Category- File under "Things I wish I had"

[EDowning]

This would make a great project. It belongs to a guy in southern MO who is storing it in the Missouri CAF Wing. I don't know much more about it, but it is unusually original and very complete. Pics are from my cell phone camera, sorry for the quality.

[airnutz]

Ho Hum..Got about 4 or 5 or so of those in the barn out back. I'd trade
one of 'em for a nice rustfree Maserati Bora, (love them 4-cammerz)..and
the phone# of a..ahem Layyydee of similar nature to match...

Nice piccies from a phone, though Suh!!

[Jesse C.]

Looks like it could be a flyer! Is it a real ME or a re-engined Hispano? Either way, I would love to have one in my garage!

Thanks for the pics!

[Dennis7423]

No sweat, i've got one of those in a crate out back...unopened of course, but the label on the side says so...

-Dennis S.
Greeley, CO

[Bill Greenwood]

Eric, you sure got my attention with that photo. Give us some more details if it is not confidential. It looks not only complete, but in incredible shape; cockpit looks like new! Is it going to fly or is it for sale? I hope they have great fire protection there, hopefully a sprinkler system. I'm not sure I'd like to fly it, but I'd sure like to get a cockpit check and taxi it. Of course, then the itch to fly would set in. I took a look at the CAF Hispano which is for sale, and it seems complete, but is nowhere near that condition. If one were to stop by on the way to OSH, is it open for the public to see? I saw John Romain do a very nice job flying Ed Russel's 109 in Canada last summer and he put on a fine display. It doesn't need even as much runway as a Spit for takeoff or landing. Steve Hinton told me the ME flies a lot better than the HA 109. It is a mean looking liittle sucker.[/code]

[B-29 Super Fort]

Eric, you sure got my attention with that photo. Give us some more details if it is not confidential. It looks not only complete, but in incredible shape; cockpit looks like new! Is it going to fly or is it for sale? I hope they have great fire protection there, hopefully a sprinkler system. I'm not sure I'd like to fly it, but I'd sure like to get a cockpit check and taxi it. Of course, then the itch to fly would set in. I took a look at the CAF Hispano which is for sale, and it seems complete, but is nowhere near that condition. If one were to stop by on the way to OSH, is it open for the public to see? I saw John Romain do a very nice job flying Ed Russel's 109 in Canada last summer and he put on a fine display. It doesn't need even as much runway as a Spit for takeoff or landing. Steve Hinton told me the ME flies a lot better than the HA 109. It is a mean looking liittle sucker.[/code]

I second that, love to know how it was acquired and history.

[thundergull pilot]

Eric A bit off the topic but I was wondering how the maintence on your Spad was going. Is it back together and flying? thanks Carl

[Obergrafeter]

Those German engineered engine mounts are a work of art. The Fi-156 had one similar, they probably spent more on the engine mount than we did on a whole L-4!

[mgeorge51]

I think this is the ME 109 that was in Naples Florida up untill a couple of years ago.
IF it is, then the gentlemen I knew had it for sale. He wanted to purchase a P-47 which was his dream aircraft. Although he was not yet a pilot at the time. If it is the aircraft from Florida, my entire family was allowed to sit in it and get eaten up by the florida mosquitoes.
The gentleman I know is named Joe and moved to Missouri which is his native home.

He is also a big scrounger of German engines and had quite a collection at the time. There was quite a contentious battle over whether it was a Buchon or a real ME. Joe was very troubled by this battle and I think it kept him from being too open about his stuff.

[EDowning]

MGeorge51 wrote:

I think this is the ME 109 that was in Naples Florida up untill a couple of years ago.
IF it is, then the gentlemen I knew had it for sale. He wanted to purchase a P-47 which was his dream aircraft. Although he was not yet a pilot at the time. If it is the aircraft from Florida, my entire family was allowed to sit in it and get eaten up by the florida mosquitoes.
The gentleman I know is named Joe and moved to Missouri which is his native home.

He is also a big scrounger of German engines and had quite a collection at the time. There was quite a contentious battle over whether it was a Buchon or a real ME. Joe was very troubled by this battle and I think it kept him from being too open about his stuff.

Mike,

Everything I know about this airplane is second hand. I am sure it is the same on you saw in Florida. I think it is original and not a Buchon, but I could be wrong. I have been told that it is not for sale, and that he has another that is more complete and original ( I find that very hard to believe) and he is restoring it to fly at another "undisclosed" location. I have heard, second hand, that he says he "has a number of engines to build one or to good ones from". I can't imagine finding any project airplane of any type that is more original or complete. This aircraft looks like it could fly if you cowled it up and put the prop on it.


Bill Greenwood wrote:

Eric, you sure got my attention with that photo. Give us some more details if it is not confidential. It looks not only complete, but in incredible shape; cockpit looks like new! Is it going to fly or is it for sale? I hope they have great fire protection there, hopefully a sprinkler system. I'm not sure I'd like to fly it, but I'd sure like to get a cockpit check and taxi it. Of course, then the itch to fly would set in. I took a look at the CAF Hispano which is for sale, and it seems complete, but is nowhere near that condition. If one were to stop by on the way to OSH, is it open for the public to see? I saw John Romain do a very nice job flying Ed Russel's 109 in Canada last summer and he put on a fine display. It doesn't need even as much runway as a Spit for takeoff or landing. Steve Hinton told me the ME flies a lot better than the HA 109. It is a mean looking liittle sucker.

Bill,

I was also at TOM and spent some time talking John Romain as well. He did a great job flying that very difficult airplane. It sounded great as well.
As far as where it is located, It's in a WWII era wooden hangar with no spinkler system. I wouldn't keep it there one day if I owned it but it's not mine, obviously. I debated even posting these pictures because of privacy concerns, but there have been so many people looking at it that it's clearly no secret. No a bad looking airplane, even if the engine is shaped funny and full of water.

Eric A bit off the topic but I was wondering how the maintence on your Spad was going. Is it back together and flying? thanks Carl

Carl,

Thanks for asking. We are doing the complete annual as well right now. The work that Gary Austin started is complete but as usual I have decided to do a number of other elective things. I'll post a couple of pics when we get a little futher along.

Airnutz wrote:

Ho Hum..Got about 4 or 5 or so of those in the barn out back. I'd trade
one of 'em for a nice rustfree Maserati Bora, (love them 4-cammerz)..and
the phone# of a..ahem Layyydee of similar nature to match...

I will gladly trade my Maserati Bora and the phone # of a hard to manage, very, very expensive whore, for one of your "many" ME109s.

[JimH]

Looks like the one that was in the Air Force Museum that was "for sale" when the "original" was put in place a few years ago...whats the history?

Jim