This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:18 am
January 25th from 10:00 to 15:00
Reviving the ole Open House events at the Garber facility years ago...Access to Restoration shop, storage areas, Conservation Lab, massive Archives and the their respective staff's.
Have questions? Now is your chance to ask!
http://airandspace.si.edu/events/open-house/
Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:43 am
A kool event it seems! Hopefully a few WIX'rs will be able to attend and file a complete report here.
Tue Jan 14, 2014 12:43 pm
One of the coolest days of my life was when my dad "surprised" me by getting us an appointment for a group tour of the Garber facility in Silver Hill near Andrews AFB as I recall. It was a LONG time ago - had to be late 1970's or maybe early 1980's. At the time, they were working on Charlie Blair's red P-51 Mustang "Excalibur III" that he used to be the first guy (maybe just the first in a single-engine aircraft) to fly over the North Pole. They also had the nose section of the Enola Gay there at that time. I saw an intact Messerschmitt ME-163 Komet and a WWI fighter (trying to remember if it was a Nieuport, Spad, or SE-5a) that was completely original and unpreserved - the fabric was way past just starting to tatter, but you could plainly see old bullet hole patches and other repairs.
I think that they said that they had something like 24 buildings on the site; the first two were taken over with admin offices and display aircraft, maybe 3 or 4 more were active restoration shops, and all of the rest were essentially just storage. Still, it was so much better than the artificially clean and sanitized displays that most museums have.
Glad to hear that a new generation can experience it!
Tue Jan 14, 2014 1:50 pm
Is there a web cam set up in there that average folks can access?
Tue Jan 14, 2014 3:19 pm
JOMiller wrote:Is there a web cam set up in there that average folks can access?
Owen, I was just checking out the NASM's website. I dont see any info about web cams set up now. They used to have 2 maybe 3 live web cams in the museum building but they seem to have disappeared.
Tue Jan 14, 2014 3:21 pm
If I were attending this event, I would ask what will be worked on after the restoration on the Heldiver is complete.
Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:03 am
Aw shucks, I thought this thread was about Garber- it is about the new restoration center at Udvar-Hazy having their first open house, which is still neat, but there is something magical about Garber- I went to Garber on a cold weekend over 20 years ago and it was incredible- really felt like you in on some secret. They still have some treasures there I would love to see- Bring out the POGO!
Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:50 am
sandiego89 wrote:Aw shucks, I thought this thread was about Garber- it is about the new restoration center at Udvar-Hazy having their first open house, which is still neat, but there is something magical about Garber- I went to Garber on a cold weekend over 20 years ago and it was incredible- really felt like you in on some secret. They still have some treasures there I would love to see- Bring out the POGO!
I was also fortune enough to tour the Garber facility. Aircraft components tucked in here and there, aircraft hanging from the steel girders covered in dust. You kind of felt like Howard Carter gaining access to King Tut's tomb for the first time in a millenium. Thru the years many aircaft have left Garber for Udvar Hazy and to other museums but I'll bet it still looks the same.
Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:52 am
Pat Carry wrote:If I were attending this event, I would ask what will be worked on after the restoration on the Heldiver is complete.
I would also ask about the wings for the He-219. Will they ever be reattached to the fuselage now at Udvar Hazy?
Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:22 am
Pat Carry wrote:Pat Carry wrote:If I were attending this event, I would ask what will be worked on after the restoration on the Heldiver is complete.
I would also ask about the wings for the He-219. Will they ever be reattached to the fuselage now at Udvar Hazy?
As the new shop comes online and up to speed the 219 wing is sure to be a priority to finish.
Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:41 pm
Just 4 days to the OPEN HOUSE at NASM.
How many WIX'ers coming?
Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:34 pm
Went to Garber in the early 80's a couple of times. Unbelievable. Enola Gay sitting on mattresses, The Swoose in pieces, P-61 in a corner, Convair N240K, Betty nose section, Flak Bait wings, etc., etc...
Wasn't the plan to move everything to the Hazy Center and close Garber...?
Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:37 pm
I just moved to the area, live 10 minutes from the airport and if I don't have to leave that day to finish up sim I will probably go
Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:41 am
Dang...I need to come in here more often...almost missed this. Sounds like a don't miss marauderman! Not sure how much snow ya'll got up that way...I am certainly going to give it a shot and try to make it. We only got a ground cover here in Lynchburg. I will try to send you a message offline marauderman as I would like to talk to you if I make it up there.
-Darrell
Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:07 am
Whilst it looks to be an interesting event, it seems that visitors will not get to see any airframes that are not already visible from the balconies surrounding the restoration hangar at Udvar-Hazy. Although it seems that you will be able to see them from close up rather than just looking down on them through glass from the balconies.
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