Vultee Vengeance

[DADE]

Hi Dan K and Cvairwerks,


Unfortunately the days of finding the old aircraft in a barn are diminishing. At our museum we will have to look more and more towards the R.A.A.F. for military aircraft and thank goodness the Air Force have now changed to being heritage orientated. Thanks R.A.A.F.
But even there in the future how many people will look at a Drone and say that is sexy. Airline planes are too big and still command big prices for the parts when breaking them up. Small commercial planes can be the same. Our Beech Baron (Ex Western Australian Flying Doctor Service Aircraft) came gutted inside and no engines. Being a private museum only allows income from people of the street and tourists. You will find that Western Australia is about the size of half of Europe, but only three million souls live there. so the aircraft enthusiasts are few and far between. Small heritage planes have the problem of the fabric coverings being needed to be replaced. But you would know all that. Thanks again for your kind thoughts.
I am going to attempt to do a bit on our Supermarine Spitfire that had an ex Luftwaffe pilot involved in its display.


DADE

[Spitty]

Hi Spitty.
You wrote. One thing Ive found is never let the truth get in the way of a good story.


The aircraft magazines are run as a commercial business and contents sometimes end up being last depending on what is said. It is their right to not publish, but who knows in the future the story may get published, but you cannot wait forever. My non fictional story was always going to be controversial to magazines due to the question of ownership issues.

Over a year ago two envelopes of photocopies of original letters and documents were sent to Wangaratta and Albion Park but no replies by the people they were sent to happened. These are the facts.

One thing I have found that you can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.

For sure mate..Being involved with a major Defence force museum that is most often the case..

[DADE]

Spitty,
That can only mean Amberley, who we helped with their Avro Anson project with our maintenance manuals.
or maybe Oakey where I looked at the Caribou a long time ago.

[Brenden S]

Dade, while being a "friends" member of the museum, the management don't help the museum. I have gone to Parky on many occasions as I have a huge amount of contacts to get some donations and people through the doors. He just doesn't want to know. I am actually a full member of the Australian National Aviation Museum and fly East to help them over my local Bullcreek museum.

As for the magazines, it is poor form I know. I will send you a PM.

[JonL]

Just found this post Dade - bloody fascinating! I love the background stories to stuff like this - thanks for publishing it sir.
The saga related sounds oh to familiar to many people...
The Vengeance has always held a sort of fascination for me, since I saw the one at Camden, back in '69 - ungainly but strangely appealing, unloved by the warbird scene at large, derided by many, yet loved by the pilots who actually flew them!
Living outside Perth (an ex Kiwi), I sure appreciate the distances involved with collecting those bits (I commute 100km to West Perth every day) - WA has always seemed a desolate place, when it comes to ......anything warbird related, really!
Haven't been to Bullcreek for 10 yrs, but, last time there, being shown around by a mate who volunteered there, I did suggest if they folded the wings on the Moth Minor, they might have a bit more room - the reply was "Do the wings fold?" (I was involved in a Moth Minor rebuild and Fox Moth fuselage build in the late '70's and have flown a Moth M.)
Must get out to Bullcreek again - I haven't even seen the Catalina assembled........
Keep up the good work.

Last edited by JonL on Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[sagindragin]

hey Dade, it is my original post and i have only just got back in to the UK yesterday, still trying to catch up after being in Greece for the last two weeks, this is the best response i have ever recieved on any forum or any subject, thank you very much for the images and story, if you would like a personlised copy of the finished profile for free, just give me a shout and tell me which one you would like doing.

[JonL]

That's why I am still a CORPORAL. Dan K

Don't let that slow you down!

"All hail" to the mighty Vengeance...she deserves more love than she seems to receive.

The wing shape reminds me of a Gannet just before they dive......

[avenger2504]

Greetings DADE from across the Tasman. A fascinating tale of just how aircraft recovery can get murky after things get swapped, loaned or stored. Hopefully one day we can see the result we all want............an airworthy Vengeance!

[DADE]

Greetings avenger2504,
Although my period was after this aircraft collection of parts had gone to the eastern states, the people involved still mention it. I am of the type that if I gave a loan of my car to a friend, I expect it back and not get the answer but it was a gift not a loan.
As there are two planes mentioned, it would have been nice to get something in place of them.
As for flying, you just have to look at the track record in the site of ADF serials and see how a lot ended up.
Unfortunately the vengeance in value goes a long way down the list of must haves. With the Spitfire and Mustang on top even the P-40 dropping down a lot in dollar terms, which is a shame as I think it was one of those fantastic aircraft that helped stem the Axis partners the world over. The two Vengeance aircraft will not be rebuilds as they are hulks and will probably be reproductions. Just like the Spitfire that was dug out of the sand on a beach in France, it cannot be the same aircraft. Static in Australia sounds nice as if any accidents happen, then you will look back and say they went just like the Dodo birds.

Cheers.

[DADE]

This is my last post on this subject, its up to you to draw your own conclusions

Cheers,

As my post looked like I was upset in another forum. I would like to advise that the message above means I have given all the information I can and I am moving on to write another story on a Spitfire.
Cheers,
DADE.

[sagindragin]

progressing, looking for photo proof of A27-220 coded A-GR with nose art

Attachments

[sagindragin]

ok so six completed and added to my flickr account, more to be added when done, thank you gentlemen for your help in this little task i started back in 2004.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/22448264@ ... 2013598555

[Brenden S]

Nice profiles mate.