Kermit Week's F6F

[bobbrunn]

Does anyone know if he intends to restore this to flying status? I sure would love to finally see one in the southeast .

[Lynn Allen]

Its been parked in the restoration hangar for some time now, but very little done to it.....

Lynn

[hang the expense]

Sure seems to be a growing number like this.I wonder if it will pick up.

[Mike Robinson]

My Father i and John Perhach rebuit it from three pieces after Dad Fred Rhea and I hauled it back from North Carolina from a boy scout camp grounds.

The engine was overhauled by American Airmotive where my Dad was a foreman and the prop was done by Bellomy Lawson Propeller Service.

It was 90% finished when it went to Kermits in trade due to my Fathers financial backer died. They had agreed when they started I believe that Dad would do all the work and retain ownership and the financial backing was paying for a place to work "Corrosion Corner which Dad would run and sublease space to support it" and his employment at the main company in exchange for the backer being able to fly it when done. Was sort of a convaluted deal. The backer died. His will was contested and his wife was trying to get money anywhere. So the Hellcat was traded for a Mallard and a new Lake Renegade whom an associate promptly smashed it into a rock quarry after taking it without permissio.

It was heart breaking seeing the Hellcat go out the gate on a flat bed.

I would like to finish it.

But I'm not going to chase around after it.

I don't even know Kermit now, and I was way younger back then so I am sure I was just a kid to him. He doesn't know my abilities and experience. And I imagine he has become disallusioned with people probably chasing him around, and I don't want to be one of those people.







.

[warbird1]

I saw it about 2 weeks ago and was able to talk to one of the docents giving the restoration area tour. He said basically that it was third in line to be restored. First is the L-1, which is almost finished, next the P-35 and then the F6F. I got the impression that it would probably be another 5 to 10 years before air was beneath her wings.