Geneseo news!!!

AHancock51 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:20 am

Nathan wrote:

Long term loan I have been told. And sadly the update on the A-20 is that it will be Static now!

The deal with the A-20 is that it will be put together in the next few months and displayed on it's landing gear, mainly for the purpose to allow us to fit more a/c in our hangar. This is not how it will stay though, within the next 5 years or so they will begin to make it airworthy. It will still fly as they had scheduled in 5-10 years, they're just gonna make it look good until then.

- Austin Hancock

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 12:17 pm

cool, that is good news. Thanks

Tim

Rajay · **Posted:** Sun Aug 30, 2009 12:12 pm

Nathan wrote:

I know. An A-20 regardless if Geneseo owns it or not, operating out of Genny would have been freakin cool. I don't think I'll ever get to see a A-20 fly! :cry:

Isn't there an A-20 under restoration in Australia or New Zealand? I thought I saw some pictures recently via a post here.... It'd be worth it to travel that far to see it fly, and I hear that there are other attractions and benefits to traveling "down under" too. Everybody that I know who has ever been there spoke very highly of the experience.

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:36 pm

Rajay wrote:

Nathan wrote:

I know. An A-20 regardless if Geneseo owns it or not, operating out of Genny would have been freakin cool. I don't think I'll ever get to see a A-20 fly! :cry:

Isn't there an A-20 under restoration in Australia or New Zealand? I thought I saw some pictures recently via a post here.... It'd be worth it to travel that far to see it fly, and I hear that there are other attractions and benefits to traveling "down under" too. Everybody that I know who has ever been there spoke very highly of the experience.

I'm pretty sure there are more than one being restored. Classic Wings did a series on the A-20 a few years ago, great stuff. I'll have to dig it out to see.

Tim

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

Rajay wrote:

Nathan wrote:

I know. An A-20 regardless if Geneseo owns it or not, operating out of Genny would have been freakin cool. I don't think I'll ever get to see a A-20 fly! :cry:

Precision Aerospace at Wangratta, Australia, is restoring a few. I know they are restoring at least 2, maybe 3 to airworthy condition. I believe it will be a while yet before any of them fly, however.

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

TriangleP wrote:

it is indeed a sad state of affairs for flying A-20s, but keep your eye on Aero Trader's restoration to flying on the A-20J there. It will be a flyer in the near future. I called Mr. Scholl a few weeks ago about its status and according to him it seems to be in hiatus. The owner, like others, seems to be a bit short on cash.

The same owner is apparently buying a B-17 as well. I wonder if this is why he is "strapped for cash"?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:16 pm

Back to topic, I hope that the 1941 HAG really starts to clean house and get more structured. Its a great location and only has more and more potential.

Now what would be nice is to see some sort of geodesic glass hangar, similar to the ones found at the Flying Bulls museum in Austria constructed to become the formal display hangar. Of course it probably would cost an arm and a leg!
http://www.hangar-7.com/fileadmin/conte ... r7_w01.jpg

What would you guys think? Too Euro? :wink:

Mudge · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:52 pm

I'd like to see the field "restored" to a 1940s base in England look. Hangars, tower, ops, etc. The whole works. The 1941 HAG should be just that. 1940s.

Mudge the reminiscent

ps. ANY chance the date might be moved to the following weekend? We'd sure like to be there again but plans for Duxford (July 10-11) are already made.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:26 pm

I think anything other than a World War Two Airfield setting would damage the feel of Geneseo.
Glass buildings are nice, but Geneseo has the ability to create more of an immersion experience with, as Mudge said, hangars, control tower, quonset huts, etc.

Not every museum, especially ones that fly their aircraft, need to be a "world class museum". Look what happened to the "World Class Wings of Eagles Museum". Don't fly much anymore and two of their biggest attractions are gone! "World Class" Kalamazoo Air Zoo...need I say more?

If you want to fly them then keep them close to their natural habitat and people will come! People will most definitely come! (pardon to James Earl Jones!) :lol:

With enough infusion of capital, Geneseo could be a "Williamsburg of the Air".
Jerry

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:02 pm

Now I have to say that does sound mighty good, far better than my idea! Now how could you achieve that? Brick up the outside of the existing buildings, a couple earth revetments, Control Tower?

What else you guys have? I know you've probably thought of a good layout Jerry and Mudge. :wink:

richkolasa · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:00 pm

warbird1 wrote:

TriangleP wrote:

it is indeed a sad state of affairs for flying A-20s, but keep your eye on Aero Trader's restoration to flying on the A-20J there. It will be a flyer in the near future. I called Mr. Scholl a few weeks ago about its status and according to him it seems to be in hiatus. The owner, like others, seems to be a bit short on cash.

The same owner is apparently buying a B-17 as well. I wonder if this is why he is "strapped for cash"?

Doesn't there have to be a B-17 for sale in order for someone to buy one?
Europe, maybe?

Rich

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

warbird1 wrote:

TriangleP wrote:

it is indeed a sad state of affairs for flying A-20s, but keep your eye on Aero Trader's restoration to flying on the A-20J there. It will be a flyer in the near future. I called Mr. Scholl a few weeks ago about its status and according to him it seems to be in hiatus. The owner, like others, seems to be a bit short on cash.

The same owner is apparently buying a B-17 as well. I wonder if this is why he is "strapped for cash"?

TriangleP wrote:

Don't know or heard of anything about that. But my guess would be that the owner may be spread too thin in this economy. Like many buseinss owners, he's stretching all his projects out to retain what he has. This recession is a terrible b*tch on people needing to get paid for their work, everywhere.

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... highlight=

Merlin51 · **Joined:** Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:11 am **Posts:** 9

Jerry O'Neill wrote:

Not every museum, especially ones that fly their aircraft, need to be a "world class museum". Look what happened to the "World Class Wings of Eagles Museum". Don't fly much anymore and two of their biggest attractions are gone! "World Class" Kalamazoo Air Zoo...need I say more?

That's one of the smartest things I've ever read about museums!!!

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:44 pm

Give Jerry enough power and funds and he'd create one heck of a museum! I'm sure he wouldn't go too power and idea crazy! Right? :twisted:

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon Aug 31, 2009 6:18 pm

Thanks for the comments.
I'm one of those who believe that less is more.
You don't have to have everything, but you've got to have something unique.

At Geneseo, if they built buildings and displays in vintage looking hangars, Quonset huts and a control tower, all you would need is a P-51 and a B-17 and you pretty much have enough for a draw! Some trainers and other aircraft should be included to help tell the story and they are less expensive to maintain in flying condition.
You can have other aircraft "visit" for periods of time, either a weekend or the "flying season". They do that right know with "(the movie) Memphis Belle". HAG doesn't own it, but it's based there.
To make a unique display year round, you get four fiberglass P-51's or P-47's and set up a walk through revetment/hardstand. Imagine what that would look like in the winter! Could be pretty authentic looking if done right. And "No aircraft were harmed in the making of this display" could be printed on a sign near by!:lol:

Point is you don't have to be the biggest, just the best at what you deliver. And granted, most "flying museums" have some aircraft that are static and will never fly. That's fine, but be sure to work them into a cohesive plan. Don't just grab something because you can. Set your sights and aim well and true.

"World Class" is a term that's thrown around too much. There are some very small museum's that I've always felt were "World Class" in my book.
It's what they do, with what they have that counts.
Jerry

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