Playground Aircraft

[Keith Gaff]

When I put up the thread on Beaufighters a suggestions was made that there should be a thread on aircraft in playgrounds so i thought I would kick it off with some more photographs taken at the Lord mayors Childrens Camp at Portsea.



This is the same Beaufighter (A8-328) featured in my previous thread. The photo was taken in 1962 just before it was recovered by the Australian Aircraft Restoration Group. As can be seen the aircraft has suffered from its years of exposure to the elements and the gentle attention of children. This was the second beaufighter at Portsea. Little is known of the first aircraft and I have yet to locate any photo's of it.




DeHavilland Vampire A79-422 replaced Beaufighter A8-328 at Portsea. This aircraft also came into the possession of the Australian Aircraft Restoration Group who restored the aircraft at Moorabbin. In 1972 it was swapped off the the Blacktown Squadron of the New South Wales Air league for a Fairey Firefly. The aircraft was all but destroyed when it was struck by an out of control car that careened into the Air Leagues compound. Note the old Melbourne W Class Tram in the background.



The last aircraft at Portsea was an English Electric Canberra T4 which was located at the camp to replace the Vampire. In the early 1970's it was removed from the camp and sent to a scrap metal merchant. Apart from these aircraft there was also a CAC Boomerang at Portsea. No known photo's of that aircraft exist. There was also a Bren Gun Carrier and a Sherman tank there in the early 1960's. The fate of these vehicles is unrecorded.

[CDF]

There was also a Bren Gun Carrier and a Sherman tank there in the early 1960's. The fate of these vehicles is unrecorded.

I think you'l find that Sherman was at Officer Cadet School (OCS) at Portsea (actually a composite hull M4) it went to RAAC Puckapunyal in 1986

[bfowlernj]

F-86D in a playground in Monroe, NY - this was taken around the year 2000 and I'm not sure if it's still there...

[gary1954]

absolutely L O V E that rocket pod that would be a keeper

[SaxMan]

Wish I had pics, but through the late 1970s there was a YF7U in Wheaton Regional Park in Wheaton, Maryland and an FJ-1 Fury at Cabin John Regional Park in Potomac, Maryland. Sadly, both were cut up and scrapped. When I started volunteering with the police department that patrols the regional parks, I kept hoping that the planes would turn up in tucked away in the back of one of the maintenance yards, but I've been assured that they are long gone.

I have very fond memories of my nursery school: Firehouse Nursery School in Wantagh, NY. In front, they had a genuine fire truck...probably 1930s or 40s era, and on the side, they had a 1957 Chevrolet Station Wagon. To a 4 or 5 year old, those were the best pieces of playground equipment ever! Too bad that we probably won't see playgrounds of "real" items ever again.

[Jerry O'Neill]

F-86D in a playground in Monroe, NY - this was taken around the year 2000 and I'm not sure if it's still there...

It was still there just a few years ago. It was moved back to the fence for some work in the park and I believe there is a plan to get it some very needed TLC. It use to have a ladder up to the cockpit (which is filled with concrete!) and a slide down the opposite side. My brother lives in Monroe so when I'm there I stop by to check on it.
Jerry

[Noha307]

I have 2 aircraft for you:

The first one is F-86H, 53-1528 that was on the Lunken Airport playfield in Cincinnati. I want to start out by apologizing up front. I actually remember playing in this airframe when I was young - so I'm sorry for any damage I caused. (BTW, I do mean in, the cockpit was open.)

Now back to business. This airframe sat in a children's playground for many years before being removed to a set of hangars on the other side of Lunken Airport. As of 09/09/12 the airframe was no longer sitting next to the aforementioned hangars. IIRC, I was told that the airframe went to an AFB down south to be used as a parts source for another F-86 restoration. I was told which base it was sent to, I just don't remember the name. A quick search of F-86 survivors informed me that Robins AFB in Georgia has an F-86H in its collection and the name and state sound right, so my best guess it that it was sent there. I just wish the TSWM could have acquired it and stuck it on the front lawn as a draw for visitors.

A Previous Thread about the Airframe on WIX: F-86H 53-1528 at Lunken Airport?
Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society's Page on the Airframe: F-86H 53-1528


The F-86 as it sat between the hangars after being removed from the playground.


The second one is a T-33 painted as 0-16754 in a park w/ play equipment in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I have stopped to take a look at it on two occasions, both while visiting a family member at a place literally just down the road. The first time I was there in July 2010, the airframe looked as it does in the picture above. The second time in March 2011, well... ...the canopy had been broken. Yes, it is broken in the picture above, but I mean it has been further broken. It is now missing a large piece in the largest section of the canopy. This is a much larger problem than the missing section in the pictures below. Now the cockpit is exposed in much larger part to the elements because precipitation can now enter directly from above. In addition, the hole is large enough that a person can enter the cockpit. I did so (Man! You can't keep me out of these things! You think I would have learned. ) and aside from taking a 2 pictures of data plates with my phone, moved the control stick. When I did so, I noted that it was still attached to something in the aircraft behind me, although I don't know what. One of the photos of the data plates is too blurry to make out, but the other one reads:

DRAWING NO. 177188 B
CONTRACT NO. AF33-038-14806
DATE OF MFR. 11 - 30 - 51
OIL CAPACITY .9 GAL
LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT CORP.

I have no idea what the data plate is for. The numbers are all stamped, but the letters in the words are unpainted and instead outlined from black paint.


