Soplata Collection

[Pat Carry]

Besides the Avenger which left recently for a new owner, did any other Soplata aircraft find new homes in 2018? Thanks

[JohnTerrell]

Based on the "Soplata Collection Sold" thread, in addition to the TBM it sounded as though the P-47 fuselage, an SNJ, and an F-86 may have all been sold, as well as perhaps the P-38 wings, Corsair fuselage and BT-14 (which had been listed as available mid-way through the thread, but then were no longer part of the list of what remained available toward the end of the thread). It would be interesting to hear if any more of the airframes that remained were sold over the past few months since that thread came to an end.

I thought I would mention it here too that I'm really excited for the restoration of B-25J 44-86708, that Kevin Hooey, of New York, acquired from the Soplata estate in 2017. Sections are being restored in both New York and Georgia (with Tom Reilly), and it is expected to be completed and flying somewhere between 2024 and 2028. It will be painted in the markings of "Old Ironsides III", a B-25J that served with the 340th Bomb Group, 488th Bomb Squadron - one of the B-25's associated with bombardier Joseph Heller (author of Catch-22). Really hoping for OD/green over bare metal with this one, and really just very happy for another B-25 being restored to fly.

[marine air]

I thin I the collection was going through some estate legal work and not too much has left since late summer. The B-25 of course, the F-86A, the partial FG1D Corsair is gone. The Japanese aircraft engine is gone. There isn’t a BT-14 on the property. The BT-15 is there but will probably be retained by a family member. The SNJ-6 is sold and may have made it out of there before the snows.
The family is very sincere about respecting their fathers wishes and these airplanes going to good homes. Right now, that part of Ohio gets over 100 inches of snow so things are at a standstill for a while.

[Kyleb]

I thought I would mention it here too that I'm really excited for the restoration of B-25J 44-86708, that Kevin Hooey, of New York, acquired from the Soplata estate in 2017. Sections are being restored in both New York and Georgia (with Tom Reilly), and it is expected to be completed and flying somewhere between 2024 and 2028. It will be painted in the markings of "Old Ironsides III", a B-25J that served with the 340th Bomb Group, 488th Bomb Squadron - one of the B-25's associated with bombardier Joseph Heller (author of Catch-22). Really hoping for OD/green over bare metal with this one, and really just very happy for another B-25 being restored to fly.

Any insight on why the new owner pursued restoring a hulk as opposed to finding a flyer or recent flyer to restore? From what I've seen on this project, it is going to require a lot of work and $$.

[airnutz]

Perhaps being a Soplata survivor has become a collectible badge of provenance in its' own right.

[ZodiacTrooper]

For someone who has not been able to see the 'Sold List', was the B-36 sold off?

[marine air]

The B-36 is there as well as it’s wings. To get it off base and home it had to be cut into several pieces. Any thing magnesium such as the wing skins are mostly gone. The nose in the photo has been cobbled together from several pieces. Reminiscent of the Bf-109 finds in Europe where they take all the bits and pieces and using a steel tubular endoskeleton piece together the bits to represent an aircraft.

[emarkay]

The B-36 is there as well as it’s wings. To get it off base and home it had to be cut into several pieces. Any thing magnesium such as the wing skins are mostly gone. The nose in the photo has been cobbled together from several pieces.

How complete is the nose section; seats, gauges and controls still there? That would make for one awesome flight simulator setup (but seriously, a unique item for a museum...) Are any of the 6 engines there; presentable as displays?