P-63 bits in Vietnam?

[John Dupre]

I was looking at this site www.frenchwings.net/iindochina courtesy of Warbirds Digest. I found myself wondering if there were any record of P-63 Kingcobras surviving in Vietnam. Not to mention Ju 52, Aichi Petes, Spitfires etc. etc. I realize having been fought over for the better part of 30 years probably not but still stranger things have survived elsewhere.

[Pogmusic]

Didn't they crash a C-123 into the fuselage of a deserted Japanese Bomber in the movie Air America?

[jet1]

they would long since been turned into pots, pans, weapons, toys etc etc etc

[robkamm]

love air america !!

[m charters]

I believe they crashed the Pilatus Porter into the fuselage of a C-123...

[mustangdriver]

I had the honor of interviewing an actual Air America veteran. The stuff with the drugs was off, but the rest of the movie was pretty much right on. Including many of the events in the film. Example, he was shot down 3 times in one day.

[L. Thompson]

To steer this thread back to the P-63's... I well remember the excitement I had when years ago the Warbirds Worldwide issue Twenty Four (Vol. 6 # 4) came out with "FIRST REPORT" , a page and a half article regarding Craig Nichols of Australia Vietnam Holdings titled "VIETNAMESE RECOVERY" where it said in part: "For many years now we have heard rumours that several aircraft in Vietnam were being recovered. Warbirds Worldwide is now pleased to report that in January '93 Craig was arranging the recovery of a number of Douglas AD Skyraiders (one and two seat versions), Bell Kingcobras and Grumman F8F Bearcats as well as a quantity of new R3350 engines and various other spares."

I'm not sure even any major P-63 parts ever came out of all of this.

[T J Johansen]

I don't think it ever did. If you look at Google Earth the cache of Skyraiders at Bien Hoa are still there. I spoke to a guy who had been to see these AD's back some years ago. He said they were mainly junk today as they had been left outside since the early 70s. Apart from the F8F Salis got out in the late 80s there has been no sign of other Vietnamese Bearcats out there. Then again there was a problem regarding importing things from Vietnam at the time, so some wolud maybe have kept it secret. However, my humble guess would be that the deal never materialized.

T J

[yankeepapa]

T J,

the bearcat (from thailand I believe) was obtained against a breguet 14 replica now in a local national museum. sold after that to SG , I believe. for your info, the Sea Fury seating at la ferté since around 10 years or more has been sold recently (ex P dague/j salis) to a european buyer.
y p
edit: thailand

Last edited by yankeepapa on Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

[warbird51]

a bunch of 3350's in cans were delivered to the States a year and a half ago. From Vietnam.

[Obergrafeter]

Ya and a few about twenty years ago (3350s) Is the statue of limitations up? Has anyone looked for the "lesser" warbirds? There were Storchs' (Crickets), and other L- types. Seems everyone is looking for the Big Iron and the Little Iron just sits behind the barn rotting.