite naked hanging outside of the
steel tub...they didn't have a great life expectancy.

[gregv]

airnutz

thanks for the additional info. I am almost positive that the article I read (FlyPast or Aeroplane, maybe Warbirds International) showed a collection of IL-2 parts, sections, engines etc., along with one or two newly fabricated rear fuselages, I assume from Russia. I only vaguely remember that it was associated with Jim Pearce, to be honest, as it was a while back. I could be wrong though...

thanks again

greg v.

[DaveM2]

Greg , you are correct re the Pearce aircraft

Dave

[Andy in West Oz]

Great pics, Chris, thanks for sharing.

Cheers

Andy

[jamesintucson]

Any Idea where the P-47 came from? I don't see that serial listed as a survivor anywhere...
TIA

The P-47 came from out of PNG. Here is a link to the Pacific Wrecks page on it.

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/p-47/42-8130.html

We got it about four years ago.

James