Warbird Information Exchange

Since we are on the topic MAAM aircraft. Does anybody know what the status is with the C-119. Last I heard they moved it to a hangar on the other side of the field to continue work on it. Do they intend to fly it or just display it?

I finally got around to posting a bunch of photos from the WW2 weekend. I still need to upload several more of the TBMs and the Yak-9. But here is a start.

Also included is a Photo tour of the P2V-7 they have. I think that is atlest 12 pictures. I know Wendover was asking before about the inside, So here are your pictures.

http://community.webshots.com/user/tnkcox

Just go to the Last page, its marked MAAM WW2 Weekend 2005. I can't access the page at work or I'd post the direct link, Sorry.

_________________
www.tailhookstudio.com

Hi Guys,

Thanks for posting all of the photo's you have. It looked like it was an incredible weekend for everyone concerned. Great news on the Black Widow, it has been a long haul to put her back together and it is looking really good. On the personal front, I am kinda sad about the condition of the P2V-7. I remember putting in ALOT of volunteer hours on that girl when they got it. And believe me, I can understand why it is so expensive to operate. Sad to see her outside in the snow on the downhill slide. Between that and the Mitchell was why I joined the MAAM in the first place. If I could have stayed in the area I would have loved to have been involved in the Black Widow restoration.

On a side note, I didn't know that they had a C-119. When did they get it and will that be a flyable bird with them as well ?

Thanks again for all the post's....nice to read about the MAAM's going's on when I can.

Paul

Hey Paul,
I remember my dad taking me to MAAM back in the 80's when they were still in Harrisburg. I was only about 5 or 6 at the time but very interested in aviation. I remember them having a red me-108 in very good restorable condition. Any idea where that went?

Dors,

I recall the ME-108, but only in more of a "project in work" form. As there were many "work in progress" aircraft there, I was mainly assigned to work the flyable ones for the airshows. The P2V, B-25, and R4D were the ones that were the main focal point of the aircraft that we worked at the time. There was one aircraft in particular there that I has a rather serious interest in. And that was a Fariey Firefly. It was tucked back into a corner of the hangar and not at all close to being flyable. I cannot recall the owners name, but I heard that at some point after I left Pennsylvania that the aircraft had been sold to a new owner. This would have been sometime around 1984. At the time I was a "fledgeling A&P" at the time and the owner of the Firefly asked me if I wanted the job of restoring the Firefly. I was awed by the offer, but I had to be honest with the man and declined because of lack of experiance in the job.

I often wonder whatever happened to that Firefly as it was a huge bird as I saw it tucked back there with the wings folded. If anyone knows....I'd love to hear about it.

As to the fate of the ME-108....it is a much a mystery to me as the fate of the Firefly. I apologise that I cannot answer you more fully.

Regards,

Paul

We're too poor to fly at shows.. Our interior is set up as a Museum and Tribute to the Great Berlin Airlift. At over 200GPH fuel consumption + parts, maintenance and general wear and tear, It has to be an unusually sweet proposition for us to break down our setup, stop tours, (which stops our potential income for quite a long time), crank up wait around for our window wasting precious fuel, do the flypast or two, park, shut down, and re-set up for public touring.

Most of our operating capital is raised through the walk throughs, so for us to interrupt that for such a long long time has to be for a very special occasion.

We exhibit the C-54 primarily for Educational purposes. The Berlin Airlift was so very important to World history, and it gets very little attention in the history books. Keeping that memory alive is our mission. The flying is just a small part of what we do.

If you've toured the interior of the aircraft, you can easily see what we're all about. A 4 engined transport is a very expensive bird to maintain, and we dont get the same draw that a bomber gets, so that limits what we are able to do.

I hope you enjoy seeing the plane around the country, our very small team of volunteers work very very hard to keep it going. And its getting harder and harder to do with the costs of gas, parts and insurance.

If you want to help ease the burden, get involved! We're easy. Visit our website at www.spiritoffreedom.org and help keep the C-54 going! You can also get involved with our Boeing C-97! A long term project, but nearing completion!

Great website, by the way!

Kevin Kearney
Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation
C-54 "Spirit of Freedom"
C-97 "Angel of Deliverance"

www.spiritoffreedom.org

That isn't the same P2V that used to belong to Fred Ropkeyin Indianapolis is it? If not, does anyone know whatever happened to Ropkey's?
PJ

I think one our old members was involved in that aircraft, and said it was sold to a fire bomber CO.

_________________
Michael Luther
Yankee Air Museum's
Air Show Director
THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN