Cockpit restoration

[Scott Rose]

I know restoring cockpits are big in the UK but I was wondering if it's even a thing in the U.S.
Never seen a trailer mounted cockpit/nose at a U.S. Airshow. Anybody else seen one?

[DH82EH]

I saw a real nice looking F-4 Phantom on a trailer at Geneseo one year. (2016 I think).

Andy

This one.

http://airmuseumnetwork.com/phantom-passion/

[Cubs2jets]

The Carolinas Aviation Museum has an F-4J cockpit mounted on a trailer. They used to tow it to airshows, but the aluminum boat trailer frame wasn't up to the task and cracked. It is now deteriorating as an interactive exhibit in the museum hangar.

They also have the cockpit section from the KC-97 that was at the old Florence Air & Space Museum. I do not think it is currently on display.

C2j

[JohnB]

There are a couple of businesses that have cockpits they take to airshows so people can get photos taken in them. At least one has Thunderbirds markings on one side and Blue Angles in the other. I've seen T-33 and Phantom cockpits used. Unlike the UK-centric hobby, I'm pretty sure these cockpits are stripped for ease of access and safety rather than authenticity.

A couple of months back at our local GA field, I saw the front fuselage (the complete nose to just behind the front seats) of a late '60s "pointy nose" Cessna 310 stuffed into the bed of a pickup. I have no idea of its eventual use...display, kids toy or simulator (it would be neat with 3 big screen TV's hooked up to Flight Simulator. One could live all sorts of Sky King fantasies while flying over the virtual West).

In the mid-90s I was TDY to Davis-Monthan to conduct some training there, and I stopped by one of the scrapyards nearby to buy some display pieces for my den. The proprietors said they had just scrapped a recently released F-105 but kept h the front fuselage and cockpit thinking it might be worth something. I wonder where it is now?

You're right, "cockpitting" is a big hobby in the UK. FlyPast magazine often has stories about it and sponsors an annual "cockpit-fest" which culminates with awards.
I suppose the hobby is an offshoot of digging up wrecks (natural since they have so many neat and nearby warbird bits to dig up) and the UK passion for collecting in general.
Why isn't it popular here? Most people live too far from D-M to easily get them, and warbird fans here are more likely to spend their time and money actually flying (a warbird or even a GA type) than making half of a static display.

Last edited by JohnB on Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:24 am, edited 4 times in total.

[Scott Rose]

The distance thing I get. I wish I lived closer to AMARC. I would love to get an A-3 Cockpit or an A-7.

[4RG.I.'S]

The distance thing I get. I wish I lived closer to AMARC. I would love to get an A-3 Cockpit or an A-7.

There are a few resources other than AMARC for aircraft. Online surplus auctions around the country often have fuselages, airframes or complete aircraft for bid. Currently there is an S2A in CA, a few OH-58's in AL and a Piper Warrior fuselage in FL. There are aircraft or major portions thereof almost every month.

S2-A and OH-58's
https://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucindx/

Piper Warrior fuselage
https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/aucti ... uc=2228636

[quemerford]

There's certainly an ex-Philippine AF F-86F cockpit around, and I recall seeing a C-97 and a (B-24 or PB4Y?) too. Must be loads around, hidden and not often displayed.

[RyanShort1]

The CAF was taking That's All Brother's nose around until they put it back on the plane. Seemed popular, but I don't know if there's any money in the exercise.

[michaelj2k]

After you've toured Stonehenge, go to Old Sarum airfield to see the Boscombe Down collection. http://www.boscombedownaviationcollection.co.uk/

[JohnB]

If you can live without a warbird cockpit, go to any general aviation salvage yard.
You might find one where the old avionics haven't been removed making restoration more of a clean-up job. A friend recently totaled his straight tail polished aluminum 172, the cabin is in fine shape. Likewise, have they Barons, Aztecs, even a 320.

The one near me has most of a T-6 if you're more ambitious...nothing is forward of the pilot's seat, but the rest is there. I can't imagine it would be too difficult to make it look complete (to non-flying standards) if you stopped at the firewall.

[Chris Brame]

There was a WIXer restoring an F-84 forward fuselage several years ago; IIRC he got it from a fire department that was using it for rescue training.

[dbrown]

There's a guy in the Denver area that has a real nice A-7 nose on a trailer. Very well done

[rcaf_100]

The Jet Aircraft Museum in London, Ontario has the whole nose of CT-133 Silver Star 133648 on a trailer that they take to shows for cockpit tours.

'648 was supposedly the last operational CT-133, and went off the runway at CFB Trenton in 2009 during an aborted takeoff.
She had been sold, registered as N3648, and was on her way to Texas when the incident occurred.
After the serviceable parts had been salvaged, what was left was donated to JAM.

[Tulio]

I have seen several -and I will search my files for photos of those- but the ones that come to mind now, are two (2) F-4 Phantom cockpits on trailers, at the CAF's hangar in St. Charles, MO

Saludos,


Tulio

[CAPFlyer]

The US has a bi-annual CockpitFest of guys who build cockpits. My CAP squadron has supported the last 2 events which were held at Lancaster with the D/FW Wing of the CAF's Open Cockpit / Wheels & Wings / whatever it's called now... (it's Warbirds on Parade). They also did FlightSimCon this year as several of the cockpits local to the D/FW area are fighters which run F-16 sims (I think Falcon 4.x or LOMAC).

http://cockpitfestusa.org/