Warbirds in Civies - Post your finds

[Keith Gaff]

This kind of qualifies as a warbird in civvies. This Hawker Sea Fury was used by the Australian Commonwealth Building Establishment in the 1960's as a wind making machine. It was used to test the effects of wind gusts on plate glass window panels. The aircraft was eventually acquired by Harold Thomas for his Camden Museum of Aviation and remains there today.

[Keith Gaff]

CAC Mustang VH-BOY while in service with Chieftan Flying Services on target towing duties. The target towing winch can be seen protruding from the fuselage just behind the trailing edge of the wing.



Mustang VH-BOZ in Illawarra Flying School markings early in its target towing career. When on target towing operations the aircraft was fitted with a highly modified canopy to accommodate the winch operator behind the pilot.

[JohnB]

Say what you will, but I rather like Mustangs in civil markings.

[Tiger Tim]

How about a Thruxton Jackaroo, England's equivalent to the On Mark Marketeer:

Alright, so it's made from a Tiger Moth instead of an Invader but the idea is essentially the same: take a useful, cheap and abundant plane and make it fit more people. To make a Jackaroo from a Tiger Moth the fuselage was widened and lengthened (using only bolt-in parts) so that it would seat four. I've heard that someone who knew what they were doing could do the conversion in a day but I'm a little skeptical on that one...

...And just in case anyone thinks a proper warbird is an airplane that was once armed, the particular 'Roo was converted from one of the Moths originally destined for Operation Banquet.

-Tim

[Tulio]

A few more from my collection.

I don't know if the Sikorsky was originally a military helo, or if it was one of the civilian versions.

Saludos,


Tulio

Attachments

[Tulio]

Three more.

Attachments

[Tulio]

And the last three for now.

Saludos.


Tulio

Attachments

[C VEICH]

Beautiful blue Mig-17 Tulio, thanks for the picture. I had not seen that one before but I like it! Where is it today if anybody knows?

[phil65]

Beautiful blue Mig-17 Tulio, thanks for the picture. I had not seen that one before but I like it! Where is it today if anybody knows?

If you like MIG 17’s there is one for sale here in Conn. Via Barnstormers, some photos there too.

MIG 17F • $26,900 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • Hangered, assembled, clean, original, N registered, not cert. pics soon. Not a toy, real deal. No scammers • Contact Drew Brown - IAS. INC., End User - located Danbury, CT USA • Telephone: 2033000940 . • Posted March 13, 2012

Phil

[Tulio]

Beautiful blue Mig-17 Tulio, thanks for the picture. I had not seen that one before but I like it! Where is it today if anybody knows?

Hi, Chad!

I believe that this was the same MiG-17 that I had seen around 2005 [cannot remember exactly] at the Mt. Carmel, IN airshow. The photo above, shows this aircraft as it appeared at the James Jabara Airport in Wichita, in 2007. [Sorry, the photo year i.d. is a typo]

Saludos,


Tulio

[phil65]

Beautiful blue Mig-17 Tulio, thanks for the picture. I had not seen that one before but I like it! Where is it today if anybody knows?

If you like MIG 17’s there is one for sale here in Conn. Via Barnstormers, some photos there too.

MIG 17F • $26,900 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • Hangered, assembled, clean, original, N registered, not cert. pics soon. Not a toy, real deal. No scammers • Contact Drew Brown - IAS. INC., End User - located Danbury, CT USA • Telephone: 2033000940 . • Posted March 13, 2012

Phil

SOLD WITHIN ONE WEEK!! THANKS TO BARNSTORMERS

[mlenoch]

The blue Mig17 was restored by David Burdine, former Top Gun commander. ( in my opinion, the best Mig 17 demo that I had ever seen. His profile was largely flown without burner. Full akro demo kept constantly in front of the crowd. Also akro flown with drop tanks. Very dynamic and vertical show profile. Sad to lose his extreme talent in a crash.)
VL
Ps: former Polish AF Mig 17.

[C VEICH]

Thanks Tulio and Vlado for the additional info. I did some "googling" after I posted my question and found the information regarding the Mig and the late Mr. Burdine. I did not find anything regarding the disposition of the aircraft after the death of owner David Burdine however. The airplane is absolutely gorgeous. Makes me want to build a model just to duplicate the paint job! Hopefully the airplane is still around and still in the same scheme.

[BadHorse]

Cool shots, I wonder where the engine was out of NX1204?
Chris...

...not too far away..

...by 19xx NX1204 was reassembled and placed level on jacks with the gear up in front of Paul Mantz' "Flightarama" museum...

...shown here in June, 1961 after "Flightarama" closed...

...and awaiting construction of the "Movieland of the Air" building after Frank Tallman joined forces with Mantz...

You know, seeing NX-1204 and the SNA photos in the post bring back more memories than you can imagine! back in the 60's when i was a kid i lived about a mile away from OC airport, and would go to Frank Tallman's place every day after school. it got to the point real quick where Frank gave my a job emptying trash cans and dusting airplanes so i could hang out. by the time i was 13 i was flying with Frank, and he helped my get my pilots license.
i spent more hours sitting in nx-1204 flying imaginary missions than most p51 pilots did actual. dont get me wrong i love that nx1204 still exists, and has been restored to flight status. but that ego maniac kermit weeks took a plane with ZERO war history, and one that actually had a great race history and ruined it! Race 46 needs to be all red again!

p.s. i just sent my 80 year old mom hunting for pics to scan of when i was playing in these aircraft

[airnutz]

Good first post, welcome to WIX! Good luck to your mom!