Warbird Information Exchange

Hmm...let me try:

"I wish I wish The Swoose would appear in my driveway."

*poof*

whoa...



I have gotta get my magic wand looked at...

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Well, actually, the city of Memphis paid a nominal fee to the RFC (U.S. Government) in 1946 that allowed them to have the airplane for display purposes. The agreement had a scrap provision in that if the city ever decided to dispose of the airplane it had to be scrapped or returned to the owner of title, that being the U.S. govt. It was never "owned" by the city of Memphis in spite of what the city might think.

So is there any word on when The Swoose might come to Wright Field? I would assume they'd wait until after the Belle was finished, in order to have the hangar space. Might be a good idea to do the restorations back-to-back, while the infrastructure, expertise and experience from the Belle project is still available (even though a B-17F and B-17D are very different animals.)

SN

I really have heard very little out of the NMUSAF. Only that it was going to happen. I have not heard a time line yet. I will keep you posted if I hear anything.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Thanks!

SN

Greatgooglymoogly Mustangdriver...you have not heard that Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby is going to NASM in trade for Swoose? It seems that you are about our best informed insider here at WIX insofar as the dealings at the NMUSAF...and you have not heard that Shoo Shoo Shoo is going to NASM? Hmmm... Was there not rumor of Flak Bait coming to NMUSAF also...to be put back together and displayed "as-is"?

Anybody here got the General's phone number? I wanna call that guy and find out the scoop Just hope he is open to my suggestions that he replace the 40 watt bulbs in the hangars with 60+ watts!!! Maybe take up donations here for the new light bulbs?

Geepers Creepers...and the saga continues...

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Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

The General held a briefing but MustangDriver was off at the KoolAid bowl at the time !

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"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

_________________
Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

Ha Ha, yeah it was grape this time. MMM! I really have not heard about the Shoo Shoo Baby. I did hear about the Swoose, and a RUMOR of Flak Bait, but nothing official from the museum. Until I hear it there, I really can't say anything.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

The really unfortunate part of volunteering at the museum for me was never knowing who to trust when you were hearing things about the place. I know for a fact that a lot of what I heard was totally wrong, but never knew what was right untill it showed itself so.

I really don't trust anything until I hear it from the official source in the meeting.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

I'd be surprised if the Swoose came out of storage at Garber before the NMUSAF was done with the Memphis Belle. If it were up to me, I'd assemble Swoose and Flak Bait and display them "as is" in the Hazy center. Pull them off display and restore them when time and funding allows...

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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..."

I agree with Flakbait, but Swoose has a lot of damage and weathering from neglect.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

I'm a big believer in "storing them on display" no matter what their condition. There's a lot of older vets who would love to see the Swoose no matter what her current condition is. A simple descriptive plaque explaining her history and current state could accompany the aircraft. Most people find the behind the scenes tours (storage facility tours) facinating anyway. Why not put those planes out on the display floor "as is" until the time comes that they can be fully restored?

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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..."

I am with you man.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director