Warbird Information Exchange

Found this old girl in Santa Fe NM over the weekend, Sad thing is that I was told it hadn't flown in a very long time . I was told also that many an offer to buy it get ignored. Too bad she can't be kept up in the air . N72GT if anybody wants to look it up

Boy, I remember that one! We spent gobs of time on it at Nelson's place back in 1997...maybe 1998. I reckon that was before your time there, right Steve? It was a neat machine, and in MY opinion, much nicer to work on than a Twin Beech......especially with the R-1340s on it.

I've got some neat video of us doing the FAA required fuel dump tests for the tanks we installed that were used for the around the world flight. We filled the fuselage tanks with water (to the equivalent weight of full fuel), and Nelson took it to altitude, with Howard Pardue and Chad Ezell in the T-6, following. Chad took the video as Nelson dumped the water. It was pretty impressive how fast it all came out. From the ground, it looked like the ol' Electra had a smoke system.

It was a cool ol' machine, but its a shame it's turned into such a derilect. Linda Finch pretty much just parked it out on the ramp at Denton, TX for years before it finally disappeared. I was wondering where it went. Darn shame.

Gary

Another sad part of this planes fate, is that as I have heard, the landing gear from the Western Aerospace Museum's ( Oakland,CA) Lockheed owned by Fred Patterson were loaned to make Finch's Lockheed flyable, and were never returned after her trip, thus the plane now sits gearless many years later at the museum.

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Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

What's the story surrounding Linda Finch? I've heard some pros and cons. Does she still own the aircraft?
It's a shame to see it just sitting there. They could've used it for the "Earhart" Film shooting last year!
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Yanks has reproduced some of the aluminum main landing gear castings if that is what they are lacking.

Some things just can't be said on a public forum. That's all I'll say about that, so use your imagination.

Gary

Ouch!
I guess I should Google her name and see what I dig up!
Jerry

_________________
"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."