Warbird Information Exchange

Pardon the interruption...but...did I read in this thread correctly that the NMUSAF is also going to get Flak Bait? That would be splendid and even moreso if they put her on display (complete) as the fuselage is now at NASM. Surely the NMUSAF big bananas would NOT re-store her and display her "as-is".

You are gonna love this mustangdriver, but I agree with you 100% in that I would like to see Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby flown to NASM and then put on display to NEVER FLY AGAIN. With her combat history, she is far too rare a plane to risk much more than a last time ferry flight.

Anyone have the dope on what the NASM is actually going to do with their "other" B-17G firebomber? Are they still trying to decide or are they gonna have a meeting to decide when they will have their next meeting like most government agencies [/b]

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Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

I knew it was a matter of time before we agreed on sometihng! Ha HA

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Something about old age and treachery...got both going on my end

Do you have anything further on Flak Bait stangdriver? Are you guys gonna get it and if so any rumors as to whether or not it will be displayed in it's war-weary colors it wears now? Hearing any rumors or seeing anything done to Shoo Shoo Shoo to lead you to believe they are gonna fly her or ship her? Gawd, I sound like a little puppy pulling on someone's pantsleg...gotta go, gotta go, gotta go...NOW!

_________________
Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

I have heard nothing on this at all outside of shop rumors. I do know that if Flackbait were to come to the museum, the only restoration that would be carried out would be restoration the takecare of damage to the airframe that was sufferes aat the hands of the NASM, not any of it's WWII era weathering. There are a few aircraft in the collection that have recieved the same treatment. Non on the same level of Flack Bait's weathering, but I am sure that the museum would do it justice.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Very good to hear that if they get Flak Bait, they will leave her war-weary shell alone!!! Sorry, but for the life of me, I cannot recall any other aircraft on display at the NMUSAF that look war-weary other than the one B-50 (?) that was just pulled inside recently.

_________________
Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

There are a few of the aircraft that still have the gun stains on them from their service time, or are not restored to mint, but preserved in the condition they were retired in.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Like Darrell, I would be interested if you could name examples.

August

A couple of others that come to mind (besides the WB-50) are the F-4G, EF-111 and KC-97. IMHO, the WB-50 is one of the most impressive aircraft in the collection becuase of this reason. A true time capsule!

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Matt

So basically stuff that was retired to the collection in the post Vietnam era. Nothing remotely like Flak Bait.

August

In the old days before the new buildings there was no room for anything new to go inside. Also they got aircraft that had been outside and retired for many years. When the F-4s were retired after Desert Storm they went to Wright Pat and straight inside. No need to repaint, or repair, only drain the fluids, dearm the seats and whatever longterm internal preservation action was required. Instant display aircraft, if only the same thing could have been done in the 50s,60,70, and in the case of Air and Space even into the 80s. ( Carol Jean comes to mind ) Just think what might have been.

Yeah, most of the WWII stuff has been restored. Most of what we got, not all, was recieved in pretty rough or incomplete shape. I hope that we trade them B-26's. Also the F-86 and P-80 still have the gun stains on the metal around the guns.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

I believe the NASM P-38 at Udvar-Hazy has it's original paint and wear... though I think it was used post-war for testing as well.

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

Ryan, I was thinking of the stuff they got post war that was put into the wood and tar paper crates for 20+ years. If they would have had a place to put that stuff indoors at the time then more of the aircraft would have been in the same relative condition as the P-38, P-61, ME-163 etc. A lot less " restoration (read reconstruction )" would have been required.

A sight to be repeated?

http://www.cybermodeler.net/aircraft/b- ... -07560.jpg

Absolutely love the P-38 at Udvar-Hazy also Ryan! Just has so much character and charisma. Actually, the Concorde is pretty cool to walk around/under and see the stains left on it...stuff like that looks so real.

I thought the same thing looking at the WB-50 there at the NMUSAF in that it looks as though it served it's purpose well. If the NMUSAF does just do some minor things to put Flak Bait on display, I for one will make the bazillion mile drive to see her in person, back in one piece.

Hanging on Baited breath...

_________________
Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.