Warbird Information Exchange

Anyone know if the P-47N fuselage of 44-88548 still exist? Last I heard it was sold to Randy Hanniman in NV
a few decades back.

Stephen

.

The Tennessee Museum of Aviation has some flaps and ailerons that came from a former CAF P-47N. The Soplata Collection in Ohio has a P-47N that Mr. Soplata traded with Bob Diemert. It’s only a fuselage, but where did Mr Diemert get it?

The P-47N fuselage that Walter Soplata had came from Earl Reinert in a trade deal Walter had some engines that Earl wanted. The fuselage came out of Evansville after the P-47 line was shut down. It was just a shell it had never been completed.

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_6.html

44-88334/88883 Republic P-47N-5-RE Thunderbolt

88548 (MSN 549-C6765) 198th FS, Puerto Rico Air National Guard, Isla Grande Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico; 198th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron; Loaned to US Central Intelligence Agency; Rented to Nicaraguan government; Fuerza Aérea de la Guardia Nacional Nicaragua 16Jun 54; Guatemala 'Liberation AF' Jun54; Operated by US CIA from Nicaragua in Operation 'PBSuccess'; Fuerza Aérea de la Guardia Nacional Nicaragua as serial 72; WFU; SOC 1962; Will Martin/MACO Sales Financial Corp, Chicago, IL, September 2, 1963; Registered N6148U June 24, 1964, cancelled May 22, 1965; During delivery flight from Nicaragua to USA 26Sep64, force landed with engine failure wheels-up on a beach at La Marina Riv, Mexico; Wreckage recovered by Confederate AF, Mercedes, TX 1964; Stripped for parts; Fuselage stored by Commemorative AF, Albuquerque, NM