Warbird Information Exchange

Some interesting updates on the restoration page...

http://www.pimaair.org/Acftdatapics/Cur ... F.htm#B-23

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Something I've always wondered, and couldn't find the answer to on their website - who owns the aircraft at the Pima Musuem?

Are they all US govt property, or are some owned by a foundation or private individual (and thus potentially subject to trade/sale to eventually become flyers)?

I cant wait to see the finished A-20!

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Trae

all of the above, some Govt, some they own, some on long term loan

The second B-23 picture caption refers to an oil leak on the port (right) engine.Did they mean "Wright" engine,or are unaware that engine position is figured from the perspective of the pilot's seat? The last time that I checked,port/left and starboard/right were still standard.Of course it could just be a typo.It is a very informative site,though.

Thanks for the link. The B-36 photos brought a lump to my throat, as I was a part of the crew that took her her apart at Greater Southwest Airport in the late 70's for her move to Carswell.

I'm glad to see that she's finally getting the level of attention she deserves, and that will be needed to make sure she survives another 50 years (hopefuly many more than that!).

I'm a little peeved, though, that there seems to be no credit at all given to the volunteers who put in over 40,000 hours to restore her interior after she was moved inside at Carswell.

Look at the before and after pictures. (I shot the before pics ~ '77-78. The after pics were taken before the USAF gave her to Pima.)

I'm going to visit Pima next week and was wondering if the B-36 and some of the other restoration projects (like the B-26) are able to be seen by visitors. I'd really like to see some of these aircraft, especially since the opportunity doesn't come that often.

Why is it that their F-14 cockpit is not stripped down? When MAPS's F-14 came in they had to gut the cockpit due to the Iranians still having them.

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When all is said and done more is said than done.

That is a typo. The person who takes care of the restoration web pages isn't the best proof reader on the planet but I think he does know left from right. The plane should be done this week. People who wanted to see a bomber will hate it, but the plane spent far more of its life as an executive transport and back dating it to a bomber would have required almost totally rebuilding it.

We own about a third of the planes in the collection. The majority of the rest are on loan from the Air Force, Navy, NASM etc. We do have a few private loans but not very many.

The B-36 is ready to go back together we're just waiting on the ground to harden up after some rather torrential rain we've had over the last couple of weeks so that the cranes can lift the back end safely. It has taken rather longer than we had hoped but the weather in Fort Worth was not kind to the magnesium skins and we've had to repair rather more of it than we had hoped.

Just for fun here is a couple of photos of the rain I mentioned above. Who says its a dry heat?









James

Dang...that's a little bit of a sprinkle. I guess that's what they mean by "monsoon season." I visited Pima in August of '04..it was hot and dry, but there were some thunderstorms building off to the west.

The restoration staff at the museum must be on some kind of perfromance-enhancing drugs! The pace and quality of the work is incredible. Nice to see the B-23 getting some attention, and also nice to see one being preserved in a Civie configuration. Looks like I'll have to make another trek out west at some point (in the winter next time!)

SN

Wow! You guys have been humping this year!!! Great to see the progress!
James, how will ya'll handle the magnesium panel degradation on City of Ft. Worth? Thanks for the "heads-up" APG85 1

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Thanks for posting the updated link Scott....the B-36 looks beautiful!!!!

John

We are replacing the degraded magnesium with aluminum.

James

I am a little suprised to see the Blenheim displayed outside. No room in the hangers? It does look great, and the desert camo works well...in the desert

You folks at Pima dont mess around, lots of progress. Way to go!

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Nice pictures. Im glad to see the B-23 getting some TLC. Although I am not fond of that paint scheme they are putting on it.

Hope to seethe O-52 finished. I like old observation planes.

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