Warbird Information Exchange

Back in about 1999 or 2000, I lived in Atlanta and traveled to Charleston a couple of times a year on business. I recall during one of those trips I was killing some time at lunch and drove over to the airport. At that time there were a couple of older FBO buildings at the end of Aviation Avenue, where it splits to go to the AFB or to the airport terminal. One was a little further down to the north, toward the AFB, and had several small hangars next to it on the ramp. Parked outside, with a tarp over the canopy, was a MiG 15 or 17 that looked relatively intact. I saw it several times on subsequent trips, and also a time or two after I moved to Charleston in 2001. Shortly thereafter, however, it disappeared, and I haven't seen it since.

Anyone know the story on this MiG, and where it might be now?

there is a mig 17 here in wakeman ohio at the old ortner airport in polish markings. supposedly owned by a doctor from toledo. it's been here about 4 years now. wings are off but present, all instrumentation is their, landing gear tires thoroughly worn, the mig is tarped, but covered in bird turds.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Where is the Wakeman? Up close Cleveland I assume? Do you have any pics?

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When all is said and done more is said than done.

post removed...wrong plane!

Dave

if looking at a map of ohio...... if you look dead center along lake erie you will see vermilion. wakeman is 12 miles south of their. yes, i've got pics, but got to dig for them. stay tuned...... regards, tom

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Here's the photos Tom was talking about. These are his pics, not mine.

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When all is said and done more is said than done.

Finally found some photos of the MiG. It's the two-seater trainer version of the MiG-15, the MiG-15UTI. Painted overall light gray, with the number "25" in large red letters on the nose, the rim of the air intake was red, and there are red stars with white borders on the wings, rear fuselage and tail. Under the horizontal stabilizer, there is what seems to be part of the N-number, NX......., in very small letters. The numbers after the X are not readable. Plane was on its gear, with tires inflated, and appears to be relatively intact from the outside. The cockpit was covered with a tarp, so I wasn't able to see inside.

I'll try to get the photos up on Webshots later today, and post a link to them.

Walt

I not sure who the owner of the mig in question is now, but in the late 90's it was in Air Classics owned by Dwight Cartright and flown by Sid Snedecker... The reason it had a tarp over the canopy is because the front canopy had been borrowed (with the owners permission) in 2002 to be used on Mig-15uti NX151MG that was being flown by Dale Snodgrass who had the front canopy depart while descending into Florence S.C. for a airshow... The same red and silver Mig that Dale was flying is the same aircraft that crashed in Whiteville N.C. on 9/18/2002 while being flown by Tom Righetti... I was on the ground support crew for "Snort" in 2002 and we we're already up at NAS Oceana with the F-86 and Corsair waiting for Tom to meet us when we received the news(that made for a very long and difficult weekend)... Anyway the last I heard the gray Mig in Charleston had been disassembled and trucked up to the northeast, but not sure where... Mike

Photos of the MiG can be seen at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/mckinney001