Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:28 pm
Kevin,
You bring up some good points.
You bring up some good points.
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:40 pm
While i aggee the aircraft should be well looked after and (in most cases) undercover, I'm against the wholesale stripping of WWII away from USAF bases.
The units at the bases have a right to have their heritage on display. I'm afraid the "warbird" communuity is so wrapped up in flying and making sure planes have the correct color codes, that some forget that.
Take the Dyess B-17. It's so stripped and has been outside for so long (long before it was moved and given to the base) that it's never going to fly again.
With that reality, I rather like the idea of B-1 crews driving past it every day on their way to work. It's doing just as good there as it would be at a civil muesum where it would be seen by 95% of the visitors (non-aviation or history buffs and all the school kids there on fieldtrips who are more interested in horsing around than learning anything) as nothing more than a giant Revell kit.
The units at the bases have a right to have their heritage on display. I'm afraid the "warbird" communuity is so wrapped up in flying and making sure planes have the correct color codes, that some forget that.
Take the Dyess B-17. It's so stripped and has been outside for so long (long before it was moved and given to the base) that it's never going to fly again.
With that reality, I rather like the idea of B-1 crews driving past it every day on their way to work. It's doing just as good there as it would be at a civil muesum where it would be seen by 95% of the visitors (non-aviation or history buffs and all the school kids there on fieldtrips who are more interested in horsing around than learning anything) as nothing more than a giant Revell kit.
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:48 pm
I also see John's point in that it is important for the bases to have the planes for current military. One of my favorite stories was told here. At an airshow a B-1 crew was standing together talking to folks. An older gentleman in his late 80's and wearing his A-2 with artwork on it walked up to the plane. As they showed him around he told them he had flown the B-17 in WWII. His family waited for him by the nose, and as he left the plane and said goodbye, the B-1 crew stood, and saluted him.
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Tue May 22, 2012 11:22 am
mustangdriver wrote:I also see John's point in that it is important for the bases to have the planes for current military. One of my favorite stories was told here. At an airshow a B-1 crew was standing together talking to folks. An older gentleman in his late 80's and wearing his A-2 with artwork on it walked up to the plane. As they showed him around he told them he had flown the B-17 in WWII. His family waited for him by the nose, and as he left the plane and said goodbye, the B-1 crew stood, and saluted him.
Magnificent !
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Tue May 22, 2012 1:33 pm
Not to add another level to the process, but if the gov't were willing to divest or shift assets, is there any board or authority that would / could serve as a liason between the gov't and a body of museums that would be able to make "the best fit"? A warbird lobbiest or someone familiar with what musuem could support moving a certain airframe into in a structured organized way.
Because this thread started with Barksdale, I'll use them....what if they were to lose thier aircraft, what agency would hear what a specific museum has to say as to why they are deserving. Would the Air Force just use expediency to move them, or would they be able to go to somebody, or even a request list, to determine what would be a good fit?
Because this thread started with Barksdale, I'll use them....what if they were to lose thier aircraft, what agency would hear what a specific museum has to say as to why they are deserving. Would the Air Force just use expediency to move them, or would they be able to go to somebody, or even a request list, to determine what would be a good fit?
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Tue May 22, 2012 8:53 pm
seabee,
Right now, if an aircraft that is part of the NMUSAF's loan program fails in its maintenance or is no longer wanted by an organization, it is reclaimed by NMUSAF and reassigned. Sometimes that means back to NMUSAF to replace/supplement something in their present collection. Other times, it goes to a waiting museum/organization. From what I understand, there is a waiting list that NMUSAF maintains for various types. The list is long for B-17s, B-24s etc. The biggest catch is that the organization taking on the aircraft as a new loan is responsible for the cost of disassembly, transport, and reassembly. They already have that system in place.
What I have proposed is that the NMUSAF do an inventory of its sprawling collection, and then auction off the spare airframes to non-profits and museums to raise capital for the restoration of the museum's core collection, and to put the spares in the hands of organizations that can and will raise money to restore those aircraft as well. I'm not suggesting auctioning off the Memphis Belle or anything, but the extra 5 or so B-17s that the NMUSAF still owns but just has scattered around the country on outdoor display. In my opinion, the time has come for the outdoor display of WWII era bombers and fighters to end.
This would be just one way to accomplish that goal in a way that, I believe, would greatly benefit the NMUSAF.
kevin
Right now, if an aircraft that is part of the NMUSAF's loan program fails in its maintenance or is no longer wanted by an organization, it is reclaimed by NMUSAF and reassigned. Sometimes that means back to NMUSAF to replace/supplement something in their present collection. Other times, it goes to a waiting museum/organization. From what I understand, there is a waiting list that NMUSAF maintains for various types. The list is long for B-17s, B-24s etc. The biggest catch is that the organization taking on the aircraft as a new loan is responsible for the cost of disassembly, transport, and reassembly. They already have that system in place.
