Warbird Information Exchange

Hi Everyone, here is my list of P-47 restorations that are intended to be airworthy which may need to be updated.


42-267608 (HARS)
42-267609 (Texas Flying Legends)
42-29150 Dottie Mae (Allied Fighters)
42-8066 (HARS)

Additionally I have a few that I'm not sure actually exist.

41-5920 (Randy Ferris)
42-26766 (Bill Destefani)
44-8047
44-88548 (Randy Hanniman, purchased ec-CAF fuselage)

Happy New Year,
Stephen

Thanks Stephen. FYI, I believe Dottie Mae has already flown.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Thanks for the update Pat, I knew it was close.

(Serials corrected)

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

If the question is "How many P-47 restorations are ongoing?" The answer is :"Not enough!"

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Had God intended for man to fly behind inline engines, Pratt & Whitney would have made them.

CB

http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/Desrt_Wings.html

And which is this Jug (at Dakota Territory Air Museum)?

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media ... age-in.jpg

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media ... a-with.jpg

https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media ... puerto.jpg

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

Hey Dan, according to some who have visited and seen that P-47 up-close, it is 44-89213, which used to be displayed at the "Museum of Speed" in Daytona, Florida from 1955 until the 1970's when the museum closed - some of the "Museum of Speed" text can still be seen painted on the left side of the aircraft. It had previously been assigned to the Puerto Rican Air National Guard and had the name/nose art on the cowl "The Little Jug King" (paint work which must still exist, if the cowlings still exist, since the rest of the PR ANG paint has remained). Sometime after that museum closed up the aircraft was obtained by the CAF. I've read an account where the CAF eventually only wanted the wings from it and a private individual in New Mexico ended up acquiring the fuselage. I don't know who owns the fuselage right now or what the plans might be for it.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if Westpac is restoring any P-47's? I remember a time, years ago, when there was mention of Neal Melton's second bubble-top P-47D 45-49130 (N9246W) as being under restoration to fly with Westpac. Also, some years ago Westpac was tied to the recovered razorback Thunderbolts 42-8074, 42-22521, and 42-75284. I know there is an unrestored section of fuselage of one displayed at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation (which may be one of these) and another unrestored/preserved fuselage can be seen on static display at Westpac/National Museum of WWII Aviation, which must be one of those.

It would be nice if the Pond family's P-47 could eventually fly again.

Dottie Mae passed through Stead a while back with Steve Hinton.

44-89213 at the Museum of Speed; image from an 8mm film on an old eBay listing:

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Must have been from the flight that took it from Idaho, where it was restored and initially displayed for a time at the Warhawk Air Museum, down to Chino, CA where it was temporarily displayed at Planes of Fame and where Allied Fighters is located.

Although I find it hard to believe anyone could have missed hearing of/knowing of "Dottie Mae" flying, its first flight was back on June 22nd, this past summer. Its debut airshow was the Warhawk Air Museum's "Warbird Roundoup" that was held in late August. According to the recent Warbird Digest article on "Dottie Mae", a correct-for-the-aircraft Curtiss-Electric prop, of the type originally installed on the aircraft in WWII, will soon be replacing the Hamilton Standard unit currently installed, and there is also a plan to reproduce all of the combat repairs/patches as were found on the aircraft - to make it just as it was on the day it descended into the lake in 1945.

I've corresponded with Randy Ferris and he says it does exist. It is recovered wreckage.

Thanks everyone, appreciate the updates.

Stephen

Thanks, John! Your info matches the bits & pieces I've heard.

Is it your understanding that the wings from 44-89213 are being used to rebuild N47TB ?

And thanks to Chris Brame for the period pic of 44-89213 when in Florida.

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

I imagine you've seen the run-up they posted of the Pond 47 last year. I imagine once they "buy it out" it will be the next airworthy plane on their roster. There's lots of planes there ready to be airworthy if they had the money

I’m pretty sure the CAF’s P-47N will resume restoration later this year. They have interest.