Warbird Information Exchange

Still at Evergreen?
FG-1D
Spit
109
P-51

Thanks!
Mark D

The Corsair was sold to David Prescott of New York and I believe is still at Airpower Unlimited being returned to flight.

The Spitfire, now owned by the Collings Foundation, is in the restoration cue at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar in the UK, and the Bf-109, also owned by the Collings Foundation, is now on display at their new museum in Massachusetts.

The P-51 was sold to Louis Horschel and is being converted into a TF-51D from what I've heard.

So are they selling stuff? Shutting down?

A number of the airplanes at the Evergreen Aviation Museum were forced to be sold a few years back to settle debts with creditors following the bankruptcy of Evergreen Vintage Aircraft and Evergreen International Air (well publicized at the time). The Collings Foundation acquired most of the aircraft that were needing to be sold, back in 2015, but a couple more warbirds were also sold in 2017 by Steve Down/The Falls Events Center, who purchased most of the Museum's remaining assets in 2016. The Collings Foundation acquired the B-17, P-38, P-40, Spitfire, Bf-109, a Stearman and the Curtiss A-22 (though it still remains at Evergreen), the Liberty Foundation acquired the Ford Trimotor, David Prescott acquired the Corsair and Louis Horschel acquired the P-51. I recall the DH-4 was among those advertised for sale at one point, and I can't recall if it was ever acquired by Collings or anyone else, but it remains at the museum. With the added room, it has been great to see some of the aircraft that had been displayed outdoors are now indoors at the museum, such as the Catalina.

(Just for clarification's sake, don't confuse this with the Erickson Aircraft Collection, as many people mistakenly do.)

Even after the sales, the museum is still well stocked with antique civil types, Helicopters and newer military jets.

Still enough of an attraction to appeal to casual visitors while the sale released rarer WWII types to be flown (and it doesn't look like many will end up locked away in a rich guy's hangar, unseen by just a few).

Considering the turmoil Evergreen's failure caused, I hate to call it a "win-win", but the outcome could have been worse.

Good thing nobody can afford to move the H-1!

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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.

Actually it's the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, OH. It's currently being toured by the EAA. I just flew in it yesterday.

SN