In this picture you can see the playground equipment above and partially hidden behind the aircraft's nose. The canopy has since been broken further, this time on the largest section where a large piece is now missing. Note the M4 Sherman tank over the aircraft's left wing. A plaque on the side of the tank indicates it was dedicated "TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY WHO ANSWERED THEIR COUNTRY'S CALL" on "NOVEMBER 11, 1958". Some of the view slits on the front hull of it were broken when I was there as well, and there was garbage inside it. No respect...

By the way, the website "Warbirds and Airshows" gate guards section, which I found in the process of writing this post, seems like a good place to start if you want to find more playground planes.

[gale_dono]

I have 2 aircraft for you:

The first one is F-86H, 53-1528 that was on the Lunken Airport playfield in Cincinnati. I want to start out by apologizing up front. I actually remember playing in this airframe when I was young - so I'm sorry for any damage I caused. (BTW, I do mean in, the cockpit was open.)

Now back to business. This airframe sat in a children's playground for many years before being removed to a set of hangars on the other side of Lunken Airport. As of 09/09/12 the airframe was no longer sitting next to the aforementioned hangars. IIRC, I was told that the airframe went to an AFB down south to be used as a parts source for another F-86 restoration. I was told which base it was sent to, I just don't remember the name. A quick search of F-86 survivors informed me that Robins AFB in Georgia has an F-86H in its collection and the name and state sound right, so my best guess it that it was sent there. I just wish the TSWM could have acquired it and stuck it on the front lawn as a draw for visitors.

A Previous Thread about the Airframe on WIX: F-86H 53-1528 at Lunken Airport?
Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society's Page on the Airframe: F-86H 53-1528


The F-86 as it sat between the hangars after being removed from the playground.


The second one is a T-33 painted as 0-16754 in a park w/ play equipment in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I have stopped to take a look at it on two occasions, both while visiting a family member at a place literally just down the road. The first time I was there in July 2010, the airframe looked as it does in the picture above. The second time in March 2011, well... ...the canopy had been broken. Yes, it is broken in the picture above, but I mean it has been further broken. It is now missing a large piece in the largest section of the canopy. This is a much larger problem than the missing section in the pictures below. Now the cockpit is exposed in much larger part to the elements because precipitation can now enter directly from above. In addition, the hole is large enough that a person can enter the cockpit. I did so (Man! You can't keep me out of these things! You think I would have learned. ) and aside from taking a 2 pictures of data plates with my phone, moved the control stick. When I did so, I noted that it was still attached to something in the aircraft behind me, although I don't know what. One of the photos of the data plates is too blurry to make out, but the other one reads:

DRAWING NO. 177188 B
CONTRACT NO. AF33-038-14806
DATE OF MFR. 11 - 30 - 51
OIL CAPACITY .9 GAL
LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT CORP.

I have no idea what the data plate is for. The numbers are all stamped, but the letters in the words are unpainted and instead outlined from black paint.


In this picture you can see the playground equipment above and partially hidden behind the aircraft's nose. The canopy has since been broken further, this time on the largest section where a large piece is now missing. Note the M4 Sherman tank over the aircraft's left wing. A plaque on the side of the tank indicates it was dedicated "TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY WHO ANSWERED THEIR COUNTRY'S CALL" on "NOVEMBER 11, 1958". Some of the view slits on the front hull of it were broken when I was there as well, and there was garbage inside it. No respect...

By the way, the website "Warbirds and Airshows" gate guards section, which I found in the process of writing this post, seems like a good place to start if you want to find more playground planes.

Ah, old 31528. How I wish I could have saved you, the last Sabre Hog to roll off the line at NAA Columbus. Would 'twere...

[Chris Brame]

Posted back in '07, 52-3784 at Palm View Park in West Covina, CA:

[gary1954]

I have very fond memories of my nursery school: Firehouse Nursery School in Wantagh, NY. In front, they had a genuine fire truck...probably 1930s or 40s era, and on the side, they had a 1957 Chevrolet Station Wagon. To a 4 or 5 year old, those were the best pieces of playground equipment ever! Too bad that we probably won't see playgrounds of "real" items ever again.

Must protect the children as they may get a scrape or a bruise ya know.

[The Inspector]

I have very fond memories of my nursery school: Firehouse Nursery School in Wantagh, NY. In front, they had a genuine fire truck...probably 1930s or 40s era, and on the side, they had a 1957 Chevrolet Station Wagon. To a 4 or 5 year old, those were the best pieces of playground equipment ever! Too bad that we probably won't see playgrounds of "real" items ever again.

Must protect the children as they may get a scrape or a bruise ya know.

Yeah, no more standing on the front seat facing a steel dash full of chromed metal heater knobs or you and your brother leaning out the open back window of dads' station wagon while it sucked all that exhaust into the car. no more you and your cousins riding in the bed of Uncle Daves Ford pickup, and if you're going to ride your bike, where's your helmet?

[JohnB]

Back in 1970, the Maryland ANG was, I believe, the last unit to fly the F-86H.
They flew one to town and after appearing at the Fairchild Open House, it was taken to a state school for mentaly challenged (hopefully that's the PC term) children.

I dont know what happened to it, I've heard it was moved to either March or Castle museums.

I've also heard there is a similar aircraft in Idaho, again, I believe, at a school.

[bdk]

http://www.skytamer.com/6.1/California/ ... 0Park.html

http://www.skytamer.com/6.1/California/ ... 0Park.html

[The Inspector]

http://www.skytamer.com/6.1/California/Anaheim,%20Boysen%20Park.html

http://www.skytamer.com/6.1/California/ ... 0Park.html

I dunno, a ferro-concrete F9F may be a bit of overkill-

[bdk]

At least the airframe is protected from the elements if in fact any of it remains...