Warbird Information Exchange

This one has been here since at least 1992 but disappeared for a few years when it was apparently under repair after being damaged in a microburst. Never seen it fly. It is stored outside behind a fence just a few feet from a road that is easily accessible. I took this picture in 1992:

I remember hearing that there was some undercarriage damage at the time and the propeller blades were bent. The prop was removed at the time of the picture. The prop is back now and if anyone has more interest, I can get some more recent pics and put them up.

Here is a previous WIX posting that includes a pic of a Schlepp at POF as well as info about one for sale: http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2906&highlight=schlepp


Anyone here ever see one fly?

Dave

Thanks, I always wondered what happened to it after it left Chino.........

_________________
Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

I don't know the history of this bird before it got here other than that the C.3605's were sold at auction in '87 or so after stress problems were noted in the wings. I've seen the one at Chino but that is the only other one that I've seen. I think there is one in Minnesota though from what I could find though google.

Dave

The only C.3605 that I knew of in Minnesota has since moved to the Planes of Fame at Chino.

_________________
Dan Johnson

Hi

I remember the C-3605's very well - saw them very often during my Military Service while they were still active as taget tugs for the AA Gunners and also when I was acting as fence-pole at many airbases in Switzerland - Have tons of slides which I can scan and post (but only after my vacation, i.e.e towards the end of August).

Cheers
Martin

Dave,

C-551 is definitely the one that used to be at Chino. I pulled up my pictures of it and their the same c/n. My pictures were taken in May of 1989.

_________________
Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

I'm pretty sure that these are the pair that passed through Duxford in the late-1980s. One went to Bob Pond, the other to a Dr John Whittington, who also had a P-47 project on the go at the time.

I'll get some up-to-date pictures this week and post them soon. Thanks for the info.

Dave

534: http://162.58.35.241/acdatabase/nnumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=360BP

568: http://162.58.35.241/acdatabase/nnumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=3605

The Planes of Fame example has never flown in the states to my knowledge. I think pre-existing engine damage was discovered upon arrival.

I almost crashed my Stearman into the other one on its departure flight from Chino. I was doing touch and goes and was cleared to land while on the downwind as the Schlepp was cleared for takeoff. The Schlepp just sat there on the runway forever as I continued my circuit. When I asked the tower what the Schlepp's intention was (I was on short final and the tower was oblivious to the fact that the Schlepp had not yet cleared the runway) they sent me around. Made a good excuse for a pylon turn around the tower I guess...

What is the registration on the one in Knoxville? I only see the two noted above and don't see serial number 551 in the FAA registry.

I think the one in Chino has flown. Before I lived in CA (maybee 14 years ago) I was out visiting with a friend at Chino and I saw it taxi in after a flight I am 100% I have a picture of it taxing in, I just need to find it then figure out how to post pictures.

OK found what I was looking for. There were actually two at Chino one with the yellow and black stripes and one that was camoflouge. I have pictures of them both and a picture of the camoflouge one taxing out at sunset.
Can someone tell me how to post a picture here. In the past I have had lots of relevant pictures and have never been able to post them.

For posting pictures, check the top of the message board or follow this link to it.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... php?t=1822

_________________
Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

The one here in Knoxville is numbered "551" on the fuselage. I'll take a closer look this week and see if there are any other identifying numbers anywhere on the plane.

Dave

Hard to tell in your picture, but maybe that's an "N" number under the C-551?

_________________
Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

Thanks Mike,
I couldn't remember Dr. WHittingtons name. I lived and worked at the Knoxville Airport from 1993 to 1997. The Schleppe was in a Knox Air hangar at that time and had been damaged in a landing accident. It was purchased by the DR. under advice of Harold "Bubba" Beal as an ideal transition trainer to get ready for the P-47D that he was restoring. Bubba, failing to use a checklist, landed with the gear up on landing and a small fire ensued. I remember seeing some aluminum skin repair on the wings and fuselage.
The Dr. sold his P-47 to John SHofner and it now flies as "Wicked Wabbit". The Schleppe was for sale for a long time, with no takers. I don't think it was ever flown again. The repair work was never finished either.

A few things I remember about it; the engine prop etc. were taken from an OV-1 Mohawk. the wing tip tanks from an MU-2, and that elongated nose was steel tubing 4130 with fibreglas or aluminum square panels held together with Dzus fasteners.
It is an original german designed dive bomber, Heinkel(?) not sure of manufacturer that was built under liscence by the Swiss and fitted with a Hispano-Suiza V-12 of around 1,000 hp. It had similar design specs and armament as a Stuka. The landing gear semi retracts into the wing kind of like a P-40.