Warbird Information Exchange

P-82 and L-15 are both owned by James P. Harker.

Hi Mike... The XF-82 fuselage is in exactly the same location as it was when I saw her back in '96/'97. There is the fuselage of a very battered P-63 inside the B-36 fuselage... perhaps this is the fuselage you were thinking of.

Cheers,
Richard

To Richard or Tom:

Of the Soplata collection, I'm curious what the best warbird is which is still there in a restorable condition?

i'm assuming you mean static restoration. i'd say the sabre dog, fg1 corsair & avenger

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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!!

most interesting & exciting static restoration would be the f7u cutlass!!

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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!!

There are tons of great airframes for restoration there...the Corsair, a B-25, a couple T-6s and BT-13s. Naturally, they're suffering from exposure, but I'm certain there will be a number of flyable restorations out after the collection is eventually sold off.

Re the airframes still at Walt's...

From an economic standpoint, the obvious pick-of-the-litter is the quite complete FG-1D, former NARB Akron gate guard/recruiting tool. I have no doubt at all that someday we'll see her on the circuit.

Other logical projects are the TB-25N and the SNJ, along with the TBM-3 and maybe one or both of the T-28s or the A-26; the AT-11 might be viable too given the commonality with the C-45 series. The XAD-1 would be a "maybe". And Tom, I agree entirely about the F7U: it would be splendid to see that restored and on display. Several other terrific static projects could come out of there--F-86L, F-84F, P-63...and several of the cockpit sections, too.

Incidentally, the TBM still has her bomb doors (or at least did in the last photos I saw--though the engine was missing by then). I'd bet someone will go after that aircraft when it becomes available...for the bomb doors alone.

The XP-82 is just one fuselage (the port one IIRC); strangely the cowl bore the faint outline of the name "Betty Jo" etched in the aluminum, in the same style as Dayton's F-82B (which was the real "Betty Jo"). I would never have seen that had Walt not pointed it out to me. At that time both the XP-82 fuselage and the really-rough P-63 fuselage were stuffed into the centre fuselage of the YB-36. I gather they're still there after 21 years.

Cheers

S.

my next trip their i'm gonna do an exploratory up the b-36 with a big rubber glove!!! i'm involved in walt's wanting to donate his howard aircraft to their association, sucko ohio weather pemitting were gonna move her to some un abstructed space on the property for evaluation for future donation. regards, tom

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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!!

Anyone know where the TB-25N came from?

If you look up the Soplata list in the downloads section...

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... oplata.xls

...you will find the TB-25N listed along with a condensed history.

This isn't the latest Soplata list. I have sent an update to Scott for inclusion in the downloads section. We should be seeing it soon. The latest version has a third B-25 that has been associated with Mr. Soplata.

If anyone has any details to add to the list including dates when airframes were first spotted and when airframes were last spotted / removed, then let me know. TIA

Regards,

Mike

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Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

Thanks Mike!

i'll add a wrinkle..... i feel the MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT WOULD BE THE X PROTOTYPE SKYRAIDER!!! the b-36 would be cool to, but that's a pipe dream at best, as most of the magnesium is near toast status. regards, tom

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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!!

Paul,

Where are you located in MN?

Hi All,

I saw the photos that were published in Warbird Digest. Looks that this aircraft will be an outstanding restoration when complete. The attention to detail is fantastic. I am hoping to possibly see it in person as the restoration work is being done only about 45 miles away from where I live.