Warbird Information Exchange

Not criticizing, just observing...but I've seen more than one of the restorations that Tallichet's group did which had horrible quality paint jobs on them. The B-26 is one. The P-38 that was done in the early 1990's is another. I saw an air-to-air photo of it just a couple years after it was purchased at the Museum of Flying auction and the paint was literally peeling off of it in sheets. No excuse for that.

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Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline......

the old air classic article said that aero trader had alot of squawks with the bird when the got it from marc. good comment on the paint, the color of that bird had always bothered me.

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-recovering Viper crew chief
-AWACS driver/soon-to-be A-26 driver
-displaced Philadelphian

The Tallichet group was not exactly known for putting out quality, award-winning restorations. Years ago, a friend of mine who was a P-51 owner, told me that Tallichet was getting into "hot water" with the FAA because of the quality or lack thereof of the maintenance program that he had in place for most of his collection. Supposedly Tallichet did not want to put the extra money or effort into the maintenance program and as a result starting selling off some of his collection. This is the reason that many of his warbirds ended up being sold with the prime examples being the B-26 and B-24.

Can anyone verify or add any additional information to this story that I heard?

i've heard that as well. one of the switches aero trader made on the marauder was a switch to a 24 from a 12 volt system, in light of the whole disaster waiting to happen with the marauder flat pitch on take off- thing

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-recovering Viper crew chief
-AWACS driver/soon-to-be A-26 driver
-displaced Philadelphian

David was not a fan of spending money on his planes.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

I was chatting with some guys at the Yankee Air Museum a few years ago. They said Tallichet had his B-24 parked at the museum (I think it was just a stopover.) Apparently some guys from the FAA office on the airport said were comimg over and check it out..not as "authorities," but just as airplane fans. When Tallichet got wind of it, he cranked up the Lib and got out of town post-haste. Now, this is just a "hangar tale," so make of it what you will.

SN

Before the B-24 was sold, it spent almost two years, along with the (Movie) Memphis Belle grounded by the FAA at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.
It seems they had been flying around on a Warbird Tour using ferry permits. The FAA had paid the touring aircraft a visit in Bridgeport and told him not to fly them until things were fixed.
Tallichet moved out of Bridgeport to his next stop regardless of the FAA's comments. Next stop on the tour was Bradley International Airport. I guess who ever was flying the birds and setting up the tour never realized that the Regional FSDO was at Bradley and that the display aircraft were planned to be on display on the very same ramp on which the FAA's offices were located.

Needless to say, they were immediately grounded and did not leave for almost two years.
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."