Make room for the P-61

[Steve Nelson]

What a great job by the MAAM folks in getting this rare beast back on her feet, um, er, wheels! I want to see pics! I too had a model of the 61 way back when! Gloss Black! Wicked looking.

That leads me to wonder..what markings will she carry once she's finished? Being a B-model, gloss black is about the only (and coolest) option, but what about other markings? I assume she'll carry her original serial number, but I don't know if she had any personal markings or nose art during her service or not.

SN

[Iclo]

Justin Taylan organises trecks to remote crash sites, no ?
It's position on warbird salvage is simply to protect his business I suppose ?

[mustangdriver]

If they decide to do nose art, I hope they do the Lady in the Dark.

[Chappie]

I cannot recall the whole history of this P-61, but didn't crash onto the mountain while taking off on a combat sortie in 1944? If it is a combat verteran then it should be repainted in the markings it was in when it crashed, that is a no-brainer in my book.


Chappie

[richkolasa]

My friend Dennis and I were out at MAAM two weeks ago. While the work is FIRST RATE and coming along nicely, I'd caution people against getting all excited about a first flight date. They are a LONG way away. Below are a series of images, but left to be done:
Outer wing panels (not touched), engines (only 1 acquired so far, total rebuilds of both will be needed once second is acquired), wiring, plumbing, gear doors. I'd say probably 4 years is a reasonable assessment (I hope I'm really wrong, as I can't wait to see her fly). I'll have to check with Dennis about markings, I believe he was talking about them a lot while I was shooting. It will be gloss black, I know that (all were painted gloss). Oh, as you can see, the workmanship is super, but the rear glass has to be redone, as it came out too narrow. Oops.
























Rich

[andyman64]

does MAAM have the upper turret for the black widow and if so will they be installing it i know that some of the "b" models came without the turret because of buffetting problems when turned sideways but they sure looked cool with the turret installed

[Dan K]

Personally, I'm rather partial to the olive drab examples. But I'm not THAT fussy.










I had no idea MAAM was still searching for a motor. Does anyone know for certain for which dash number they are searching? Any need for props as well? Might as well put the WIX Scrounger Nation to work.

[Jungle Rose]

Iclo

Post subject: Re: Make room for the P-61Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:39 am
Wing Commander

Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:20 am
Posts: 228
Location: Belgium Justin Taylan organises trecks to remote crash sites, no ?
It's position on warbird salvage is simply to protect his business I suppose ?

_________________


ICLO - no he doesnt run tours to jungle crash sites. Its a con. He took a bunch of fisherman out for the day from a nearby fishing lodge which was owned by a friend of his to see the Swamp Ghost. They were not genuine aeroplane type tourists nor could they get there without a massive amount of preperation. The whole thing was put up as part of his campaign to stop the Swamp Ghost leaving.

He makes money from DVD and photo sales.

What he doesnt tell you is that the villagers and the landowners never got paid nor have they ever seen a copy of the DVD's he has made about the Ghost. They landowners turned "white" with rage when they learned that he was making thousands of dollars out of his commercial activities and not giving the landowners anything.

Its time for people to wake up to what Tyalan is, a commercial operation.

[richkolasa]

does MAAM have the upper turret for the black widow and if so will they be installing it i know that some of the "b" models came without the turret because of buffetting problems when turned sideways but they sure looked cool with the turret installed

I'm 95% positive this particular example did not have the turret. Not sure if they're restoring it "as was".

Rich

[mustangdriver]

The first 200 of the 450 B models did not have a turret. The rest did. The MAAM example is #232. So it had a turret. They could have removed it in combat, but not sure. I do know that they have a turret now as the NMUSAF made it. When the NMUSAF was looking to make one for the C model, they made a deal to use their old one as a model to make the mold, and in exchange they would also make the MAAM a new one. When it crashed it was on a training flight. I do hope that it keeps it's real scheme I was jsut saying that if they decided to go with nose art, that I like that aircraft.

[Steve Nelson]

If the MAAM needs to have a new plexiglass "cap" made for the rear compartment, I wonder if they could pool resources with the NMUSAF. The NMUSAF P-61 has a rather crude mockup that's much too short and blunt.

SN

[APG85]

This plane is GORGEOUS...

[bdk]

If the MAAM needs to have a new plexiglass "cap" made for the rear compartment, I wonder if they could pool resources with the NMUSAF. The NMUSAF P-61 has a rather crude mockup that's much too short and blunt.

I'm sure the Chinese would be willing to make them some out of galvanized steel sheet...

[the330thbg]

F-N BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

[krlang]

Hmmm,
I dont think I want to see it outside yet. It is not a good track record for weather on their big weekend.

All of you people who dont want me to "Jinx" the weather, look at the water lines on your stuff from years past.

See you there!