Fighter Factory

[Dave Homewood]

So is the Mossie gonna be at Geneseo or not? This is really bad news.

Perhaps the new owner will take it to Oshkosh? Sorry, I shouldn't speculate...

[Travisd80elcam]

As sad as I am about the collection being split up. We as fans FORGET , that there are between 14 and 18 people whom work at fighter factory and mam itself. So I think we should have more respect and stop the speculation. I love the collection and am greatful, that Jerry shared it with us. I know I was thre very often and with out it I wouldn't have made a good friend. So personally I hope the best for Jerry and this whole family of employees at fighter factory the best. Remember with out those folks, we'd never see them fly.


Travis

[Travisd80elcam]

Double post. iPad got me

Travis

[CraigQ]

Ya'll are being way to quick in sticking a fork in the FF.

From my various sources, I have learned that it is a done deal. Some type of government problems. All aircraft will be sold and gone by next month. I know more, but can't tell all. Sorry, and please don't bug me for more information.

Don't bet your house or farm on that information.

[ZRX61]

Do you really think one person will/can buy them ALL?

One person already did... that's how it all started...

[Vital Spark]

He may have decided that the magnitude of what he had accumulated was too much for his ability to enjoy, but every aviation aficionado has to thank Jerry Yagen for having exerted himself to bring several projects to fruition that few (no matter what their resources) would have endured. We will be able to enjoy a Mossi, a Me262, and at least one Fw190 through his passion. I will forever rank him paramount among the giant names in preservation. and I hope he has retained one favorite to repay him for his effort and provide him with all the joy he deserves,.

[RandolphB]

As sad as I am about the collection being split up. We as fans FORGET , that there are between 14 and 18 people whom work at fighter factory and mam itself. So I think we should have more respect and stop the speculation. I love the collection and am greatful, that Jerry shared it with us. I know I was thre very often and with out it I wouldn't have made a good friend. So personally I hope the best for Jerry and this whole family of employees at fighter factory the best. Remember with out those folks, we'd never see them fly.


Travis

Exactly this. I hope these folks, who know and love the planes firsthand, get offers to remain in the on-going lives of the planes they served thus far. Busted knuckles count in my book....

[lmritger]

Ya'll are being way to quick in sticking a fork in the FF.

From my various sources, I have learned that it is a done deal. Some type of government problems. All aircraft will be sold and gone by next month. I know more, but can't tell all. Sorry, and please don't bug me for more information.

Don't bet your house or farm on that information.

If you listen to NO ONE ELSE in this entire thread, LISTEN TO CRAIG. And listen to Travis as well, because as he eloquently points out, there are some really, really good folks down here who work at the MAM, they're also waiting to find out what's going on, and all this gum-flappin' based on hearsay isn't helping or clarifying squat.

Let's give things a few days before writing the obits and etching the tombstones, shall we?

Lynn

[CoastieJohn]

Here's a nice June 13th article on the Mosquito. Great pics.....

http://skiesmag.com/news/articles/19139 ... anada.html

[Lynn Allen]

Where is Lewis's collection based? His website doesn't say.

About 5 miles south of Encinal, TX right off I-35. Marked as Lewis Ranch Airport on the map, can't miss it.

And some of it is at KSAT, San Antonio International Airport...

[NathanT24]

Sorry East Coast guys BUT I hope Rod Lewis did get them all. he will fly them and he CAN afford them. Bring them to TX PLEASE! Wait can Texas Flying Legends have gotten some too?? If so Houston and Texas in General would rock for warbirding! Actually I think Texas Flying Legends was looking for a B-17! Can Chuckie be coming back to TX??

Last edited by NathanT24 on Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[K5DH]

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of meeting Jerry Yagen, you can't begin to imagine what a genuinely nice guy he is. Forget about everything he's done for the warbird world and the important pieces of world history that he's managed to collect, restore, and preserve. He's a really nice guy, friendly, soft-spoken, unassuming, and approachable. Whatever the future holds for Jerry and his family, I wish them all the best and offer my heartfelt thanks for having put together such a great collection and sharing it so willingly with the rest of us.

Oh, one more thing. I have to add some extra thanks for doing such a fine job of taking restoration of "my" B-17 to the next level, something that the crew at VFM could never have accomplished with our limited resources. He also promised that as long as he owned that B-17, she would fly as "Chuckie" out of respect for Chuckie and Doc Hospers. That's a class act in my book.

[Mark Allen M]

Well as much as I'd like to defend the philosophy of Internet forums as being a tool for speculation, here say, gossip and the like, and that no one should question why Internet forums work that way. I do find it a bit frustrating for one person to adamantly suggest what is not claimed as here say, but as fact, and to end his post with the disclaimer of not to bug him for more information. Then you have another guy state not to bet your house on that information. I would have to draw the conclusion that Internet forums can be an interesting case study in irrational human behavior. All in good humor of course

Speculation is a byproduct of Internet forums, the best way to avoid speculation is to avoid Internet forums.

[Chappie]

Sad to see such a wonderful collection being sold off. The coming weeks will be interesting when we hopefully see where the aircraft will be going and when. May they all still continue to fly. An extra shame to see the FM-2 leave the area since it was based in Pungo in 1945.

CraigQ- Nice to see you around, hope all is well for you up there.



Chappie

[DaveM2]

Lets not forget that it isn't only those employees at VA who are affected. Jerry had a large number of airframes under rebuild around the world, and shops such as Meiers/Gosshawk and Precision have already had to stop work for a number of weeks on these projects.
All the aircraft sold to date are going to good homes and will be well looked after- the immediate concern should be for the livelihoods of those who are directly affected by this.