properly displayed WWII airctaft on poles!

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:58 am

RyanShort1 wrote:

Here's one I wish I could've saved...

Ryan

Where was this picture taken?

Mike

Jesse C. · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:57 am

mrhenniger wrote:

RyanShort1 wrote:

Here's one I wish I could've saved...

Ryan

Where was this picture taken?

Mike

If I remember correctly, it was at Clark in the Phillipines. The base commander ordered it scrapped.

Anyone else have a better recollection?

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:10 am

Clark Field is right. Original caption said: "Thirteenth Air Force officers at Clark Field were stumped only momentarily when it came to providing an ornament for the field in keeping with the Air Corps. They just mounted a captured Japanese plane on a ten foot beam.

Ryan

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2008 12:19 pm

That's F4U-5NL, BuNo.124541. It was exported from Argentina to France in 1994 and restored as an "F4U-7". It currently flies with Les Ailes de l'Aéro.

I was just talking with John Kerr about how odd it was that they elected to restore the plane as "133704", since the real BuNo.133704 still survives today. It's the same plane previously displayed at the USS Alabama. Regardless, the folks in France have done a wonderful, albeit intriguing job of reincarnating the plane as an F4U-7. I heard recently that it was being offered for sale.

lestweforget · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:17 pm

I have often wondered about the amount of WW2 aircraft sitting outside or on poles in the US. Is the P-38 still mounted at McGuire AFB , or the P-38 outside at Elmendorf AK? Is there still a Hellcat mounted as a wind vane at Andrews ? There are also several B-17's and a couple of B-24's , B-29's (what is happening with Doc by the way?) still out in the elements. I understand that places like Pima have a good environment for displaying aircraft outside , but for a lot of the rest surely a replica would be better employed than an irreplacable ,and rare ,piece of history. The RAF replaced their Spitfire gate guardians years ago. When the IWM got the B-24 from Lackland , it was replaced with a fibreglass replica ,obviously not as good, but surely ok for outside display. I am not getting at any organisation for the way they preserve their aircraft, it has nothing to do with me, but I only hope irreparable damage is not done to these aircraft.

PS Jerry, how is that Corsair coming along?

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:07 pm

lestweforget wrote:

I have often wondered about the amount of WW2 aircraft sitting outside or on poles in the US. Is the P-38 still mounted at McGuire AFB
Yes, it is still outside on a stick http://wikimapia.org/#lat=40.0353653&lo ... 20AFB%2CNJ

or the P-38 outside at Elmendorf AK?

Yes, still outside
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=61.2483357&lo ... =0&m=a&v=2

Is there still a Hellcat mounted as a wind vane at Andrews ?
Yes, still swinging around
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=38.8136173&lo ... s%20afb%2C

There are also several B-17's and a couple of B-24's , B-29's (what is happening with Doc by the way?) still out in the elements. I understand that places like Pima have a good environment for displaying aircraft outside , but for a lot of the rest surely a replica would be better employed than an irreplacable ,and rare ,piece of history. The RAF replaced their Spitfire gate guardians years ago. When the IWM got the B-24 from Lackland , it was replaced with a fibreglass replica ,obviously not as good, but surely ok for outside display. I am not getting at any organisation for the way they preserve their aircraft, it has nothing to do with me, but I only hope irreparable damage is not done to these aircraft.

PS Jerry, how is that Corsair coming along?

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Rob Mears wrote:

That's F4U-5NL, BuNo.124541. It was exported from Argentina to France in 1994 and restored as an "F4U-7". It currently flies with Les Ailes de l'Aéro.

I was just talking with John Kerr about how odd it was that they elected to restore the plane as "133704", since the real BuNo.133704 still survives today. It's the same plane previously displayed at the USS Alabama. Regardless, the folks in France have done a wonderful, albeit intriguing job of reincarnating the plane as an F4U-7. I heard recently that it was being offered for sale.

Thank you.

That of course, makes my guesses erroneous.

Saludos,

Tulio

kenlyco · **Joined:** Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:05 pm **Posts:** 656

Sorry, I had to throw this one in for the kids. My days was clack clack watch someone puke your done at riverside in Mass.

NORTH CAROLINA

lestweforget · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:04 am

Perhaps I am missing something, but how much would a substantially complete and restorable P-38 or F6F be worth on the open market as opposed to the cost of a replica? Do you think most people who see these aircraft , or should I say pass by them, know or even care they are original? It's not as if they are getting up close and personal with them! They are possibly very well looked after, but being parked outside, especially in wetter and colder climates, can never be good for them. Seeing the pictures of the Corsair in Stratford says it all , especially the spar!

Michel C-GNCJ · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:32 am

Those are replicas at RAF Hendon and are not looking so bad:

Good thing too, as the English weather must be real bad on old airframes left outside...

I was told these are replicas too in West Palm Beach:

kenlyco · **Joined:** Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:05 pm **Posts:** 656

There gone the Hurricane took a bite out of them and the Rest. closed.

n5151ts · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:34 am

kenlyco wrote:

There gone the Hurricane took a bite out of them and the Rest. closed.

a few thousand and they are good as new...or give'em to me and i'll fix them up and put them back on display

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:52 pm

This is one where I actually agree with you! Whether they're restored to flying status or preserved as static displays in musuems, genuine airframes should not be left at the mercy of the elements. I've seen some very convincing fiberglas replicas that are fine for outdoor display. The CWH Hurricane is a good example. I had to get within a few feet before I realized it wasn't the real thing.

This Spit and Hurri at the RCAF Museum in Trenton make a decent display as well, and 99% of people would never know the difference.

SN

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

This is how the Hurricane looked on September 01, 2001:

Saludos,

Tulio

ALU · **Posted:** Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:45 am

This Corsair was sold to a french society. She is now airworthy but refurbished as a F4U-7 by replacing the exhaust ring, firewall and and cowlings by original parts.

As the owner told me, she was replaced by a fiberglass replica on the pole, but a big thunderstrom offered it its first and unique flight some years later. I don't know if the replica 's wreck was found and repaired after that.

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properly displayed WWII airctaft on poles!

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