Warbird Information Exchange

I did not go to Wahpeton with John and the others, so to get my fix I paid a visit to the Minnesota Wing of the CAF's hanger at Fleming Field.

Hanger #3 was built in 1942 for the Navy and used to house the Stearmans the used for primary flight training. It was +10F yesterday Can you imagine a Stearman flight on a day like that?
The Colonels s and Volunteers were replacing a jug on Miss Mitchell.
She is due in Midland for her Museum rotation, but lost 5 gals of oil in 20 minutes on her first attempt to head South...



The offending Jug…

She should be escaping to warmer climes soon
I took pictures of the some of the other Navy built hangers and what look like barracks, if folks are interested, I’ll post them.

Please, post more... always nice to see other airfields across the country! Thanks for posting more..... Question for you Bryan, or John, or any other guys up with the MN Wing... How is the progress on the PBY's? Alan

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Just call me Al.

great old hangar!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Those pictures make me wish I was back home

I bet! Having lived in GFK I can tell you, it is almost always 10 degrees warmer with 25 kts less wind here !

Although, there is nothing like Big Sioux Steak & Eggs breakfast around here...

I know. As I type this, it's -13 in GFK, and in SSP it's 16 with snow



Oh man, now I'm tempted to leave the comfort of my dorm rooom. Although I'm a big fan of the ribstickers myself...

Here are some more of the old Navy buildings at Fleming.
One of WhipAire's hangers

The home of Lysdale Flight Service. This same company operated PB4Y's at Fleming


The Barracks Building:


The Navy was able to get all 92 Stearmans assigned to Fleming into the hangers by tipping them on their nose.

Does anyone have a picture of a hanger full of N2S's on thier noses?

You mean like this (Ryans and Stearmans riding out a hurricane at NAS Jacksonville):

http://www.nasjax.navy.mil/command_info ... s_1941.htm

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Wow, I need to let them organize my closet...

That is a very cool picture.

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Hi Alan,

Both of the PBY's are up in the Duluth hangar and are being worked on during the warm weather months by Duluth Detachment members. Forward progress is very slow. The more they open up, the more bad news they find. (You want proof airplanes and salt water don't get along? Work on a 60 plus year old flying boat!). I am hearing rumors from inside the wing hierarchy that financial considerations and difficulty finding volunteers/members to work on the airplanes may make necessary to put them up for reassignment.

John

Great pictures! I too like old Bases & buildings.

I like the (what appears to be) an M38 Orange Jeep in pic #2.

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David
1953 M38A1 jeep owner
& Student Pilot soloed 09/09/06
USAF 1984-1986