Lost NAS Pensacola Texans

[Shay]

Anybody know whatever happened to all the Texan parts, pieces and airframes the were discovered on NAS Pensacola? If I remember correctly all this stuff had been hiding for years, was found derelict on the base and then a deadline was given for anyone to come and collect them. I believe some folks did manages to save some aircraft but i think not all was saved. Just wondering what the whole story was and if anyone knew what was going on with the recovered Texans. Thanks

Shay

[Paul Draper]

Are these the ones you were talking about?

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/ ... acola.html

[pilot06]

How old is this story? I am interested to know what was there.

Patrick

[Jack Cook]

I remeber these planes quite well. They wern't at NAS Pensacola mainside but a outlying field. For the life of me I can't remember which one (not Bloody Barin). But in 1975 my step-dad was the flight surgeon for VT-2 at Whiting North. One of his pilots had seen them on a flight so we and 4-5 pilots took a day and went to look at them. They were in a compound fenced off. the wings were off but with center sections still attached. They were lined up in rows about 20 of them. Sorry no photos just memories.

[pilot06]

This sounds like Bronson Field. Lance got them from what I have been told. There were 20 aicraft neatly disassembled.

Patrick

[Broken-Wrench]

Nas Memphis looked the same way in the mid eighties. I have the pictures but that darn I.T. person has not come over to fix my scanner!

[Jack Cook]

Yes, I believe it was Bronson. Thinking about this brings back a lot memories. I loved growing up at Whiting will all those T-28s. I naturally took advantage of friendship so many of the pilots and my step-dads position in the sqd. I hung out there a lot (my girlfriend was the VT-2 CO's (CDR Hahn) daughter). Many people don't realize the Pensacola isn't just 1 airfield there must be 8-10 that where in use at one point or another ie Sherman, Ellyson, Bronson, Barin, Whiting North and South and Saufley to name a few. At that time they had at Whiting a bailout trainer made out of a wrecked T-28. It was wingless and anchored down to the ramp. It was started and run at full power while the trainee had to perform the proper bail drill. I wonder what ever happened to it when they phased out the 28s for T-34Cs. I wonder if it ended up at the Museum at P-Cola?
It would be a hell of a money maker at airshows!!!

[RobC]

Weren't these airplanes used in the film, "Swing Shift"? This otherwise forgettable film staring Goldie Hawn, had some very memorable scenes of an entire production line of T-6's painted up like SBD's. A number of these airplanes were floating around SoCal for years afterwards. The problem was, they were just shot full of corrosion. This was probably mid-'80s.

RobC

[HarvardIV]

I'm wondering if Bela Havasreti's SNJ came from this bunch?

[stumac]

Speaking of those T-6's that were done up as SBD's for hollywood. About two years ago a friend of mine from Indiana asked me to go inspect a T-6 in Ramona, CA that he was potentially going to buy. The airplane looked complete from fifty feet away however when you got up close to it there was nothing there but a shell. Very little fittings, no seats, no cables/pulleys, no hydraulic components or lines, nothing in the cockpit not even rudder pedals, Only a siezed up power section of an engine(no blower/accessorie section) and on and on (you get the idea). It was a pretty interesting trip the guy who owns (or did) was a real interesting guy. He owned a large ranch in the Ramona hills and the airplane was completly assembled on this ranch in the middle of nowhere (right at the edge of a cliff). It was a bizzare sight to be driving through these hills and have this slug appear out of nowhere (totally out of place). I was told by the owner that this was one of those T-6's that was done up as an SBD. The thing was really chopped up for the movies and had some cosmetic sheet metal parts pop rivited on to make it look more complete. I do remember there was corrosion issues. I don't know if it is still sitting there or not, but it was gonna be a big job for someone. I took a bunch of pictures I will try to find them. I remember they guy (can't remeber his name) was a pretty wild guy. He was a former Air America Pilot and he had (or was buying) a Twin Beech (with the training wheel in the front) that was based at Ramona Airport. Any of the guys from the area will probably know who I am talking about and might be able to shed some light as to what happened to that airplane.

[pilot06]

Stumac,

I have heard of this Six before. Pics would be great.
Patrick

[pilot06]

Stumac,

I have heard of this Six before. Pics would be great.
Patrick

[snj-5]

Guys name was Bill Reedy (80% sure on the name). I looked at
that "airplane" + a pile of parts he had years ago. There were two
more disassembled T-6s in that shack/outbuilding right where the T-6
was/is parked. I don't know if any of it is still there.

And yes, this stuff all came from the movie Swing Shift, and yes,
much of it is soda-crackers corrosion-wise. Before the stuff went
to California for the movie, it was all part of the Sam Goldman
collection back east.

At least 2 or 3 of them have been built up as static displays
at various locations (the Western Museum of Flight's XAT6-E
replica is one of them).

Bela P. Havasreti

Speaking of those T-6's that were done up as SBD's for hollywood. About two years ago a friend of mine from Indiana asked me to go inspect a T-6 in Ramona, CA that he was potentially going to buy. The airplane looked complete from fifty feet away however when you got up close to it there was nothing there but a shell. Very little fittings, no seats, no cables/pulleys, no hydraulic components or lines, nothing in the cockpit not even rudder pedals, Only a siezed up power section of an engine(no blower/accessorie section) and on and on (you get the idea). It was a pretty interesting trip the guy who owns (or did) was a real interesting guy. He owned a large ranch in the Ramona hills and the airplane was completly assembled on this ranch in the middle of nowhere (right at the edge of a cliff). It was a bizzare sight to be driving through these hills and have this slug appear out of nowhere (totally out of place). I was told by the owner that this was one of those T-6's that was done up as an SBD. The thing was really chopped up for the movies and had some cosmetic sheet metal parts pop rivited on to make it look more complete. I do remember there was corrosion issues. I don't know if it is still sitting there or not, but it was gonna be a big job for someone. I took a bunch of pictures I will try to find them. I remember they guy (can't remeber his name) was a pretty wild guy. He was a former Air America Pilot and he had (or was buying) a Twin Beech (with the training wheel in the front) that was based at Ramona Airport. Any of the guys from the area will probably know who I am talking about and might be able to shed some light as to what happened to that airplane.

[stumac]

You are correct his name was Bill Reedy (I couldn't remember). He is a pretty neat guy. He had some pretty interesting pictures he showed me. One in particular was a picture of him flying the Bacon Super T-6. Does anyone know the fate of this airplane and the story behind it? I actually do (sort a). consider it a test

[snj-5]

One of the latest warbird rags (Warbirds International, or maybe
the EAA Warbirds of America rag) has a picture of the Bacon
T-6 on the back cover. The tires are flat, and the captions says
something about it being parked there for years (forget what
airport right now, but I want to say Salinas).

Thank goodnes it didn't catch on.... A T-6 with a nosewheel...
What'll they come up with next?

Bela P. Havasreti