Warbird Information Exchange

my smithsonian air & space magazine came yesterday & i threw it on the counter without another thought. now today i glanced at it & nearly fell over in disbelief!!! walter soplata's son published his own article about his dad's collection!! this will now dispell the myth behind the man & his collection. countless people have wanted to interview him, me included, but who better to set the record straight than his son. way to go walt!!!! & wally jr!!!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Yeah, I read that one yesterday. Really nice story. I didn't realize his collection was a tourist trap back in the 1960's . Even for Walter some things never change, Mrs. Soplata gave him he11 when he brought home Corsair without prior permission. I know that would have happened at my house back when I was married.........



Mark H

My wife would have filled it with flowers

Steve

She would have put me in the Corsair, burried it the back yard (with me in it) and then she would have planted flowers over it.

Mark H

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Thanks for the link. What a great story. I guess the F-86, F-84, and F7U (that he paid $200 for!!!!) are still there?

Nice article, nice collection!

Now......How long do ya think it'll take Gary to catch up to Walter with his "Petting Zoo" collection???

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Bob

Thank you for posting that link. I drove around yesterday trying to find a newstand that carries that magazine with no luck.

Great story.

What issue is that in? October? All we've got on the newstands here so far is the September one.

The website says it's in the October issue.

Wow! What a great story and what a great man! How fun would that have been? There are not many people like that any more.

I have a good friend who's Dad was a musician and came home one day with a new Martin guitar. Oh yeah, he traded the family car for it. He told his wife, he didn't need the car, he could walk to work, but he needed the guitar! Same kind of philosophy, I think.

Walter, here's to you! You are a part of history never to be replicated. Thanks!

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Great article. Glad to see his son's take on things.

I have been an admirer of Mr Soplata ever since meeting him circa '02. He was a very nice man and -- like all of us here -- a warbird lover.

It was a great article - I think there is a bit more to the telling - the last few lines about having to become self reliant and all at a young age due to their father's obsession - I love warbirds but not at the expense of my kids - not meaning to start anything here - just an observation.

I am still in awe of Walts collection - that photo of the Cutlass and his wife - HA - if it were me the photo would show my wife beating the tar out of me under the nose of the plane!

Tom P.