What I have proposed is that the NMUSAF do an inventory of its sprawling collection, and then auction off the spare airframes to non-profits and museums to raise capital for the restoration of the museum's core collection, and to put the spares in the hands of organizations that can and will raise money to restore those aircraft as well. I'm not suggesting auctioning off the Memphis Belle or anything, but the extra 5 or so B-17s that the NMUSAF still owns but just has scattered around the country on outdoor display. In my opinion, the time has come for the outdoor display of WWII era bombers and fighters to end.
This would be just one way to accomplish that goal in a way that, I believe, would greatly benefit the NMUSAF.
kevin
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Wed May 23, 2012 9:26 pm
tulsaboy wrote:seabee,
Right now, if an aircraft that is part of the NMUSAF's loan program fails in its maintenance or is no longer wanted by an organization, it is reclaimed by NMUSAF and reassigned. Sometimes that means back to NMUSAF to replace/supplement something in their present collection. Other times, it goes to a waiting museum/organization. From what I understand, there is a waiting list that NMUSAF maintains for various types. The list is long for B-17s, B-24s etc. The biggest catch is that the organization taking on the aircraft as a new loan is responsible for the cost of disassembly, transport, and reassembly. They already have that system in place.
What I have proposed is that the NMUSAF do an inventory of its sprawling collection, and then auction off the spare airframes to non-profits and museums to raise capital for the restoration of the museum's core collection, and to put the spares in the hands of organizations that can and will raise money to restore those aircraft as well. I'm not suggesting auctioning off the Memphis Belle or anything, but the extra 5 or so B-17s that the NMUSAF still owns but just has scattered around the country on outdoor display. In my opinion, the time has come for the outdoor display of WWII era bombers and fighters to end.
This would be just one way to accomplish that goal in a way that, I believe, would greatly benefit the NMUSAF.
kevin
I couldn't agree more. I would love to see any WW2 aircraft be sold to help fund the work at NMUSAF, and at the same time it would be awesome for other groups to be able to help save these birds. Just my two cent. I am on board for that idea
Travis
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Thu May 24, 2012 7:37 am
I too wish that they could all be displayed indoors, but selling them off is not going to solve that. As I have said before, most museums are just not able to undertake something like a B-17 or a B-29 that don't already have one. There are a couple that could, but not enough to totally solve the problem. I know that the NMUSAF plans on stream lining some of the collections that are outdoors starting this summer. This should be pretty common knowledge to anyone having stuff on loan. Everyone talks about the F-105. Let's say that they start selling F-105's and allow them to fly. Keep in mind there is an F-105 in private hands. How many groups can really do that. How many F-105's are really going to be saved. Maybe 3. Let's go high and say 5. That doesn't really fix the problem. Then how many F-105's would we lose that are currently on static display, but would end up becoming parts planes for the flyers. Not sure what the answer is, but the whole selling them off to fly is cool, but won't really fix the problem.
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Sun Aug 19, 2012 1:44 pm
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Wed Jul 10, 2013 6:22 am
Has there been any updates on any of the barksdale aircraft?
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Wed Jul 10, 2013 11:49 pm
I would love to see this done, hope something comes of this.
Re: Barksdale B-29 photos
Thu Jul 11, 2013 11:08 pm
Here's a pic of the nose....there is something in there...
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/ph ... 77915.html
Last fall I talked with the folks in charge of the airplanes at Barksdale during our A-10 unit visit. I told them that I was excited to read on their website that there was a plan to raise money and build buildings and/or overhead shelters for the aircraft, beginning with the old ones. The new director told me there was no longer such a plan and the guy that came up with the plan and put it on the website was no longer with the museum.
So...I don't hold out much hope for the airplanes to be covered or moved inside in the near future.
I did see a bunch of folks washing and painting one the B-52's...so some care is happening.
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/ph ... 77915.html
Last fall I talked with the folks in charge of the airplanes at Barksdale during our A-10 unit visit. I told them that I was excited to read on their website that there was a plan to raise money and build buildings and/or overhead shelters for the aircraft, beginning with the old ones. The new director told me there was no longer such a plan and the guy that came up with the plan and put it on the website was no longer with the museum.
So...I don't hold out much hope for the airplanes to be covered or moved inside in the near future.
I did see a bunch of folks washing and painting one the B-52's...so some care is happening.