This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Re: Airworthy/Flying Wildcats

Fri Aug 21, 2015 2:27 pm

Airworthy or Ostensively Airworthy (I'll leave everyone to define that as they wish)

12260/N12260 F4F-3 Lewis Aeronautical LLC
46867/N909WJ FM-2 Michael Gillian
47030/N315E FM-2 Gerald Yagen
47160/N551TC FM-2 FM-2 LLC
55627/N47201 FM-2 Pond Warbirds LLC
74560/N29FG FM-2 Comanche Warbirds Inc
86564/N4629V FM-2 Charles Nichols, Trustee
86572/N86572 FM-2 Thomas Camp, Trustee
86680/N11FE FM-2 Skyraider A1E LLC
86711/G-RUMW FM-2 The Fighter Collection
86741/N222FM FM-2 Kermit Weeks
86746/N6290C FM-2 Antiques and Classics
86754/N58918 FM-2 Erickson Group Ltd
86774/N774FM FM-2 N774FM LLC
86777/N5HP FM-2 Texas Wildcat LLC
86819/N5833 FM-2 Commemorative Air Force
86956/N18P FM-2 Cavanaugh Collection Inc

Formerly Airworthy

86581 FM-2 Kalamazoo Air Zoo - Deregistered and on display in their Museum.
86690 FM-2 Shuttleworth Collection - Exported to the UK. Either in pieces or under restoration.

I'll leave others to update the static and restoration 'Cats. Are there many active restorations to airworthy right now?

Jim

Re: Airworthy/Flying Wildcats

Fri Aug 21, 2015 8:08 pm

The Shuttleworth Collection FM-2 Wildcat G-CHPN (ex-N49JC) is slated to enter full-restoration to airworthy at some point after the restoration of their Spitfire Mk.V is completed. I don't know if it still is, but after it arrived at the Shuttleworth Collection a few years back, it was put on display, fully assembled.

There are a number of other FM-2 restoration projects in the UK as well, including G-WCMI (ex-N750FM BuNo.86750), G-WCME (ex-N585FM BuNo.55585), and G-WCMO (BuNo.55404 - a Lake Michigan recovery), all registered to Bygone Engineering Ltd. These were all purchased from Wild Warbirds (which restored FM-2 N774FM) a few years back.

Some of the names that these Wildcats are registered to (as with many other types) are quite ambiguous these days - N774FM is owned/operated by the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum, N5HP is owned/operated by the Texas Flying Legends Museum, N6290C is owned/operated by the Frasca family, N11FE is owned/operated by the Collings Foundation, and N551TC is owned/operated by Greg Shelton.

Re: Airworthy/Flying Wildcats

Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:34 am

John,

Thank you for the update on the Shuttleworth FM-2 and I was wondering what became of the other Wild Warbirds Wildcats.

And here I was thinking that all the ambiguous LLC and Inc registrations were more fun...

Jim
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