Warbird Information Exchange

All-

Exciting times are ahead. The Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum (FHCAM) is planning to unveil a new aircraft on November 10th, 2018, when they open their new, much larger hangar. They posted a teaser photo on their Facebook page, and I figured I would post it here as well:

44783367_10156076073343666_624358334962597888_o by Dennis SAuter, on Flickr

I'm no Cleco expert, but some comments on their Facebook page indicate these are not "European" sizes, meaning that it might be associated with an Allied aircraft, not their soon to be flying Me 262. Additionally, Steve Hinton is scheduled to test fly that aircraft after this announced reveal, and it wouldn't make too much sense to show off an aircraft they have been showing pretty consistently, just to dismantle it and truck it off for the test flight at another location. They seem to indicate that it is a surprise reveal, and something we haven't seen before. Could be wrong though!

I do know that they have a B-17E under restoration, and having a new, large hangar could mean she's headed our way. The warbird registry for her, 41-9210, shows a photo that she was pretty far along at some point. Could we be getting a new B-17 in the air? Maybe that's just me be hopeful?

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 19210.html

Thoughts? Would love to hear from folks who have some restoration expertise that might be able to surmise what type of restoration these Clecos and fasteners can be attributed to, if at all. Thanks!

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

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"We must bond together and fight as brothers or we will all die as fools."

Many more photos of her here, too:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ ... -42-29782/

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

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"We must bond together and fight as brothers or we will all die as fools."

I'm leaning towards the reveal being the 262 as it seemed to be the furthest along.

How far along was the P-38?

I'd be shocked if it was the B-17 as the tail turret was still on display in the museum until recently.

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A good way to build suspense/awareness.

But I've never understood the group's zeal for secrecy.
Of course I understand the need to be quietg while purchase negotiations are underway, but for something like the B-17E that you've had for decades?

Good luck to them and condolences to the staff on the recent loss of their founder.

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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.

The Facebook page had a post on October 10th offering these options for the surprise reveal.

My heart says Stuka, my brain says Wildcat.

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
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"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

I'm going with their P-38. It seemed like it was already along quite a ways, when pics of White 33 (in it's final completion stages) were posted with it in the background.

F-86A 49-1217. That would be my guess: 3/32 rivets etc would be US-standard too?

I thought they were still fairly publicly looking for Stuka blueprints to assist in their restoration. If they are still at that stage it would be hard to believe that they were done. That said, Kermit Weeks posted some videos from an engine shop that had a Stuka-compatible engine there on a stand that was in the process of being rebuilt. (my memory is fuzzy on the details) So I guess we can dream...
kevin

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my head says ME262......BUT in one of the Kermy cam video's at a well known engine shop there were a pair of Jumo 211's for a certain persons bomber....could they sneaking a reengined CASA 211?

As Thomas mentioned, the FHCAM already stated first and foremost that it is going to be one of only the four following airplanes...the B-17, Me-262, Stuka or Wildcat. (A Wildcat is the only one I've never heard of in terms of an FHCAM airplane/project, and their P-38 isn't one of the options.)

Of course we already know of their B-17E, their Me-262 (well publicized already), and their Stuka, as well as their P-38J (now being finished in Texas, not in Colorado anymore), their He-111 project (re-engined and converted Spanish-built airframe), Fw-189 project, F-86A, and the projects/plans for both a Ju-88 and Betty bomber.

Both the 262 and Stuka are metric.B17 or Wildcat would be my guess.

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If the CO ask,s you to be Tail End Charlie...Just Shoot Him..A Piece of Cake

What Wildcat does FCHAM have? A search of Geoff Goodall's Warbird Directory v6 does not produce any hits on Vulcan, FHCAM, Paul Allen, etc...

Last time I saw any photo of the B-17, it was the bombay section in a jig, but that was a couple of years ago.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
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