Warbird Information Exchange

Greeting's
I got a ? for the forum Dose anybody know what happen to the Ball turrent that was mokup for the Consolidated B-32 Dominator ?
When I was still active in the Then Confederate Air force and the DFW Wing was still putting on Air Shows (early 80's) at the Denton Airport I was shown by the late David Leberson it was in a small storage hanger. He told me it was a one of a kind ! According to all reports this would be most likely the only real part left that could tide to that Airplane . did it end up going to a Museum ?

Glen

It's in the main hangar, still not restored (yet). I have no clue where to start on a restoration, but I've been seriously considering using the forklift to move it outside and take an air hose and damp rag to it and see how much I can clean it up so that it doesn't look quite as "old" as it does now.

Glad to know it is still around and that it is indoors Dumb ? what hanger and where would like to see it again.
Thanks
Glen

DFW Wing's main hangar at Lancaster Municipal (KLNC). Second big white one when you turn onto Ferris Road from Beltline Road (east from I-35 or west from I-45) take the first entrance and then park on the right. Open Saturday 9a-5p and Sunday 11a-5p (ish). Even if the whole wing's out at an airshow, there's usually still someone there tending shop.

Does the mockup actually have a ball turret? I would be very interested to see some photos if anyone can post them. I have been told that Emerson's Turret Division here in St. Louis built the ball turrets for the B-32 but I do not have any way to confirm that yet. I am finding parts for B-17 ball turrets and B-24/PB4Y ball turrets but I'm not sure I would know a B-32 ball turret part even if I saw one. I assume the B-32 used a B-24 style lowering/retraction system?

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Albert Stix Jr.
"Work is the curse of the drinking class"

I have a couple of fuel gauges from a B-32... so there are a few things out there at least, but it is a shame that this bird is so poorly represented... they did save one for a while too. Why they scrapped it is a mystery to me... and a bit of a crime too!

Cheers. Richard

PS. Would love to see some pictures of the ball turret!

There is that intact one on the moon yet, no?

There is an outer wing panel erected as a memorial in San Diego somewhere if I am not mistaken. It is truly a shame that the survivor was scrapped along with the B-19 and other rarities.

Scott

I'll take a few pictures this afternoon after work and post them this evening.

If I am not mistaken, wasn;t the B-32 set aside for a museum like the NASM or NMUSAF, but cut up by someone accidentally?

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

It wasn't cut up by accident. There was a deliberate decision made on a whole group of aircraft as to what was to be kept and what was to be discarded. As I recall, the documentation stated that the B-32 was not significant and since it didn't make a substantial contribution to the war, it was decided that it should not be kept for the collection.

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Taigh Ramey
Vintage Aircraft, Stockton, California
http://www.twinbeech.com
'KEEP ‘EM FLYING…FOR HISTORY!'

Yes! I have seen it but it has been years! I think I will go on a little adventure this weekend and take some photos of it!

It is not just a panel, I think its the whole wing.

I believe the NASM has a B-32 nose turret at the Paul Garber facility.

There are a couple of books on the B-32,

http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffe ... 0764324519

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0933126387?tag ... VNRQH3WP9&

Regards,
Mike

The first time I'd ever heard of a B-32 was two or three years ago when I read a MBC book about an A-20 pilot in the SW Pac. He opted to go home when his sqn. was converted to B-32's.
I surfed the net under "B-32 Dominator" and didn't find a whole lot compared to more common types but it seem like I did read somewhere that the only surviving airfram was a forward fuselage section in museum storage somewhere. Garber maybe? They have a lot of obscure stuff in storage.
Canso42.

Interesting. The turret that was just returned to the CAF's main hangar about 8 months ago came in from some other Unit or Wing (not the DFW Wing), and they said IT was the old B-32 Dominator turret. I can't tell one from the other, so here's a picture of it for y'all........



Gary