Mid America Flight Museum acquires Thunderbird

[Dennis7423]

Out of curiosity, is there any plan to repaint Thunderbird into a different scheme? While I do love the current scheme, it does have some inaccuracies. Mid America Flight Museum seems to put a lot of value into depicting accurate schemes. Maybe even update the scheme to be more accurate? Anyone heard any rumbles?

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

[B17drvr]

Out of curiosity, is there any plan to repaint Thunderbird into a different scheme? While I do love the current scheme, it does have some inaccuracies. Mid America Flight Museum seems to put a lot of value into depicting accurate schemes. Maybe even update the scheme to be more accurate? Anyone heard any rumbles?

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

What is that you don't like about the paint?

[Dennis7423]

Never said I didn't like it... the grey on the bottom is too bright for neutral grey, and the overall paint is very glossy. It's very reminiscent of warbird paint jobs from the 1970's and 1980's. Just curious if Mid America, which seems to value historically accurate paint schemes, might update it, or, as often happens when aircraft change hands, receive a new paint scheme. If she were to be historically accurate, she would have a natural metal cowling on the inside port side, and a natural metal rudder, too!

Just curious is all.

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

[Kyleb]

and a natural metal rudder, too!

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

Whaa?

[Dennis7423]

and a natural metal rudder, too!

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

Whaa?

I should have said... a silver rudder... certainly not metal

- Dennis S.
Thornton, CO USA

[expat]

I helpt take Spitfire TE392 apart back in 84 at RAF Hereford , i was there on basic training

[ZRX61]

I helpt take Spitfire TE392 apart back in 84 at RAF Hereford , i was there on basic training

SAS are based there these days.

[Firebird]

How does that statement tie in with them selling an active P-47 with plenty of Heritage Flight commitments each year to sit parked in a shed in the back end of nowhere?

Well considering it hasn't actually been sold yet, that's a pretty crass statement, even for someone on this forum. As for it being "parked in a shed in the back end of nowhere", I don't consider Evansville, IN, to exactly be a fit for that, especially considering it's literally the city where Tarheel Hal was built.

Maybe before you go and defame a group, you might want to do even basic research?

https://www.evansvillewartimemuseum.org/

What was crass about it?
Mike's comment was pretty fare and accurate. Selling an airworthy P-47 to become a static exhibit does not tie in with the statement of LSFM as stated.

Trying to make out it hasn't been sold yet is pretty lame semantics in the situation, as its quite clear on their website (which you even linked to provide basic research ) that they entered in a sale agreement having already raised over a million dollars for its purchase, but still need to raise 800k to keep it there.
Are LSFM going to take it back in a couple of years time if they can't then? Is it going to be kept airworthy in that period of time in case they can't so it can be flown out to somewhere else or a new owner?
Of course not.
Congrats to Evansville Museum for getting what they wanted, its not their fault, but it a crying shame to see an airworthy aircraft be grounded to became a museum exhibit.

And $1.75m seems remarkably cheap for an rare airworthy Jug...or is that the going rate for P-47's these days?

[warbirdfinder]

Any idea of the selling price of the B-17G?

[Warbirdnerd]

I heard $10.5M for the B-17. I wonder if Paul Allen’s will be the next one to hit the market?
LoneStar lost me years ago when I saw this story-
https://www.khou.com/article/news/speci ... 5-87776321

[garandglen]

Hello

I volunteer at the Evansville Wartime Museum. I believe the selling price is $3.5 Million.

Glen





And $1.75m seems remarkably cheap for an rare airworthy Jug...or is that the going rate for P-47's these days?[/quote]

[B17drvr]

I heard $10.5M for the B-17. I wonder if Paul Allen’s will be the next one to hit the market?
LoneStar lost me years ago when I saw this story-
https://www.khou.com/article/news/speci ... 5-87776321

After the hurricane LSFM was very short on cash. Several employees went without paychecks. A volunteer stepped up and repaired the flag pole. Nobody at the Galveston location was anti flag. There were flags in the lobby and in the hangar, but you probably don't care about that.

[CAPFlyer]

So, to bring this back to the forefront - Scott Glover (owner/founder of MAFM) has followed through and delivered his rare Tri-Gear Howard 250 to LSFM, which was a separate but related item to the purchase of Thunderbird. The airplane has been sitting for a couple years, so it was delivered via Ferry Permit, but it looks like LSFM is planning on adding it to their ride program in the future.

https://www.lonestarflight.org/events/r ... ollection/

Last edited by CAPFlyer on Tue Mar 02, 2021 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

[OD/NG]

So, to bring this back to the forefront - Steve Dean (owner/founder of MAFM) has followed through and delivered his rare Tri-Gear Howard 250 to LSFM, which was a separate but related item to the purchase of Thunderbird. The airplane has been sitting for a couple years, so it was delivered via Ferry Permit, but it looks like LSFM is planning on adding it to their ride program in the future.

https://www.lonestarflight.org/events/r ... ollection/

Great news, thanks for the info! Regarding Steve Dean - I'm not familiar with him and haven't heard his name before. I had always assumed that Scott Glover was the founder and financial backer of the museum. Is my assumption incorrect?

[CAPFlyer]

Sorry, you are right. That's what I get for not double checking what I'm typing while I'm at a Civil Air Patrol meeting, looking for a story on something else, remembering this one popping up on my Facebook feed, and then seeing a post from Steve Dean (an aviation acquaintance) popping up in my feed and realizing I hadn't spoken to him in a while.

Anyway, corrected my original post and have made a reminder to talk to Steve soon.