Warbird Information Exchange

It is a real pity that the Belle lost her original paint years ago. One of my main reasons for starting this thread was that I was a bit surprised when I saw the article about her in Flypast and she was being stripped. I am sure the very best will be done with her. If she still had any wartime markings I thought that something similar to the FAA Museums Corsair could be done. As Mustangdriver says though, there is a big difference between Flak Bait and the Corsair, which are preserved, and the Belle which was in need of restoration due to her post combat status history.
http://www.fleetairarm.com/exh1index.htm

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Wix hangar home of the day dreamers If you want warbirds to look war weary just open them up to the general public. I bet with in six months it would look worse than any 25 mission war vet I've always been amaized at the lack of respect most people have for things on display. I've seen grown adults hanging on machine guns, pitot tubes,they push and tug on anything that looks like it could brake off. Even in my own hangar I've had several people knock parts off that are in the process of being hung for fitting but not secure. A 70 year old knukle head tried doing a chin up on the lower engine cowling, it was secured to the upper cowl with a couple of pieces of safty wire needles to say hes not wecome back. I hear a lot of comments on how things should look after restoration but if your only experience is building models in your Moms basement you dont have a real clue. As far as Flack Bait going to the Air Force Museum is just more unfounded B.S.

Thanks Mike

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IF YOU CAN FIND IT WE CAN FIX IT

I don't care if you decide to paint her metal flake purple, just save her from falling apart!

Sorry, but fresh paint tends to look factory fresh and that is that!

Keep up the good work over there, MD!

Sorry you don't like the aircraft restred to factory fresh. THat is how we do it unless the aircraft is like the NASM P-38. Mike is correct in I have heard nothing about Flakbait coming to the museum. I have also heard zip about the Shoo Shoo Baby going to NASM from our camp. Do you like the way SHoo Shoo baby looks? Because that is the same standard the Belle is going to be restored to. I am on the opposite side of yo. I like the facotry fresh look for museum aircraft unless it is like the Corsair or B-26. Fake wathering is not cool. How in the world does restoring the aircraft to factory fresh dishonor anyone. What dishonored them was having it sit outside in Memphis for 60 years. Saving that aircraft and placing it in one of the world's best museums is a far cry from dishonoring anyone.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

That's rediculous. So if you have a friend or relative who had a '63 vette sitting outside in the back yard rotting away for 40 years and you refurb it to a pristine condition for them, they would feel dishonored? Sounds like you have a problem with the NMUSAF. If you don't like it, don't go.

Maybe for accuracy it'll have the ball turrett missing like in the movie

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There is no kill like a guns kill

That my friend is priceless.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

with all the interior restoration going on, will the public be allowed to go inside and appreciate all the hard work?

"period in time" restorations, as we called em in the car world are great, if you have enough there to start with. Its hard to recreate faded oily paint.

B

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documenting restored B-17s and those undergoing restoration to flight:

There may be a way to look into it, but you are not going to be allowed to crawl inside of it. Once again the public ruined that. There used to be more aircraft opened at the museum, and there also used to be open cockpit weekends for everyone, but people started beating up the aircraft, so it stopped.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Very well said my friend, but be careful, "the public" didn't ruin it, the A-holes ruined it. I'm "the public" as well, and i didn't ruin anything .... , but I get your point ....

I hear you man. What I mean is the same idiots that did all of that stupid stuff in those threads we had on here about the airshow nightmares. The people that go there to really enjoy the place are great.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

I'd like to add a couple of hundred posts to those threads, I have been turned off to airshows many times because of stupid things so many idiots do, I'm just so overwhelmed by such idiots .... UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .... I can't go there .....

Looks like I ought to spend more time in here and less time at work

Don't even ask me about restoring a '63 cheVette! Gimme some real muscle wrapped in metal as it should be...say a Hemi Cuda Vettes are a dime a dozen...why would anyone waste their money restoring one?

Now, back on track. I certainly understand that preserving the Belle for future generations is a must! I saw what was happening to her in Memphis and often wondered why there was so little time spent taking care of her. When the Air Force took her back, I agree with so many of you in that was the best thing that could happen to her. I also understand that to just spray some preservative on her and put her on display as-is would have been rediculous. I WANT TO SEE HER RESTORED/PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO LOOK UPON! OK? Did I say that loud enough for ya'll to hear me??? My point being that to restore and display her in the same location as Shoo Shoo Shoo and in the same condition will not give her the honor that she deserves. And no, knowing that Shoo Shoo Shoo is a combat veteran, no I don't like the fact that she is all shined-up and pristine.

Once again, the general is gonna do what he thinks is right. Does not matter what any of us think or say. To open the Belle up to the general public to give her a war-weary look? That comment does not even deserve a reply!

Finally, I have been to NMUSAF no less than 15 times. The last time I was there, I wandered over to the far end of the memorial garden and found the Security Police monument. That my friend is why I will always take the time to visit the museum and will always spend a few moments honoring my fellow current and former members of the Air Force Security Police/Law Enforcement Groups. No-one will ever tell me to not visit the museum...at least to my face.

Peace.

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

...just another plane dreamer.

