WWII German Fighter Resorations in the US/Canada - Updates

[JohnTerrell]

- First off, an article was published yesterday by Warbird Digest/Warbird News, via the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum, outlining the current status of FHCAM's original Me-262 (WkNr.500453), which is now very, very close to completion. As the article states (though does not show), the airframe is now fully painted, one engine has been installed and the second engine shall be installed within the next two-three weeks or so (newly manufactured engines, at significant cost, that are faithful to the look/design of the original Jumo 004's, but are improved upon for greater reliability and made with superior modern materials for longer serviceability). Taxi tests will begin shortly after the installation and final checks of the second engine, and if all goes well, a first test flight, with Steve Hinton at the controls, could happen as early as late December (when that happens, it will of course become the new title-holder for the world's oldest flying jet). http://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restora ... eport.html


- Secondly, Midwest Aero Restorations have provided an update on their restoration of an original Bf-109G-6 (WkNr.410077) owned by Bruce "Doc" Winter (also the owner/operator of "Happy Jack's Go Buggy"). The wings have been undergoing restoration at Midwest Aero for a few years now, and the fuselage from Hubert Hartmair in Germany arrived at Midwest Aero this summer for fitting-out. Photos can be seen on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Midwest-Aero-R ... 098441015/

If you can't view the FB page, here are some select photos:
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C61C55B
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C6221F1
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C5B2A02
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C1D9F02
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C20B781

More photos of the restoration, taken by George Land on a visit last month, can be seen here as well:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343875637
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343876637
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343876207
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343877637
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/43562517014
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343877417
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343877187
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343875077


- Third, the Collings Foundation's original Fw-190F-8 (WkNr.93182), under restoration at Gosshawk Unlimited, is looking closer and closer to completion within recent months. The completed, tuned and tested BMW 801 engine arrived from Mike Nixon earlier this year and was more recently installed to the airframe, with the wing/fuselage mating and tail installation having also taken place this summer. When completed, this will be only the second flying original/authentic Fw-190 as well as only the second flying example with a BMW 801 engine. Recent photos of the project have been posted to the Gosshawk Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/GossHawkUnlimitedInc

Here is the most recent photo shared thus-far, taken by Zdenek Bubak. https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C241235


- And fourth, Kermit Weeks has been sharing some recent photos of his Bf-109G project being built in Canada (mostly all new construction with some original parts). I don't know the identity they'll be using, but it sounds like they do have an identity to go from off of a wrecked/recovered G-6.
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C27FD27
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C2BBCAB
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C15B98F
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C2C3EE5
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C176DC3
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C5F69E2
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C5B8555

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Sat Sep 22, 2018 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[k5083]

Huh. Other than that, nothing interesting going on?

Seriously, we live in a lucky time for airplane buffs.

August

[OD/NG]

Thanks for the update John! I wish I had the time to scour the internet for all the latest updates on restorations. I appreciate you giving us these periodic updates from time to time!

[mike furline]

This pic shows a second Fw-190 fuselage at Gosshawk. ????

https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C241235

[JohnTerrell]

I don't recall with any positivity what identity that second fuselage has/may be, but the Collings Foundation also has an Fw-190D-9 project as well.

[OD/NG]

This pic shows a second Fw-190 fuselage at Gosshawk. ????

https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C241235

According to Gosshawk, it's a "mock up fuselage", whatever that means. I take it to mean a non-flyable Flug Werke fuselage used for test fittings, etc. Anybody know more?

[JohnTerrell]

Some photos from earlier this summer showed the BMW 801 for the Collings Fw-190 being fitted to that other fuselage first, with some of the QEC components built up while it was on that separate fuselage, before the engine and mount were transferred to the Collings aircraft. https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C1A9E37

[phil65]

So where is FHCAM's original Me-262 now ?

Thanks,
Phil

[JohnTerrell]

It has been at Arlington, Washington with Morgan Aircraft.

[phil65]

Going to Seattle on October 1st. May need to take a look...

[phil65]

What museum would you go to if you only had a day in the Seattle area ?

Thanks.
Phil

[OD/NG]

Some photos from earlier this summer showed the BMW 801 for the Collings Fw-190 being fitted to that other fuselage first, with some of the QEC components built up while it was on that separate fuselage, before the engine and mount were transferred to the Collings aircraft. https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C1A9E37

It doesn't make much sense to build a "mock up" fuselage that wouldn't be used for flying unless it was one of these 3 scenarios:

1) It is an original prototype #1, "proof of concept" Flug Werke fuselage that was used to test/validate the manufacturing and engineering concepts. IIRC, Gosshawk bought the entire Flug Werke assembly, including blueprints, engineering rights, parts, plans, jigs, fixtures, etc.

2) It is a "wrecked" or "bent" fuselage that is beyond salvage and not cost economical to repair. There have been many Flug Werke aircraft that have wrecked over the years. Could this be a leftover from one of those accidents?

3) This is an original Texas Air Museum FW-190 that was bought from them. Though TAM did the best that they could with the limited resources available, their static restoration of one of their 190's was not up to airworthy standards. Could this be one of those aircraft?

If I were to speculate, I would guess that it's one of the three scenarios above. Can someone confirm?

[JohnTerrell]

I know it's not the answers you're looking for, OD/NG, but I thought it a point to add as well that it is a fuselage that they have been working on over time as well. This photo from three years ago shows the same fuselage in the background and at that time it was not quite as complete as it is now. http://warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uplo ... rizona.jpg

Makes me think of all of the Fw-190's linked to Jerry Yagen and what the future may hold for those - Fw 190A-3 WkNr.5467, Fw 190A-8 WkNr.350177, Fw 190A-8 WkNr.732183, and Fw 190D-9 WkNr.211028. In a video shot earlier this year by Kermit Weeks, there was a Jumo 213 engine earmarked for Jerry Yagen at Mike Nixon's shop.

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[OD/NG]

I know it's not the answers you're looking for, OD/NG, but I thought it a point to add as well that it is a fuselage that they have been working on over time as well. This photo from three years ago shows the same fuselage in the background and it not as complete as it is now. http://warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uplo ... rizona.jpg

No problem, thanks John. It is difficult to keep all the original FW 190 identities separate from the Flug Werke replicas. I know in the past that there have been several projects that have intermingled parts of Flug Werke and Focke-Wulf in the same airframes. It would be nice to get some definitive answers to keep all the projects straight.

[DoraNineFan]

This pic shows a second Fw-190 fuselage at Gosshawk. ????

https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5C241235

Gosshawk bought the entire FlugWerk inventory, parts, and jigs when it was offered for sale. So they do much of the Flugwerk construction now also.

I really wish Flying Heritage Collection would be more open with their work. Seeing the Me-262 come together and testing the Jumo engines would be very interesting.

No status on the Flying Heritage Collection Fw-189? It seems this has been stalled for 15-20 years now.

Also a sneak peak at the Flying Heritage Collection Stuka would be great.