Warbird Information Exchange

I heard from Nelson Ezell himself (10 years ago)that the former Pruitt P-38 was a truly awful candidate for restoration. He said a better choice would be a South Pacific veteran of which there are some airframes. He said the Pruitt airframe is worse than “The Scatterbrained Kid “ P-38.

Not seen or heard anything about the Focke-Wulf 189 in a very long time. Makes me wonder if work has been progressing under wraps, as with the Stuka.

The Fw189 is making steady progress.

Excellent news Mike. Don't suppose you'd have any idea when we might expect to see it completed?

Speaking of The Scatterbrain Kid, what is its disposition? Last time I saw it (many, many years ago) it was still in San Marcos in a pile.

Rumored to be the "Red Bull" logo's and the mirror polish. That's what's next ... lol

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Zero Surprise!!...

Under restoration for FHCAM, recently moved from Wespac to Ezell's

The project that I've only heard murmurs about that would eclipse even the XP-82 would be a Boeing 314. I've heard several people mention it in passing as "the ultimate project" and there is at least one group who as put the recovery of one as a goal. To see one restored or replicated would be unparalleled in my opinion.

https://www.panam.org/pan-am-stories/627-the-saga-of-the-sunken-clipper

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Ryan Pemberton
www.pembertonandsons.com

The 314 would be great, but one wonders how realistic a recovery would be?
it would likely end up a 99% new build....and one has to wonder if Boeing, leery of liability*, would go along?

*Based on the reports that the P-26 replica for the NMUSAF had to use non-aircraft structure quality tubing, despite the fact the Museum doesn't fly its aircraft and the reported denial of a restorer to access factory drawings in the rebuild of a rare civil biplane.

We occasionally hear reports that someone is building a replica of the Titanic, based on that, one wonders if they'll ever build a replica Hindenburg or Graf Zepplin. Even though g it was built of modern materials, it would be great to see a large full scale rigid airship.

And almost as daunting, wasn't someone in the U.S. building a Gotha or some other WWI bomber? It would be neat to see a U.S. 1920s bomber...A Keystone or something similar. But since many/most used Curtiss engines...which are pretty much extinct in airworthy shape, that's probably not going to happen.

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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.

I've often wondered why no Keystone has been done (aside from money...obvious). They occupied a unique place in American military aviation history, but besides some tail feathers at Barksdale or at the NMUSAF, there doesn't seem to be much left.

What would it take to make one go? Seems like they were tube and fabric, so materials couldn't be too difficult to obtain. Anyhow, just musing hoping that someone who does more hand to wrench or basic bean counting on these projects might opine.

I figured the FHCAM Stuka was the next big thing. No example's flown for many, many decades, it's practically an icon of WW2 history known even to the public, and this example (or at least the ID it's using from the three source wrecks) has documented combat history.


I think his name was Ron Bloomquist, a complete-looking Gotha fuselage appeared in Classic Wings around 2004 but I seem to remember it got broken down and hasn't been underway for some time.

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

Per Horace Brock, who flew both the Keystone and the B-314, the Keystone was a terrible performer that could barely stay in the air. That's paraphrased from his book "Flying The Oceans"; he was an Army bomber pilot before joining Pan Am. And since the type had no combat career, and no heroic deeds to remember, I can't imagine that there's much interest in it.
And even if it were possible to resurrect a 314, it would have to be a static display, like the Vought-Sikorsky VS-44 in New England. What museum has a flying boat ramp? And how could you put it on tour? So I doubt that the cubic dollars needed to bring back either type, no matter how worthy, will ever be found. A pity, because the Boeing Clipper has an important history, and it's always been one of my favorites.

I'm surprised the P-61 isn't getting more love. For my money it's more of a showstopper than a Twin Mustang, even if I believe a P-82 would beat the thunder out of a 'Widow when it comes to airshow draw.

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Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas

PIC, Ford 6600 pulling Rhino batwing up and down the runway

+1

Phil

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A man's got to know his limitations.

Nothing against the P-61, I like them and am eagerly awaiting the one under restoration to be completed...
but...
Say you're at a party and someone heard of your interest in WWII aviation and asks you your favorite (or even half dozen) American fighters of the war, most of the time, a P-61 won't be on the tip of your tongue.
Yes, it's a neat plane, but largely unheralded.

_________________
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.