Duxford to Chino?

LAHarve · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:41 am

Sorry to be a pain with the questions, but does anybody have any info/updates on this Bearcat (G-BUCF) that left Duxford and went to Chino ?

And also this Meteor 1V (VT260) that was exchanged for an F86?

Thanks in advance.

Len Harvey

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11282

I think a silver Meteor has been at Chino for at least 2 or 3 years. Don't know about the Bearcat though, unless you are talking about a LOOOOONG time ago, but I'm not sure that one was ever actually in the UK:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregis ... 21614.html

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2005 12:12 pm

Here is a picture of the Meteor in the Fighter Jets hanger of the Planes of Fame in Chino...
http://community.webshots.com/photo/268 ... 7805PHRmmb

As for the Bearcast Warbirds Directory 4th edition reports it is BuNo 122095 c/n D.779 c/r N2209. WD4 indicates it was owned by Charles Nichols of the Yanks Air Museum, but ownership changed to Tom Wood of Indianapolis, IN. Apparently it was restored in Chino with the first post-restoration flight in February 1999. Here is the registry entry...
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregis ... 22095.html

Regards,

Mike

P.S. My Planes of Fame Air Museum albums...
http://community.webshots.com/album/268843649QMohHQ
http://community.webshots.com/album/298516850SFkXXz

My Yanks Air Museum albums...
http://community.webshots.com/album/268853618UNxsYa
http://community.webshots.com/album/298517822jdCfxM

LAHarve · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:37 pm

bdk & mrhenniger, thanks for your help.

bdk, I did not know about TFC's involvement with the Bearcat you mentioned so that has helped me with my own data on their history.

Mike, your info has helped me also, many thanks.

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:42 pm

LAHarve wrote:

bdk, I did not know about TFC's involvement with the Bearcat you mentioned so that has helped me with my own data on their history.

Hmmm... I think BDK (Brandon) has the ID incorrect on the Bearcat, I think the one I provided is more likely to be correct. Do you agree Brandon?

Mike

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11282

The Bearcat I referenced is not G-BUCF based on the information provided.

I don't recall G-BUCF/N2209 ever being an active project in Chino. Maybe just stored?

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:02 pm

bdk wrote:

I don't recall G-BUCF/N2209 ever being an active project in Chino. Maybe just stored?

That is what I would guess. I assume the restoration was done in Indiana.

Mike

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:03 pm

LAHarve wrote:

Sorry to be a pain with the questions

Your questions are not a "pain". We are all contributors here to help each other. Feel free to question!

Mike

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:05 pm

Mike
I have a picture of that F8F in the Yanks hanger in 1997, or I assume that is that F8F I saw. That is the what my research lead me to believe was the ID for that Airframe. It was not completed and some work was still being done on it at the time. There were next to no markings on the aircraft, similar to how it was when I saw it in 2002.

I can post a picture tonight.

LAHarve, when where those pictures taken?

TonyA · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:30 pm

TimApNy wrote:

Mike
I have a picture of that F8F in the Yanks hanger in 1997, or I assume that is that F8F I saw. That is the what my research lead me to believe was the ID for that Airframe. It was not completed and some work was still being done on it at the time. There were next to no markings on the aircraft, similar to how it was when I saw it in 2002.

I can post a picture tonight.

LAHarve, when where those pictures taken?

122095 would, I am sure, be the one seen at Yanks in 1997. Stephen Grey got it from Thailand (I seem to recall it was acquired via the Salis Collection) and restoration was started at Duxford - as seen in the first post. It was then traded to the Yanks Museum and more work was done there then sold to Tom Woods who still owns and operates it.

121614 was in the Planes of Fame hangar, almost structurally complete, in 2002 so I would suspect this is the one referred to from that period. This had been at Chino for quite some time as a wreck and then been gradually restored towards flying condition. I think the wreck was at the back of the Fighter Rebuilders workshop along with pieces of the Gulfhawk in the early nineties before work really started on it.

This is all pretty much just confirming the Warbirds Directory information except there's a slight 'oops' and 121614 is identified as 122614 (but that's a minor glitch when considering the enormous content of the site!)

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11282

TonyA wrote:

I think the wreck was at the back of the Fighter Rebuilders workshop along with pieces of the Gulfhawk in the early nineties before work really started on it.

The Gulfhawk fuselage/center section was used to build the jig to effect the repairs on the other aircraft.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11282

TimApNy wrote:

Mike
I have a picture of that F8F in the Yanks hanger in 1997, or I assume that is that F8F I saw. That is the what my research lead me to believe was the ID for that Airframe. It was not completed and some work was still being done on it at the time. There were next to no markings on the aircraft, similar to how it was when I saw it in 2002.

I can post a picture tonight.

Yes, please post the photo! Too many Bearcats... Quite confusing.

This aircraft should not have ever been in the Yanks hangar:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f8fregistry/f8f-121614.html

LAHarve's photos of G-BUCF (now N2209) were taken at Duxford.

TonyA · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:24 pm

Here's 122095 at the Yanks Museum in May 1997, looking just about finished

LAHarve · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:32 pm

To all those that have posted information, many thanks. I have probably confused the issue ny thinking that G-BUCF went to Chino, sorry.At present the second picture is the only one I can date, 19th June 1988. As i have said, many thanks for your help.
Len Harvey.

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Tue Nov 01, 2005 6:17 pm

LAHarve wrote:

I have probably confused the issue ny thinking that G-BUCF went to Chino, sorry.

I don't think you did confuse the issue. I think it was in Chino in some form or another, it is not clear if it was restored there or not. Assuming it wasn't restored there (BDK indicates it may not have been), and from one of the most recent posts, it would seem that it at least visited Chino (Yanks) post-restoration.

Mike

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