Dixie Wing P-63 Almost Airborne

[Dan K]

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... e=5609F9B4


Can't be long now...hope they let her travel north now & then.

[GregP]

I hope they amend the operating proceudres to check the fuel level against calculations before departing from now on.

[Tim Savage]

I hope they amend the operating proceudres to check the fuel level against calculations before departing from now on.

Different airplane, different wing, different operation.

[Triplane102]

Thanks for posting that! Dan. Very Cool. I remember being in Harlingen in the Late '70s -'80s for the air shows. I bought a Red & Black Cobras Den Patch ( which I Still Have!) from the original group who wanted to Restore this Cobra. I was told by one of the main members that their "other" P-63 was headed west ( this would be the Bob Ponds "Polly" ) and that since they were not sure if the new owner was going to make it a flyer or static, they kept the better condition components of the 2 P-63s. If this was indeed the case, then it came out the best for both Birds. Bob Pond had Fighter Rebuilders, of course, replaced what needed replacing, & the CAF had a good one to start with, which by NO means was an easy restoration to get to this point now! What a Fantastic Job the Dixie Wing has done!

[GregP]

Great to see another Bell flying. The P-63 was a pretty darned good fighter that suffered from looking too much like a P-39. The P-39 itself wasn't bad down low, but losing the turbo removed any chance of it being a high-altitude anything.

[Lynn Allen]

Is this the P-63 that had French markings back in the 70's??

[Triplane102]

Is this the P-63 that had French markings back in the 70's??

Yes , also "Tumbleweed ", All White with Blue & Red trim.

[RV8er]

I hope they amend the operating proceudres to check the fuel level against calculations before departing from now on.

Different airplane, different wing, different operation.

Care to let the rest of us in on this little secret?

[Triplane102]

I hope they amend the operating proceudres to check the fuel level against calculations before departing from now on.

Different airplane, different wing, different operation.

Care to let the rest of us in on this little secret?

That would be the Silver, Tall Tail P-63F that had a fuel selector problem and had to execute a gear up landing at Midland. The Centex Wing's April news letter reported that the P-63 is going to a new sponsor. http://www.cafcentex.com Please correct me if I didn't get that right.

[Iclo]

I hope they amend the operating proceudres to check the fuel level against calculations before departing from now on.

How do you think the operator of the plane involved in this incident, feel when he come hear and read this kind of comment ?

[RV8er]

That would be the Silver, Tall Tail P-63F that had a fuel selector problem and had to execute a gear up landing at Midland. The Centex Wing's April news letter reported that the P-63 is going to a new sponsor. http://www.cafcentex.com Please correct me if I didn't get that right.

Oh, that. Yep, I'm quite familiar with the story there; I was to be a part of a new sponsor group for the P-63 in the Houston area, but things got shuffled a bit... the plane is currently at Pearland being repaired. How far along it is with that I don't know.

And regarding GregPs post, his comment has no bearing on what actually happened.

Last edited by RV8er on Sat May 23, 2015 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Robbie Stuart]

Looking good, keep up the good work guys!
Robbie

[Chappie]

I hope they amend the operating proceudres to check the fuel level against calculations before departing from now on.

How do you think the operator of the plane involved in this incident, feel when he come hear and read this kind of comment ?

......or would you make that comment in the presence of the pilot? Yeah, that's what I thought.


Chappie

[GregP]

A fuel selector problem? It is entirely possible that what we heard was incorrect, so I'll wait to hear before opening mouth and inserting foot and farther.

I'm talking about N6763, a Bell P-93 Kingcobra that was damaged in a landing accident on 11 Sep 2013 at Sky West Airport in Texas. The cause I saw on a report was "Belly landing due to a defect of the fuel tank selector."

What we heard doesn't seem to support that, but you hear things that later turn out to be incorrect. I shall say that I am unaware as yet of the real cause of the belly landing.

[Lynn Allen]

Is this the P-63 that had French markings back in the 70's??

Roger that and thanks. I also heard a long ago, it was a gate guard at Love Field, Dallas, Texas. anybody else hear that or know about it??