B-24 components at the Yankee Air Museum

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 10:09 am

What B-24 components does the Yankee Air Museum have and where did they come from? What plans does the museum have for these pieces?

Django · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:28 am

They're working on building a factory diorama with sub assemblies as they don't have a complete airframe.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:44 am

Django wrote:

They're working on building a factory diorama with sub assemblies as they don't have a complete airframe.

I think there still waiting for the Barksdale 24 to end up on there doorstep. :wink:

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:57 am

Warbird Kid wrote:

Django wrote:

They're working on building a factory diorama with sub assemblies as they don't have a complete airframe.

I think there still waiting for the Barksdale 24 to end up on there doorstep. :wink:

Now that would be a good thing! Is there talk of that?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:50 pm

Pat Carry wrote:

Warbird Kid wrote:

Django wrote:

They're working on building a factory diorama with sub assemblies as they don't have a complete airframe.

I think there still waiting for the Barksdale 24 to end up on there doorstep. :wink:

Now that would be a good thing! Is there talk of that?

Not that I know of. I only wish it would happen because:

A. YAM has wanted a Ford B-24 BADLY.
B. If they did acquire a 24, they'd hopefully restore her to fly.
C. We need more B-24's in the air!

C'mon NMUSAF! Let this one be permanently loaned to YAM to fly!

seabee1526 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:18 pm **Posts:** 459

Not that I have one in my backyard, but I wonder if they would consider it if a fiberglass replica was available. What would that cost?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 2:57 pm

seabee1526 wrote:

Not that I have one in my backyard, but I wonder if they would consider it if a fiberglass replica was available. What would that cost?

Im kind of curious myself. A full scale Fiberglass 24 does exist: http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... 29&start=0

Now its just a matter of purchasing one, then installing alot of original parts to make the aircraft more believable and authentic.

JBoyle · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:34 pm

If anyplace needs/deserves a B-24 it's Willow Run.
Maybe Kermit clould loan his...(broad hint..easy to spend other people's toys/money

)

Anything left in India?
Maybe Ford or the Dearborn Museum could help out...(again easy to spend...)

If worse comes to worse, I've seen the fiberglass B-24 up close at Lackland...and outside of thumping on it, it's hard to tell it's not real. Might be a nice thing for YAF or better yet, Barksdale. since theirs is outside and will be so forever.
I would assume the builders (in UK?) still have the molds. In any carse, it won't be cheap, I've seen the prices of fiberglass replicas and they are not cheap (even for bad ones).

p51 · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:10 pm

I can’t be 100% sure, but I have heard from several sources that they also have the wooden mockup from the B movie, “Beautiful Dreamer” now at that museum and will be using it for their display. Here’s a shot I took of the remnants of it at Sable Ranch at Santa Clarita, while I was there appearing on “Mail Call” for the History Channel in 2005.

hang the expense · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:47 pm

South Pacific bird would be the best bet.Plenty of parts and partial airframes still there but they might want to hurry.We are running out of people who can rebuild it.

Cherrybomber13 · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:53 pm

I had heard, and we know thats not always reliable but the going price for a glass 24 was like 1.1 mil. I have no way to confirm that as fact, but I do know a Corsair goes for around 150-180k... Just my 2 cents

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Tue Sep 14, 2010 2:47 am

The YAM does have the wooden mockup seen above. It's not bad for a plywood movie prop, but it's not a convincing replica by any stretch of the imagination.

I believe the museum has the nose section of an LB-30, a B-24D canopy and nose greenhouse, the (very battered) center fuselage of an actual Ford-built B-24M, and the tail section of a PB4Y-2 fire bomber (they're missing the section between the bomb bays and the flight deck.) I believe the decision has been made to leave the center fuselage "as is" and display it as an artifact, rather than incorporating it into any restoration.

They also have a bunch of misc. parts..including landing gear, seats, and I think a wing section or two. It would take millions to turn it all into a flying Liberator, and it would be more of a new-build reproduction than restoration.

I'd love to see the Barksdale B-24 come to Willow Run (and out of the weather) and replaced by a fiberglass replica. But then as a native Michigander who only lives a little over an hour from the YAM I admit I'm a little biased..

SN

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Tue Sep 14, 2010 5:19 am

The nose section is a B-24A artifact, the surviving portion of 40-2369.

S

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Tue Sep 14, 2010 6:40 am

I think that once the YAM gets a building up, they need to start talking to the NMUSAF about the B-24 at Barksdale. By having the building to place it in, you now are showing that the aircraft preservation of the aircraft is going to improve. That can be a big advantage. Forget asking about flying it(atleast for now). Just work on getting it there and indoors and restoring it. Maybe down the road things will change on the flying of aircraft onloan from the NMUSAF, maybe not. But atleast you will have a Ford built B-24.

JBoyle · **Posted:** Tue Sep 14, 2010 10:45 am

mustangdriver wrote:

I think that once the YAM gets a building up, they need to start talking to the NMUSAF about the B-24 at Barksdale.

Just pray that the 8th AF Commander or General Metcalf is from Michigan.

Based on past experience, the guy that "owns" the base will have a lot to say about it.

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B-24 components at the Yankee Air Museum

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