Warbird Information Exchange

Heard thru the rumourmill that the MATS Connie is being sold. Any further info available?

Regards

Jase

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Regards,

Jase
www.b26marauder.com
"I'm having a BLAST!!" 2007 CAF Wing Staff Conference

RIP Gary Austin..always in our hearts

Hi Jase... to my understanding, it's been on the market for several years now... are you saying you've heard it now has a buyer?

Cheers,
Richard

I heard today that the MATS Connie will be departing for its new home within the next two weeks, a museum in Seoul, South Korea!!! I can't vouch for the accuracy of this information but it came from a very reliable source.

Todd

That's too bad if it turns out to be the case. I rather liked having the old girl right here in my back yard!

From what I heard it should be in South Korea by now. Any updates????

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The air resounds from the Rolls-Royce roar!
To an enemy the warning is dire: here only eagles soar,
and the last thing he'll see is a mirrored Spitfire!

Is there any more information regarding this rumored sale of the MATS Connie? I haven't seen anything else about the sale of this bird, other than what I've read here, so I'm hoping it's just a rumor and nothing else.

If it was sold to a South Korean museum, I wonder if they plan to keep it flying...

I'd hate to see something so beautiful entombed. Let's hope it is a rumor!

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www.tailhookstudio.com

Nope, it's the truth. I heard it straight from the source. Sad to hear it happening. I always enjoyed seeing it at airshows, especially at ours.

If it's the museum I think it's going to, they don't fly anything. In fact it's in the middle of a city and all the other aircraft are in pretty rough shape. 90% of them are on display outside.

Shouldn't we as warbird enthusiats, owners, and operators have a modern standard of ethics for selling warbirds? Arnt we all responsible in this latest of warbird eras to not sell, no matter what the price, to anyone that would lock away, leave in a crate, make flying aircraft static, or to provide the opportunity for the demise of an airframe.
I know people sell planes because they lose interest, cant afford or have no use for it. But wouldnt it be better to take a little hit on the selling price and know that your bird would go to a good and caring home. I guess it is still all about money even though these planes belong to all of us in a much larger sense. As someone who really loves these old planes, I believe that what is better for them is more important than an individuals pocket book.
Moving planes from the UK to the US, Australia and NZ and vice versa, seems to work well the last decade and a half. I could see a derelict Connie getting traded to South Korea for a few derelict Bearcats. Now that would be a deal! Otherwise, as it stands now, I am once again disappointed in the loss of a truely beautiful and historic aircraft that once graced our skies.

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Live to fly, Fly to live.....

I wonder why they would choose to purchase an airworthy Connie over a non-flying example, assuming it's for static display...unless the extra cost of obtaining an airworthy plane more than pays for the cost of crating/shipping and restoring a non-airworthy example for display.

While the Airline History Museum Connie (formerly Save-A-Connie) is a nice bird, it is the longer Super Constellation model. With the loss of the MATS Connie, there are no short body Connies making the airshow circuit right now in the US, and none in military markings.

The recent departure of the Camarillo Connie and the Dutch Aviodrome Connie also reduces the number of airworthy Connies in the US, but at least they went to loving homes and will be proudly flown and displayed. The thought of the MATs Connie ending up in hands that won't fly or take care of her properly is not a pretty one. Let's hope it ends up in good hands...

It would be nice to see someone step up to the plate and get more Connies back in the skies. There are still a few in the US that could be flown again with a little work and attention:

1. Columbine II (N9463) - essentially airworthy already, last flown in 2003.
2. Bataan (N422NA at Planes of Fame) - airworthy according to the POF people, but not flown due to lack of funds and interest.
3. Salina, Kansas Connie (N1206) - restored to airworthy in 1992, but first flight aborted due to engine problems, now in storage
4. Connie (N105FC) last flown in 2001 and was under restoration until August 2002 when standard airworthiness certificate could not be obtained.
5. N1104W obtained by NASM for restoration for Udvar-Hazy Center...but sitting stored with uncertain future (last flew in 1988).
6. N458GF - Flown on airshow circuit in mid 90s, now stored since owner died.

That's six birds that could/should be saved...ideally 2-3 (or all) will be returned to the air in the forseeable future. But I would have to guess that most have an uncertain future (except for Columbine II and Bataan, which are probably too historic to scrap).

Plus, there are the three Starliners that Maurice Roundy saved from certain scrapping...one which flew in 2001 to the Fantasy of Flight museum (and survived the recent hurricanes without damage).

Maybe someone should call Paul Allen and turn him onto the beauty of the Constellation ...at least it might prevent one more from ending up in the scrapper.

Mark