Rarest restorations currently underway?

[OD/NG]

Jerry Yagen's P-36 / Hawk 75.

First I've heard of this one. Where is it being rebuilt?

New Zealand

[Thomas_Mac]

Isn't Kermit Weeks restoring a Tempest? That would be a rare one.

He was, but the main engineer retired so it was boxed up.

In the same vein, the Hawker Typhoon? One is in a museum, two are being restored to fly.

Another Tempest restoration

https://www.facebook.com/Hawker-Tempest ... 464230509/

[C VEICH]

F7U-3 Cutlass at Mid-Century Aviation in Mesa, AZ.....

That sounds rather exciting! Is the shop available for visitors at all?

[Cutlass]

F7U-3 Cutlass at Mid-Century Aviation in Mesa, AZ.....

That sounds rather exciting! Is the shop available for visitors at all?

Anytime..... major airframe to arrive in early spring, but wings, ailevators, engines, burners, canopy, radome, seat, internals, are underway here. As well as more F7U related stuff than anyone should have or want.....

Drop me a line anytime

[JFS61]

F7U-3 Cutlass at Mid-Century Aviation in Mesa, AZ.....

That sounds rather exciting! Is the shop available for visitors at all?

Anytime..... major airframe to arrive in early spring, but wings, ailevators, engines, burners, canopy, radome, seat, internals, are underway here. As well as more F7U related stuff than anyone should have or want.....

Drop me a line anytime

Would this have anything to do with the Soplata Cutlass?

That said, I always wished someone had pulled a -1 model aside, as that was a real looker.

[Cutlass]

No, that is F7U-3 129685. Ours are 129554 and 129622.

I agree, the -1 was just incredible in its futuristic execution - looks modern even today....

Last edited by Cutlass on Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[XL446]

[snip] Ours are 129554 [snip]

Hi Al,
I photographed 129554 in the hangar at Paine Field in 2000. Are you still intending to restore the aircraft to airworthiness? That would make the restoration not just rare, but one of the most exciting projects I can think of - I hope to have the opportunity to see it fly!
I believe the fuselage is unable to hold any other engines than J46's. So you would fly it even though the a/c is said to be underpowered? I've always been told that that is the reason no one is considering restoring an F-84 to fly.
Good luck!
Roger

[Cutlass]

[snip] Ours are 129554 [snip]

Hi Al,
I photographed 129554 in the hangar at Paine Field in 2000. Are you still intending to restore the aircraft to airworthiness? That would make the restoration not just rare, but one of the most exciting projects I can think of - I hope to have the opportunity to see it fly!
I believe the fuselage is unable to hold any other engines than J46's. So you would fly it even though the a/c is said to be underpowered? I've always been told that that is the reason no one is considering restoring an F-84 to fly.
Good luck!
Roger

Unfortunately that is correct, no other engines that fit in the available space generate any more thrust than the -46. It is the same issue that plagued Vought in ‘53. So, the original engines are it. The J35 will fit (F84 engine) but are non-afterburning. We will be cutting a lot of weight, so performance should increase accordingly. We have seven engines to work with, and are always looking to acquire additional examples.

[XL446]

Thanks for your reply, Al, and of course you're right - you don't need all the operational equipment.
Wow. What a project. The best of luck, and I'll just have to make sure I can un-entangle my fingers again at the end from keeping them crossed so hard!
Roger

[marine air]

The Soplata F7U Cutlass is still sitting where it has always been the last several decades. It is about 99% complete including engines installed etc. It would be nice to see it go to one of the aircraft carrier museums or another nice museum. It's awesome to see up close.
Actually to be specific, it would be nice to see the Soplata F7U Cutlass go to the USS Midway museum in San Diego. I was there this summer after having been once before ten years ago. It is impressive how well looked after their aircraft and artifacts seem to be. Lots of volunteers working , docents and guys giving lectures. They have so many representative types that the only aircraft I could think of that they don't have are the F7U Cutlass, T-28C , and maybe a T-34 B or C.

[wendovertom]

[snip] Ours are 129554 [snip]

Hi Al,
I photographed 129554 in the hangar at Paine Field in 2000. Are you still intending to restore the aircraft to airworthiness? That would make the restoration not just rare, but one of the most exciting projects I can think of - I hope to have the opportunity to see it fly!
I believe the fuselage is unable to hold any other engines than J46's. So you would fly it even though the a/c is said to be underpowered? I've always been told that that is the reason no one is considering restoring an F-84 to fly.
Good luck!
Roger

Unfortunately that is correct, no other engines that fit in the available space generate any more thrust than the -46. It is the same issue that plagued Vought in ‘53. So, the original engines are it. The J35 will fit (F84 engine) but are non-afterburning. We will be cutting a lot of weight, so performance should increase accordingly. We have seven engines to work with, and are always looking to acquire additional examples.

When its done let me know and I'll book you to bring her to the Wendover air show for sure!!

Tom P.

[Cutlass]

The Soplata F7U Cutlass is still sitting where it has always been the last several decades. It is about 99% complete including engines installed etc. It would be nice to see it go to one of the aircraft carrier museums or another nice museum. It's awesome to see up close.
Actually to be specific, it would be nice to see the Soplata F7U Cutlass go to the USS Midway museum in San Diego. I was there this summer after having been once before ten years ago. It is impressive how well looked after their aircraft and artifacts seem to be. Lots of volunteers working , docents and guys giving lectures. They have so many representative types that the only aircraft I could think of that they don't have are the F7U Cutlass, T-28C , and maybe a T-34 B or C.

The Midway is about to display 129565 on deck once she is painted. The volunteers in Dallas at the Vought Heritage Foundation did the cosmetic restoration on her.

Soplata’s F7U is far from 99% complete unless only the “big parts” are considered. The aircraft was componant stripped prior to Walter obtaining it from NARTU South Weymouth. The process of disassembly for transport was effected by the minor destruction of several areas of the multi-piece spar, which for a flyer is “major destruction”. Although this does not prevent the aircraft from being displayed, it does ensure that it will never be a candidate for flight.

A museum not familiar with the type would have their hands full in trying to effect the repairs to cosmetically display this aircraft without the ability to access a parts horde or tap another airframe for parts. The restoration problem with any Cutlass, whether it is being restored for flight or for static display, is the delamination of the Metallite surfaces, and the utter degradation of the magnesium skin componants. With a “for flight” restoration, such as ours, the question is moot - we have to do what we have to do to repair/replace these parts. The problem lies with a static restoration where the funds expended will often exceed the museum’s allocation for that one individual aircraft in the restoration que. With the Soplata F7U, the aircraft never appeared in Gull Gray/White during its service career, so to effect a restoration commensurate with the provenance of the aircraft, “bondo” is not an option as it was for the Cutlass displayed at NMNA, or the impending Midway display aircraft. I am hoping to acquire the Soplata aircraft, as many of the needed componants are on hand or will already be being duplicated for our other restoration efforts.

In any event, this rare aircraft deserves to be saved, and cosmetically restored in a fashion that will honor Walter’s effort, as well as the men who flew and maintained her.

[Mick G]

The Mid Atlantic Air Museum's P-61B

It is literally the only P-61B left on the planet.

There aren't many P-61s in museums or preserved anywhere but they're all C models

Tom Bowers

It isn't in good shape, but there's also the one in China.

Richard

First time I ever heard of this, what are the details?

[k5083]

Some photos of the P-61 in China (and all other intact survivors) on my page here.

August

[I153_Chaika]

I don't know whether they finished the project or not, but there was a MiG-3 being restored in Russia, and they had trouble with the original engine as it proved impossible to start again; they had to replace it with a Western engine.