Warbird Information Exchange

Excellent progress!!!! Can't wait for another update! Any chance any t-shirts are still available?

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Civis Aerius Sum

I am a citizen of the Air

GREAT NEWS!!!

It looks like the P-63 is just DAYS away from a first flight!! Waiting on a fuel quantity indicator. Plane Captain Mike was taking care of a few small items under the belly this weekend. Only the engine side panels are still off, which go on quickly. I suppose that's for the final leak check on the last check before flight.

The P-39 is still having the new left wing leading edge skin fitted and shaped. It's literally an on again off again process! Most of this needs the attention of the Cobra Den's maintenance officer, Ray Clausen, who has unfortunately been spending a lot of time on the road between San Marcos and Georgetown, changing the engine on the B-25 Yellow Rose. (Which could be completed and her back in the Cobra Den hangar very soon!)

Yes, the Cobra Den T-shirts are available. They are a regularly stocked item in the CenTex Wing PX. We carried some over to Hondo in the U-11A and sold them, along with Yellow Rose, and Save the Rose (engine replacement fund raiser) shirts.

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Mike

A story ain't no good without pictures!!!

I know Lynn, I know! But for one, I can't find my camera! For the other, a new picture of the P-39 wouldn't be much different than the last one posted. A photo of the P-63 would look like any other photo of the P-63, just with engine panels off.

The next photo of the King Cobra posted will probably be taken from a chase plane! I'm sure Mike's big smile will fill the door window.

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Mike

Oh, and Mike told me he is working on getting invites for the P-63 and P-39 to Wings Over Houston. They have both been booked for the Randolph AFB show on 29-30 OCT 11 as well. And, of course, they should be at Midland for the CAF Airsho '11 too!

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Mike

How 'bout Oshkosh?

I don't think either will be making Oshkosh this year. Once the planes are flying, they will most likely stay fairly close to home until they get a few hours on them. I can't speak for the P-63, but I would think they would want a few hours on the engine before going on a long cross country. The P-39's engine is fine, and could make it no problem, but I don't think the repairs will be completed in time. Then there is always the money problem. It will cost a lot of money to get the P-39 to Oshkosh, and it can't recover any money by selling rides. Now if someone would like to sponsor the trip sometime in the future...

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Mike

I had not seen this thread until today, I did a search after seeing a photo of the P-63F in the latest issue of WARBIRDS. Any updates on when she'll fly or what the paint scheme will be? I love the photo from the National Archives posted a few pages back, it's always great to see a paint scheme that remains true to the airframe.


Chappie

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Brrring. Dispersal? TWO SECTIONS SCRAMBLE!!

I was down at the hanger a few days ago and got some shots. Also, I believe it was Ray i spoke to? Anyways, he said they are close to the first flight of the P-63. Hopefully that is true and we will get a heads up on here! I will make the drive down for sure!

It's looking really good. I have a couple of questions:
1) How hard will it be to keep the P-63 flying and maintaining an airshow/ revenue schedule? I know it has a reliable Allison engine. Are spare parts non-existent? Is this bird a low time airframe?
2) Can't remember ever seeing an actual P-63 in polished NMF. Were these originally bare metal when leaving factory?
3) Is there a snowball's chance that this P-63 could someday have polished metal fuselage and painted wings, aka P-51 appearance ?
Thanks

Thanks for posting the photo! Perhaps Ray will be able to post more info about the P-63F as I don't know some of the answers to the questions asked, like is it a low-time airframe. I guess it would depend on what you consider low-time to start with. I don't think the airframe hours make that much difference anyway, especially with the plane basically having gone through an IRAN at the Cobra Den. The engine is in great shape, but there are spare parts around still. It shouldn't be hard to keep flying, or maintaining an airshow schedule, but with money getting tight, all warbirds are finding it a little difficult to support themselves these days. Everyone wants planes at their airshow, but nobody wants to even cover the expenses it seems.

My understanding is they are chasing some errant electrons right now, and getting close to getting them all flowing the way they are supposed to. That's about all that is standing between her being in the hangar and being in the air as far as I know.

I don't know if this one was natural metal when she came out of the factory, but I was told that the markings were researched and are just like they were when she rolled out of the Bell hangar. The big X on the nose was added at a later time. I don't think the sponsors plan to change the paint or markings...but may soon have her repainted the same way. Polishing takes a lot of work to keep it pretty, and everyone's elbows are getting old.

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Mike

Mike, how about some t-shirts for the P-39 and the P-63 like the Rose engine fund? Something like get' em back in the air type??

That would be the Cobra Den T-shirts, which are now a stocked item in our PX.

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Mike

you are certainly welcome. here is another trio from that day

and here are a few of the P-39 which is still getting put back together after running off the end of the runway last summer. remember, these pics are about 2 weeks old