Warbird Information Exchange

I was afraid the aircraft had some structural problem and was being supported by some kind of camoflaged framework...

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

Hi Guys,

When I was down in Tampa over last year's 4th of July weekend, I made a side trip over to Fantasy of Flight. I had hoped to see Mr. Weekes B-24 up close, but such was not the case as it was across the ramp in the maintenance hangar which is directly across from where the Lockheed Constellation is.

But as regards to Mr. Weekes B-17's. I was told this by one of the museum docents. That the Connie would never fly again, and that the B-17 (Piccadily Princess) on display inside the museum was a candidate, in the near term at least, for a restoration to fly again. And also from what I was told was that the "other" B-17 also would be a candidate for another restoration in the long term.

I got the opportunity to visit the restoration hangar, and saw the P-35 they are working on, as well as several other aircraft in line to be completed, including a Hellcat, and a P-38. The Hellcat looked reasonably complete from what I could tell. And the P-38, from what I was told by one of the restoration guides, had been disassembled with a chain saw....the twin booms had been hacked off. There were other hangars and a rather large storage facility across the highway, that I was not able to see. But the storage facility across the highway appeared to have what looked like a B-24 or Privateer nose section sitting outside. But I may be mistaken as I was quite a ways away from it. I have some photo's stashed somewhere in my computer...I'll try to post what I have later.

Cheers,

Paul

Paul, I was at FOF last summer. I also saw (from a distance) the aircraft parts you described as "nose sections" at the building across the street. I asked the tour guide about them, and he stated that they were blimp gondolas. I have to agree with you though....they sure looked like the glass nose sections from a B-24. -Todd

I found a link to some pics:

Click the "Blimp Gandolas" links

Not to be picky, but it's actually a P-35A at Polk City, not a P-35! The P-35A is the US designation of the Swedish version with a bigger engine, slightly longer fuselage and more guns. The only P-35 that still exist is on display in Dayton, Ohio! Kermits airplane was traded with the ex.Frank Tallman's Grumman Duck that flew in the movie "Murphy's War". This very P-35A was last flown in the summer of 1950 when the Commander in Chief of the Swedish Air Force made an emergency landing at the air force base at Säve outside Gothenburg on the Swedish west coast.

Apparently the US Air Force museum now regrets they did the trade. To bad for them. I'm looking forward to see a P-35A in the air soon!

I used to read Trade a Plane as a kid and back in the 70's there was a P-35 for sale in the warbird section. I think it went to the Air Force museum and they did a cosmetic restoration, no wiring etc. Shortly after that they acquired a second P-35, (possibly in a trade).
In the early 1980's there were 4 or 5 Grumman Ducks around, that's all. The one at the EAA, restored by Grumman retirees, and then Seidel, Barnum, and maybe another. Week's bought one then another, and then Barnum's wrecked Duck, and then another in Panama CZ until he pretty much had the market on Ducks.
They went from being worth about $180k to priceless and you had to talk to Kermit if you ever wanted to get one. The Air Force museum just had to have one, and he got to name his price!
Since then, a couple more have surfaced like the one in Alaska, but like the P-39, they are one of the aircraft you are least likely to see at an airshow!

Marine Air,

Was curious about your statement about the P-39's. If I am not mistaken there are several, worldwide I believe, being restored to airworthy condition with an eye towards folks who want to fly them. If my memeory serves me right, there are at least 2 airworthy examples, one belonging to the CAF and I am sure that Gary could shed some light as to the airworthiness of that one. Additionally, Air Heritage in Beaver Falls has a Tallichet P-39Q that is undergoing an long term restoration...though from what I have been told it will likely be a static bird. But if I recall there are as many as 6 P-39's in various states of rebuild worldwide being restored. Am I missing something here or am I way off base as the potential for seeing one or more on the airshow circuit in the not too distant future ?

Paul

Towpilot,

No reason to be "picky". If there was a mistake it was mine in typing the designation. And slightly off topic here, I was amazed to see a Duck taxiing by at Thunder Over Michigan. After reading the article about it in Warbird Digest the restoration effort and subsequent airworthy airframe is a fantastic piece of aviation. To say that it was a very pleasent surprise for me to see one is an understatement. And I did see the "Candy Clipper" that belongs to Mr. Weekes at FoF in Polk City when I was down there as well. They are both excellent examples of the type.

Paul

Feel free. Lemme check and see what else I've got. I can't remember if I shot it from the other side or not...

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"Anyway, the throat feels a bit rough...the legs have gone...but I'm still able to chant, so let's get going."

Joe Strummer, 1999

Here is a pic from when at the old Weeks Air Museum in Tamiami.

Bill

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Bill


Website

I wasn't picking on the P-39, they are just rare as "hen's teeth." The registry shows a bunch of airframes, many of them recovered in the 1970's and here we are thirty- forty years later and there are only 2 capable of being flown on short notice.
I understand they are very difficult to rebuild and IMO, more likely to go straight into someone's large collection once restored than put on the airshow circuit like a Spitfire or Corsair.

The US Air Force Museum have only had one P-35 ever, and that's the very same one still on display today! That's also the only one known to exist. And if a P-35 ever have been advertised in Trade-a-plane, it must be the same one! But, before that one ended up in Dayton, they had the P-35A that now belongs to Kermit Weeks. That one was given to US Air Force Museum as a gift from the Swedish Air Force on June 18 1971. It was picked up on August 6 same year, by a C-124C Globemaster (# 52-1055, c/n 43964) from 105th TAS, Tennessee ANG in Nashville. Eight days later the airplane was officially handed over by the Swedish Air Force C-in-C Stig Norén, who was in the States for other reasons, during a small ceremony at Wright-Patterson AFB.

The only other surviving P-35A is on a permanent display today in the Swedish Air Force Museum.

Thanks for explaining that. Is the AT-12 at POF/CHino a two seat version of the P-35 or P-35A? What is a Seversky SEV-3?
Ever heard of a SAAB B-17?

Yes, the AT-12 is a basically a two-seater P-35A with the same engine moved forward 10 inches making the fuselage that much longer. Wing span was also extended almost 5 feet with a wider center section with larger fuel tanks. Rear seat was intended for a gunner, but could also be made into a dual control. Sweden ordered 52 of them but only two were delivered before the export embargo from US came into effect. The airplane at Chino is one of them that didn't make it to Sweden. The P-35A could actually take a non-claustrofobic-only passanger in a cramped space behind the pilot, wich is why there is a window on the right side of the fuselage! The engine by the way, is pretty much the same P&W as in a DC-3, but with lower compression and therefore only rated at 1065 hp.

The SEV-3 to my knowledge can in general be considered a predecessor to the P-35 with a fixed gear or floats.

I'm very familary with the Saab B 17 (No dash, always a space). Anything you like to know?

That is very interesting. Thanks. Maybe someday we might see a couple of Seversky's in a formation flight! A formation of the AT-12, Kermit's P-35A and a razorback P-47 would make a great photo.