seabee1526 wrote:
GarryW wrote:
The Barksdale B-24 hits close to home. I grew up in the 80's spending many weekends at the Yankee Air Museum and even spent some time as an adult volunteering. As the last intact Ford built B-24 in the US, I'm sure they would jump at the chance to acquire it...as that has been their goal since their inception. I'd love to see it happen, but I'm not holding my breath. At this point, the only realistic hope is that the NMUSAF loans it to them for static display and restoration...but again, I still wouldn't put money on that happening. Nice to daydream about though.
It is indeed the holy grail for Yankee, I join you in that daydream.
Especially with their acquisition of the remainder of the bomber plant. The portion they saved is the very end of the assembly line where they rolled the aircraft out onto the tarmac. Last time I was there (and even now most likely) the PB4Y was parked just inside the hangar doors as if it was just finished and getting ready to roll out into the daylight. Just the sight of an aircraft that resembled what was actually built there 70+ years ago in that position was enough to make the hairs on my arm stand on end. Imagine that same scenario with an aircraft that actually DID sit in that very spot over 70 years ago...it's beyond what I could put into words.
Chris Brame wrote:
To me that's a good home for it. Has the Smithsonian expressed any interest in getting a B-24, though?
I'm not sure on that one. I wouldn't think so as there really isn't any grand "historical significance" of the type. Yes, it was the most produced 4 engine heavy bomber in history but it doesn't have the historical significance of an individual aircraft such as the Enola Gay or a technological leap like jet flight...which seems to be what the Smithsonian focuses most on. Plus their buildings are pretty well packed as it is. Yankee is a Smithsonian affiliate...so there's that.
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