Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 7:03 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Tom Reilly's P-38 parts
PostPosted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:14 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 12:26 am
Posts: 191
Location: Bryan Ohio
About 20 years ago I was down in Florida on vacation. Stopped in at Tom Reilly's museum. While there the guide showed a fair number of P-38 parts that were stored inside the museum. Any body know what might be there current status? Did West Pac buy what was there as I think they have perhaps the largest known cache of original P-38 parts? Just curious after all these years where this stuff went.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:51 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:36 pm
Posts: 715
I don't know where Reilly's stuff went to, but don't forget HARS - they are currently restoring 3 P-38's. I would say they would probably be the second largest cache of P-38 parts after WestPac.

After WestPac's and HAR's P-38 supplies dry up we probably won't see any more P-38's being restored to airworthy condition unless another one comes out of the jungle. Other than that, the best hope would be to see one of the static P-38's being sold to a collector who can restore it to flying condition.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 4:50 pm 
Offline
2000+ Post Club
2000+ Post Club

Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2004 2:38 pm
Posts: 2628
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Don't forget the complete example found in the weeds at Guadalcanal a couple years ago. It had an MIA in the cockpit.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 7:29 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:45 pm
Posts: 1089
Location: Kimberley, B. C. Canada
I was poking through the Registry recently for labelling information for some 1970s P-38 pictures, and ran across several entries indicating that Planes of Fame owned the wreckage. Has all that stuff moved on, or been used for the two airplanes they've restored?

_________________
Neal Nurmi

---Wingman Photo---


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 3:50 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:36 pm
Posts: 715
wingmanjim wrote:
Don't forget Kermit's 38.

marine air wrote:
Don't forget the complete example found in the weeds at Guadalcanal a couple years ago. It had an MIA in the cockpit.

I was intentionally not counting those two.

Kermit Weeks has over 140 aircraft in his collection, the vast majority of which need a complete restoration. His P-38 has not begun the restoration process, as it's still in the same dilapidated condition as when he obtained it. Unfortunately, his museum is suffering from financial difficulties and his restorations are not exactly known for being speedy. Some of his aircraft have been in restoration for over 30 years. I seriously doubt we will see Kermit restore the P-38 in his lifetime, imo.

As far as the Guadalcanal example, I've heard that it hasn't left the island and that there is no intention of restoring it to flying condition. I actually agree with this. That aircraft is a "time-capsule" and the best place for it is on display at the NMUSAF at Wright-Pat, imo.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 3:52 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:36 pm
Posts: 715
Neal Nurmi wrote:
I was poking through the Registry recently for labelling information for some 1970s P-38 pictures, and ran across several entries indicating that Planes of Fame owned the wreckage. Has all that stuff moved on, or been used for the two airplanes they've restored?

Which P-38 wreckage are you referring to?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:30 am 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 7:14 pm
Posts: 1667
Location: Oslo, NORWAY
Didn't the Reilly stuff end up with Jim Frye and go to Colorado?

T J

_________________
Make my day, punk!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 6:11 am 
Offline
2000+ Post Club
2000+ Post Club

Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm
Posts: 2521
OD/NG wrote:
wingmanjim wrote:

marine air wrote:
Don't forget the complete example found in the weeds at Guadalcanal a couple years ago. It had an MIA in the cockpit.


As far as the Guadalcanal example, I've heard that it hasn't left the island and that there is no intention of restoring it to flying condition. I actually agree with this. That aircraft is a "time-capsule" and the best place for it is on display at the NMUSAF at Wright-Pat, imo.


https://m.warhistoryonline.com/war-arti ... vered.html

https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/ ... 28570.html
"During the middle of July 2017, the P-38 was placed into a container and exported to Australia where it is to be restored to airworthy condition free of charge."


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 3:54 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:36 pm
Posts: 715
mike furline wrote:
OD/NG wrote:
wingmanjim wrote:

marine air wrote:
Don't forget the complete example found in the weeds at Guadalcanal a couple years ago. It had an MIA in the cockpit.


As far as the Guadalcanal example, I've heard that it hasn't left the island and that there is no intention of restoring it to flying condition. I actually agree with this. That aircraft is a "time-capsule" and the best place for it is on display at the NMUSAF at Wright-Pat, imo.


https://m.warhistoryonline.com/war-arti ... vered.html

https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/ ... 28570.html
"During the middle of July 2017, the P-38 was placed into a container and exported to Australia where it is to be restored to airworthy condition free of charge."

Thanks for the update Mike, I wasn't aware of that. That's pretty big news, if true, and I'm surprised it hasn't made the rounds on the internet yet, other than the pacificwrecks site. One thing bothers me about that statement however. It says that it will be "restored to airworthy condition free of charge". Nobody does that unless a National government is involved. If a National government is involved it would be EXTREMELY unlikely to be restored to airworthy condition as the vast majority don't fly their aircraft. Very few governments have a National collection that flies warbirds, the one exception I can think of at the moment is the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. To restore that P-38 to flying condition would probably require 4 to 6 Million USD. Nobody does that for free, especially private individuals. Unless a trade is offered - something like the 2 A-20's that came out of PNG, with one being restored by the Australian government to return to PNG in exchange for approving export of the aircraft - I don't see how this could be true.

It just sounds fishy to me.

Can somebody confirm that the Guadalcanal P-38 is indeed being restored to flying condition? Anybody have details?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 6:01 pm 
Offline
2000+ Post Club
2000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:00 pm
Posts: 2128
Location: Utah
Isn't this the one where the PNG government is really irked at the guy that hauled it away? Seems like the guy had a reputation for "helping" people out of aircraft and turning them into big profit for himself on the promise of a 'free' restoration ?

Tom P.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:21 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 7:06 pm
Posts: 424
Yes there is rumours that the P-38 from Guadalcanal is going to Jungle Bob in Sydney, Australia. The guy from the 60 minutes program.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:37 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 7:02 am
Posts: 313
Location: Up the Hill,Norwest from Brizzy
The last P38 that came out of Auss was from the Classic Jet Museum.It ended up in the Uk.

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


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:56 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:36 pm
Posts: 715
Lightning wrote:
Yes there is rumours that the P-38 from Guadalcanal is going to Jungle Bob in Sydney, Australia. The guy from the 60 minutes program.

Thanks for the info. Hey, if he's restoring airworthy airplanes "for free" now, I've got some projects for him, lol!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 03, 2017 10:01 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2016 1:36 pm
Posts: 715
Spitty wrote:
The last P38 that came out of Auss was from the Classic Jet Museum.It ended up in the Uk.

One of my contacts from Australia told me that P-38 was disassembled, in storage, and had not left yet for the U.K. That was from earlier in the year. Has it finally left for the the U.K.?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:29 am 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am
Posts: 3321
It has been in the UK, at the former A-10 base of RAF Bentwaters, for a couple of years now.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], spriso and 75 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group