Hanging aircraft National WW II Museum

[warbirdfinder]

I was curious about the aircraft in the National WW II Museum New Orleans. Are they mostly fiberglass or complete original aircraft? Or a mixture of fiberglass and original parts?

The Museum is fantastic!

[Dan K]

I was curious about the aircraft in the National WW II Museum New Orleans. Are they mostly fiberglass or complete original aircraft? Or a mixture of fiberglass and original parts?

The Museum is fantastic!

Several of their displays worked on by Flyboys Aeroworks L.L.C

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOGYS3NK8s&t=136s

[Jerry O'Neill]

When it first opened as the D-Day Museum, there was a fiberglass TBM Avenger and a Spitfire that was "restored" but looked a bit odd in parts. Apparently the Spit was one that flew on D-Day. I believe the TBM replica is no longer with the museum. Most of the aircraft today are real aircraft. I haven't been there since 2012, before the opening of the wing with the B-17 etc., so some have been added. The Corsair is a bit of a conglomeration of different Corsair models, so it looks odd to the knowledgeable visitor.
I'm sure someone can fill this in a bit better.

[JohnTerrell]

The B-17, B-25, Corsair, P-51, C-47, Dauntless and Avenger are all real airframes.

The Corsair had been a to-airworthy restoration project at Tom Reilly's many years ago (without an identity, as I recall), but was later finished to static-only for the museum (combining parts from different types). The P-51 (the new one, not the old fiberglass replica) is very much the real deal, with all real airframe sections/components, and features the fuselage/tail that Pony Maples had in his basement. The B-25 is 44-29812 and is the same one that used to be displayed at Paul Bunyan Land in Minnesota for many years. Of course the B-17 is 41-9032 "My Gal Sal", which was recovered from Greenland. The C-47 is a D-Day vet, 42-93096, and the TBM Avenger is BuNo.69374 and used to fly as N9650C. The Dauntless is one of the Lake Michigan recoveries from the 90's, BuNo.06508.

[phil65]

What about the P-40 and Bf 109 ?

Thanks,
Phil

[JohnTerrell]

Sorry, I forgot those two. The Bf-109G-14 at the museum is said to be made-up of a large collection of original parts, built-up into a display airframe by Sandy Air Corp. The P-40 was based off of a wreck found in Alaska (I recall the project prior to restoration, in which the cowlings still had the original Aleutian Tiger markings applied during WWII), that was restored to display condition by Flyboys Aeroworks.

[JohnB]

Being a museum where aviation not the paramount focus, I see it as a good place for composite airframes, dataplate rebuilds with all new metal, and replicas to find a home.
Especially if they are hanging from the ceiling!

95% of the visitors won't care or know the difference.

Last edited by JohnB on Tue Oct 06, 2020 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Mike]

Should a National Museum not be held to a higher standard than “95% of the visitors won’t care or know the difference”?

The Spitfire wings are an abomination and would be more appropriate on a carnival float than in what purports to be a serious museum.

[Snake45]

Here's my guess on the Corsair: A mid-production -4 airframe with a -1 cowling and a -1A paint job. How'd I do?

[mike furline]

P-40
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/li ... story.html
https://www.flyboyzblog.com/p-40-first-work-session/

F4U-X
http://www.vought.org/rest/html/rf4u2.html

[Archer]

IM000607_edit by Jelle Hieminga, on Flickr

The Corsair while still at Tom Reilly's in 2002.

[JohnB]

Should a National Museum not be held to a higher standard than “95% of the visitors won’t care or know the difference”.

My point was simply better a collection of parts than an airworthy aircraft.
Especially when it's displayed where visitors can't get a close look at it.
To put it simply...save the good stuff for where it will be appreciated.

[sandiego89]

I have been to the museum fairly recently and earlier when it was the D-Day museum, and consider it more of an "experience", or "telling a story" type museum, not a hard core aviation museum; thus I am fine with well done replica, or mash up type displays at such museums, as long as they note them as such on the placards. As an aviation enthusiast I appreciate musty old hangers and flight lines, and am not a fan of aircraft hung from the ceiling but understand space limitations and the desire to create "experience" type museums to reach a broader crowd and new generations, but I am more there for the artifacts, not the "experience".

I did see the replica TBM when it was then the D-Day museum, and it was indeed "off" to the experienced eye, even when hanging 30 feet overhead.

[Matt_in_NC]

I went to the museum back in '17. It's a neat place and worth a visit. The B-17 and a few of the other aircraft appear to have an oily substance leaking from the panel lines, which is strange. I have no idea what that would be unless some type of preservative was sprayed inside and it 's now leaking out.

As has been said, the Corsair is a bit strange as it's missing its pitot tube, and the fuselage (-4?) is larger in diameter than the cowling they hung on the front...they sort of covered that up by opening all the cowl flaps, but it definitely looks off. Again, most will never know the difference. It's kind of a shame about the P-40, as I remember seeing pics of the substantial wreckage with the Aleutian Tiger markings very clear on the nose. It definitely looks more like a P-40 now, of course.

I saw a picture of the "Spitfire" back in the day, and it had no oil cooler or radiator inlets under the wings. That has since been corrected, but I think only the fuselage is real. Still no gear doors.

I'd say the Dauntless looks about the best of any of the aircraft on display. It's a nice restoration and looks to be quite complete.

I'll try to post some pictures when I get the chance.

[Kyleb]

Should a National Museum not be held to a higher standard than “95% of the visitors won’t care or know the difference”?

It doesn't receive Federal funding.

It is a "National" museum in the sense that it is the only one designated "The National WWII Museum" by Congress. Not that it isn't a worthy cause and an outstanding museum, but anything you can think of can be designated the "National whatever" if you have the right connections in DC.