What Warbirds Would You Have Saved?

[APG85]

Similar to the "What Warbirds Would You Like To See Recovered" topic, what aircraft (that are long gone) do you wish had been saved?

My pick is: The B-29 The Great Artiste. Flew both atomic missions as the instrument B-29. Scrapped at Goose Bay after a landing accident.

[Mudge]

None specifically but as many P-38s as were P-51s.

Mudge the dreamer

[Ztex]

Any: FW-200 Condor,
The Boeing 314, Dixie Clipper, flew Roosevelt to Casablanca.

[Richard W.]

Guy Gibson's Lancaster that he flew in the Dams Raid wasn't scrapped until 1947.

How awesome would it be to see it in the IWM today?

[Former Member]

That's a tough one...in a perfect world I think we would like to save them all. It's too bad more B-17's & B-24's weren't saved from the scrapper while awaiting their fate out in Kingman, AZ. When I look at those old photos of bombers lined up end to end it just brings tears to my eyes since nearly all were combat vets. If I couldn't save them then it would be nice to go through with a chain saw and start cutting out as many authentic nose art sections as possible. While I'm at it I would have to snag a bunch of spare ball turrets which would alleviate the shortage of parts I'm experiencing now!

John

[k5083]

All of the captured axis aircraft that were tested in the US and UK and scrapped after the war. If I had to pick one, it would be the Smithsonian's G4M Betty that they only saved the nose of.

August

[wendovertom]

agreed! A Boeing clipper would be really cool. Specifically, the one that Roosevelt celebrated his birthday on. More P-61s and F-82 "double mustangs"

Tom P.

[jmkendall]

F-15 REPORTER that I once played in at Santa Rosa California. This was the recon version of the P-61.

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hmmmm,

Well...I would have saved more P-47's, P-38's, P-39's, Hellcats, and Tigercats myself as far as fighters go. For the heavy stuff....I'd pick a Lancaster or two, a couple of B-24's, a few more B-17's, and some B-26 Marauders. Perhaps also a H.P. Halifax, Sunderland, And perhaps a Vickers Wellington or two.

just my two cents worth of wishful thinking.

Paul

[mjanovec]

Basically anything that's in short supply today!

But it would have been nice to make every possible effort to save one of the original AVG P-40s....granted, someone would've likely needed the foresight to save one while the war was still in progress.

More B-26s would be a good thing too! I hate to see pictures of rows of the combat vets lined up for the scrapper. Just saving an extra 10 examples would have been great...

And before someone else says it, a TBD or two.

[Elroy13]

I agree with mjanovec!

B-26 Marauders
A-20 Havocs
Bristol Beaufighter for sure!!!
DH Mosquito
Kingfisher

[Obergrafeter]

The B-32 before they flew it to the moon!

[astixjr]

I'd say a few B-32s and P-61s would be nice and for sure more Typhoons. What does a Napier-Sabre engine sound like at startup? How about on the deck at 300 Kts with all four 20MMs banging away.

[george]

Some F and G model Marauders

Some Maulers

Some D model Libs

[Randy Haskin]

B-19