So what are you suggesting we do, you are the head of restorations. Are you really suggesting that we weather the Belle like you would a model airplane? There is NO ORIGINAL WEATHERING LEFT ON THE AIRCRAFT. And if you do like the museum, then cut us some slack. With all due respect, I have not heard you say one nice thing about the place. I don't feel that painting fake weathering on the aircraft is honoring anyone. The history of the Belle and the rough life she has led, entitles her to a full ground up rebuild. I know that some have issues with the General and the museum. has he always done what is popular? No. but he does what he feels is right for the future of the aircraft. Our goal is to restore the aircraft, yes that means all shiny and new, unless it is a timecapsule aircraft, then of course we do what is needed to preserve it. That is not the case with the Belle

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Hi Darrell the dreamer,

WTF if you spent a little more time doing a little research you would find that Shoo Shoo Shoo was a very derilect a/c that was modified in to a airliner configuration complete with large windows When found by the Air Force it had been wrecked, disassebled, gutted out and left to rot outside in a large pile. It was recovered, restored to flying condition and flown under its own power to Wright Pat and is on display for all to enjoy.That my friend is nothing short of increadable The amount of work required to bring this very neglected airframe back to life was amaizing. As far as all shined up goes I feel that the a/c in the museum are painted in much more authentic colors than most of the pimped out epoxy painted stuff you see at the air shows. They are painted in flat colors with an effort at correct markings ect. some of the flying a/c are more of a joke, personal initials as tail codes, bogus colors picked from an automotive color chart, nose art with their wifes name on it, the list goes on. Shoo Shoo Shoo was originally a natural metal B-17, do to the rough condition of the exterior skins the decision was made to paint her O.D. and gray

The Belle was abused and gutted by the same kind of idiots that we all love to see at airshows. Gee lets see if I can brake that off and take it home so that sooner or later mommy will make me throw it out. I'm surprised the Belle wasnt scrapped years ago, so many civic leaders are hell bent to get rid of what they see as eye sores. [The resent scrapping of an F-84 comes to mind] It was so gutted that only a ground up restoration would return it to a displayable condition. The staff at the museum do a great job at caring for these fragile artifacts, General Metcalf has more than tripled the a/c on display and has raised the level for all museums how is that a bad thing?

Its easy to compare apples and oranges, Chevetts to Hemi Cudas, shiney vs. weathered but the reality is what is your claim to fame? Are you restoring a B-36 in your basement? I'm sure if you are its a Monogram kit not a life size version of the coolest bomber built. If you would like to change the world as you see it shut off the computer, get invovled in the restoration world and dazzle us with your experteez I think Walters B-36 maybe available in the future lets see you do something with that, until then we will just have to suffer with the crappy job everyone else does. I hear a lot of complaints about the Air Force museum but you have to admit its the greatest collection of military aircraft on display in the world. With out their efforts most of these rare birds would be beer cans Post some shots of your work we would all love to see it

Thanks Mike

_________________
IF YOU CAN FIND IT WE CAN FIX IT

Hi Darrell the dreamer,

WTF if you spent a little more time doing a little research you would find that Shoo Shoo Shoo was a very derilect a/c that was modified in to a airliner configuration complete with large windows When found by the Air Force it had been wrecked, disassebled, gutted out and left to rot outside in a large pile. It was recovered, restored to flying condition and flown under its own power to Wright Pat and is on display for all to enjoy.That my friend is nothing short of increadable The amount of work required to bring this very neglected airframe back to life was amaizing. As far as all shined up goes I feel that the a/c in the museum are painted in much more authentic colors than most of the pimped out epoxy painted stuff you see at the air shows. They are painted in flat colors with an effort at correct markings ect. some of the flying a/c are more of a joke, personal initials as tail codes, bogus colors picked from an automotive color chart, nose art with their wifes name on it, the list goes on. Shoo Shoo Shoo was originally a natural metal B-17, do to the rough condition of the exterior skins the decision was made to paint her O.D. and gray

The Belle was abused and gutted by the same kind of idiots that we all love to see at airshows. Gee lets see if I can brake that off and take it home so that sooner or later mommy will make me throw it out. I'm surprised the Belle wasnt scrapped years ago, so many civic leaders are hell bent to get rid of what they see as eye sores. [The resent scrapping of an F-84 comes to mind] It was so gutted that only a ground up restoration would return it to a displayable condition. The staff at the museum do a great job at caring for these fragile artifacts, General Metcalf has more than tripled the a/c on display and has raised the level for all museums how is that a bad thing?

Its easy to compare apples and oranges, Chevetts to Hemi Cudas, shiney vs. weathered but the reality is what is your claim to fame? Are you restoring a B-36 in your basement? I'm sure if you are its a Monogram kit not a life size version of the coolest bomber built. If you would like to change the world as you see it shut off the computer, get invovled in the restoration world and dazzle us with your experteez I think Walters B-36 maybe available in the future lets see you do something with that, until then we will just have to suffer with the crappy job everyone else does. I hear a lot of complaints about the Air Force museum but you have to admit its the greatest collection of military aircraft on display in the world. With out their efforts most of these rare birds would be beer cans Post some shots of your work we would all love to see it

Thanks Mike

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IF YOU CAN FIND IT WE CAN FIX IT