Fighter Factory

[lmritger]

Scott, thanks for not whacking the entire thread.

The sense we've gotten is that parking the aircraft is a temporary measure, albeit one with no defined end date. As I mentioned in my previous post, museum staff are working under the impression that there will be at least a six month hiatus to allow time to get all the back-end business stuff sorted and consolidation of the collection; that's quite far from "That's it, we're done, turn off the lights and go home, good game everybody". Nobody is happy about parking aircraft, particularly us locals and ESPECIALLY the people whose livelihood depends on those aircraft and the museum, but it is what it is... sometimes a substantial change in direction and approach is necessary. We shall see where things lead but for the time being, I'll ask once again that people give the Museum staff a little space and time to work through all this. It's a fast moving situation, and throwing out conjecture only complicates things for everybody.

Lynn
.

[K5DH]

Y'know, a lot of people were speculating that VFM was going to close when Chuckie was sold to MAM. As we all know, that didn't happen. I'm glad to know that MAM will continue to operate and that Jerry's fantastic collection will be available for public viewing.

[jspott]

A list of mam aircraft including projects at this site http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/fo ... 95841.aspx

[bdk]

It's a fast moving situation, and throwing out conjecture only complicates things for everybody.

How so? Who is everybody? Is Jerry Yagen monitoring this site to decide what he should do next? I can't imagine he's waiting for my advice, that's for sure!

Conjecture is just exploring the future possibilities:

noun
1. the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence for proof.
2. an opinion or theory so formed or expressed; guess; speculation.
3. Obsolete . the interpretation of signs or omens.
verb (used with object)
4. to conclude or suppose from grounds or evidence insufficient to ensure reliability.
verb (used without object)
5. to form conjectures.

[Warbirdnerd]

A list of mam aircraft including projects at this site http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/fo ... 95841.aspx

Wow that is quite the list. Is there a Key for the location codes? Never knew there was such a critter as a Me-328 let alone that Mr Yagen had one.

[Liza]

Just guessing based on seeing where some of this stuff is:

VA Beach, VA
A = Army Air Corps Hangar
C = Cottbus (German Hangar)
FF = Fighter Factory
Museum = Main room beyond entrance
N = Navy Hangar
W1 = Warehouse 1
W2 = Warehouse 2
W3 = Warehouse 3

Suffolk, VA
SFQ = Suffolk, VA

[JohnB]

I see in FlyPast that he also had a P-12 replica (it's listed on the inventory mentioned above as a F4B) on order from a gentleman in Reno who is producing a10-12 in addition to rebuilding Kermit Week's original (a civil version) from a ball of tubing caused by Hurricane Andrew...I saw the wreck and had to ask what it was.
I wonder what the status of that is (I'd guess he's paid for part...but not all of it).
A friend has one on order and I'm wondering if it will help him get his any sooner...it's already several years late.

[astixjr]

It's a fast moving situation, and throwing out conjecture only complicates things for everybody.

How so? Who is everybody? Is Jerry Yagen monitoring this site to decide what he should do next? I can't imagine he's waiting for my advice, that's for sure!

Conjecture is just exploring the future possibilities:

noun
1. the formation or expression of an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence for proof.
2. an opinion or theory so formed or expressed; guess; speculation.
3. Obsolete . the interpretation of signs or omens.
verb (used with object)
4. to conclude or suppose from grounds or evidence insufficient to ensure reliability.
verb (used without object)
5. to form conjectures.

BDK does have a point. This is supposed to be "a warbird forum", right? So civil discussion on that topic should be expected to occur. The situation does seem to qualify as a newsworthy event, right?

[kalamazookid]

That list of projects... All I have to say is wow. P-6 Hawk? Tupolev R-6? Vultee Vengeances and an OS2U Kingfisher? My eyes are bugging out of my head. Wow.

[Jesse C.]

Does anyone know who might be working on the engine for the Ki61? Will it be a Japanese copy or actual German DB engine?

I sure do hope things get right again so we can see one of these birds take to the air.

[51fixer]

The Director of Maint their spoke highly of Vintage V-12s. Dunno if they would have been involved with any engine recreation/rebuild.

[Russ Blow]

Just for the heck of it. A couple photos of MAM and VB Airport I took while flying over in the L 4 yesterday. Nice flight out to the beach from SFQ just have to keep an eye out for F 18's.

[51fixer]

Just for the heck of it. A couple photos of MAM and VB Airport I took while flying over in the L 4 yesterday. Nice flight out to the beach from SFQ just have to keep an eye out for F 18's.

You can see the oil stains on the concrete in front of the lower L/H hangar where the B-17 used to be parked.

[RMAllnutt]

Does anyone know who might be working on the engine for the Ki61? Will it be a Japanese copy or actual German DB engine?

I sure do hope things get right again so we can see one of these birds take to the air.

The Ki-61 was being restored by the late Murray Griffith's shop, Precision Aerospace in Wangaratta, Australia, alongside a couple of other Tony's for different owners. I believe that Yagen's A-20, P-39, OS2U and Vengeance were under restoration at the same shop, but as to their current disposition, I couldn't say. I've no idea what would have powered the Ki-61 either, but I would imagine the Japanese copy of the DB 601 would be far harder to resurrect than a genuine German motor.

Cheers,
Richard

[Chris Brame]

I would imagine the Japanese copy of the DB 601 would be far harder to resurrect than a genuine German motor.

Maybe so. Doesn't the Air Force Museum have an inline engine from a Judy dive bomber? Last I heard they were going to use it to convert one of the Spanish CASAs into an Me-109.