Warbird Information Exchange

Summer Blues all around, so I have to ask (maybe this was done before ? I'm to lazy to check ! Sorry !) IF you could have the "Power " to see ANY airplane ( or PARTS of ) in ANY Museum fly that is Not flying right now, which one would that be ? The USAFM A-25 Shrike ? Super Corsair ? Remember, there are parts of a P-38 in Eastern Europe !
I'd like to see the Boeing 307 Fly again !

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WWI & WWII Warbird Fan.

I have a few...Short Stirling, B-47, CF-100, B-36..not much else really.

Sean

I'd like to see a Betty fly. I've heard rumors that the ex POF example might be restored to fly. Beyond that, the Ho-229.

The mind swirls with possibilities! Museums are full of cool stuff that I've never seen fly, or would like to see fly again. But, I guess I'll limit myself to just a few:
B-36 "Peacemaker"
B-47 Stratojet
B-57 Canberra
B-58 Hustler
XB-70 Valkyrie
XF-85 Goblin (yeah, I have a sick sense of humor sometimes)
F-94C Starfire
F-101 Voodoo
F-106 Delta Dart

(I could go on and on)

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

But let us remember what happened when the surviving 307 last flew: it crashed. Yes, this was pulled out of the lake and repaired (and flown again to NASM), but no doubt some of the originality that survived the initial restoration did not survive through the second restoration. If this was flown again, and crashed again, there could easily be nothing left but photographs. And photographs do not attract museum visitors.

martin_sam_2000 suggests that a Short Stirling be restored to flight. If one was found in a lake, should this be restored to flight status (in so doing, much of the originality would be lost) and then flown? If crashed, there would only recriminations that one was available to be seen by future visitors, but instead it was used and lost.

Should the Dornier D0.17 recently recovered be restored and flown? If it crashed into the same place again, would there be resources to pull it out again?

Seriously, we have to appreciate that there are some aircraft so rare, unique, historic or original that the pleasure that those might get in seeing it fly in the present is not worth the risk of total loss of any pleasure of seeing that aircraft again in the future.

Of the various planes I´d like to see flying are 3 that I would love to see in the air most.

1. Fw 190 D-(9)
2. Ta-152 H (C even more)
3. Do-335

Of jets it would be the He-162 and Ar-234

Michael

realistically, I agree with you. But one can dream.

Sean

The Wright Flyer

Louis Bleriots's cross-channel IX

Guynemer's SPAD VII

Culley's Sopwith 2F1 Camel

Alcock & Brown's Vimy

The Spirit of St Louis

The Gloster E28/39

Memphis Belle

Enola Gay and Bockscar

The NASM's X-15

The Apollo 11 capsule

Space Shuttle Discovery

RAIDEN!!!!!

And Do-335

Another vote for the Do-335, and the AR-234.

How about the Kyushu J7W, and who wouldn't want to see a Buffalo in the air.

Don't agree with the above comments about parking birds which were meant to fly.

- the whole Kalamazoo Air Zoo

- "Fertile Myrtle" , I remember back when there two B-29s flying.

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

Out of left field, I'll offer B-17F 42-3374:

A lost opportunity - the last complete military stock F model available and it ended up with the USAF as a gate guard in 1981.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

I've got to politely disagree with Mike.
Very historic airframes (1903 Wright Flyer, S of St.L, Enola Gay, etc.) should not fly.
They are too important as historical artifacts.

Now flying types of which more than one example remain go for it!

As far as weird oddities, like the mythical Nazi "wonder weapons" and the XF-85, forget it. No test pilots life is worth risking just so "enthusiasts" ...and I'm using the term in a pejorative sense...can get some jollies.

Now if we're talking fantasies only slightly less plausible than Game of Thrones, sure I'd love to see a B-36 and XB-70 fly...long with the Akron or Hindenburg.

And while we're dreaming, we might as well hold out for the USAF to establish a historic flight, like they have in the UK.
Only not for Mustangs and the like, civilians seem to be doing an adequate job, instead I propose types that only the govt. could afford...B-36, 47, 52, and a complete collection of Century Series fighters plus the Phantom.
Of course, some (even here...The only place I've been called a "Baby Killer" because Usually served in the AF for 20 years) might have issues with that.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

YES YES and YES - the goblin especially!

There are a number of extremely rare and/or complex types that I would love to see flying again such as the Do-335 and B-36 Peacemaker. However there is one that I would love to see returned to flight that is more practical and within the realm of possibility. I would LOVE to see the ex-Champlin Lightning, now with the Seattle Museum of Flight, returned to airworthy in full two seat night fighter P-38M configuration. What a magnificent sight that would be at an airshow. Collings Foundation should consider swapping their new P-38 acquisition for the M model because they could offer rides in the finished two seater!