Warbird Information Exchange

If I could. I would… start the TORA TORA TORA North Eastern Wing

I would start by buying those 2 BT-13 projects on Courtesy Aircraft, and buy David Tallichet’s replica Val at the March Field Museum.

From there I would attempt to restore the already converted Val back to flyable condition and probably convert both of the unfinished BT-13’s into two replica Kates.

Then I would attempt to request the aid of the:

-Dixie Wing’s replica Zero and Kate
-Ken Laird’s Val
-The Olympic Air Museum’s Zero.

(All spanning across the Eastern Side of North America)

With those 2 Zeros, 3 Kates, and 2 Vals I would try and start a Northern based Tora Tora team, since the original group probably can’t fly all around North America, we would be the “reserve” group so to speak.

The only other additions I would want to make to the group at this point would be to try and purchase or obtain 2 more replica Zeros.

Well almost. I would also have to get a C-47 as the hauler and “modify” it to disguise it as a Japanese Showa L2D.

So in the end my own personal squadron of Japanese, show stopping, warbirds would consist of:

4- Zeros
3- Kates
2- Vals
1- L2D

Of course it probably wouldn’t be personal. It would be a volunteer organization that met up with the rest of the Tora Tora group at the big C.A.F. airshow every year.

Imagine seeing that many enemy aircraft at one place?

I don’t think the CAF has that many Allied fighter’s to put up in the air to beat back that kind of airpower!

What do you guys think of my crazy idea? I know it’s farfetched and nearly impossible, but man what a dream it would be to see come to fruition!


Chris

the l2d is the japanese version of the tabby / u.s. c-47 built under license by the japanese isn't it ??? that would be to cool......... aside from the japanese paint scheme, you'd have to extend the side cockpit windows, as they were notably longer in the japanese version.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Yep, and maybe change the engine cowlings and exhaust stacks around to give it that authentic look. All in all not a radical modification compared to the two BT-13's I’d have to butcher to make my Franken-Kates.

You would need way more than the 2 BTs' to make Kates. They only used the empanage on Kates, the rest was T-6 and a lot of sheet metal.

All due respect, but....IMHO the Tora, Tora, Tora display is not only , but a huge waste of time, effort & $$$.
I would just as soon simply watch the Japanese aircraft do fly-bys than to sit through all the bogus explosions and huge clouds of smoke that tend to obscure the aircraft anyway.

Like I said...just my 2¢

Mudge the killjoy

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If you want to do an authentic L2D, you'd need to start with a DC-3, not a C-47. The Japanese built DC-3s under lisence, and developed their own cargo version independently. In addition to the extended flight deck windows and Japanese engines and cowls, you'd also have to re-locate the cargo doors..on the Tabby they were a bit smaller and further forward. I researched the differences when I converted a 1/72 C-47 to a Tabby last year (about as close as I'll get to building my own Tora Tora Tora wing.)

Here's the finished product..engines and cowls are homemade resin castings.

SN

Mudge: Thats fine. Thats why i love this forum. You can speak your opinion. I personally always found the reenactments to be entertaining and just a plus to the benifit to having all of those warbirds in the air at one time. I always figured it as an enhancement.

Steve: Great model! I still am surprised that no one with an old DC-3 somewhere hasnt converted into a Tabby yet. I would believe that having somthing new and different on the circut would be a plus. Look at Spooky!

Obergrafter: Yeah your probably right, I would have to obtain a good amount of T-6 parts including a few airframe hulks. Maybe from the Middle East?

Oh, Gee Mudge. Im disapointed in you. I've always liked the Tora, Tora, Tora squadron. Really like the movie and it is cool to actually see the movie aircraft up close and personal. You have to look at it this way, its a part of history that IS STILL ALIVE!

-Nathan(the hopeful)

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Actually, wasen't the L2D copied after the DC-2?

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Possibly, Not sure on that one, but by looking at the model, it looks like a DC-3.

I guess your right....



But note that there is a observation dome just behind the cockpit.

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Hey, speaking of DC-3's and what not, how is the WoEDC's C-47 Nathan? What is the latest news with my favorite museum in general?

Note: I've gotta admit, I liked the name, The National Warplane Museum better than the new name.

Thats why when i make my millions in Fantasy Land, I'll probably call it The Stratford Warplane Museum or somthing like it. It would be the premier flying museum of Connecticut. Actually it would be the only flying museum in Conneticut and would complement the static display, Conneticut Air and Space Center, located at the same Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

Collection would include: 2- Corsairs
1- B-25
1- P-47
1- AT-6
1- T-28
1- BT-15
1- PBY
1- Goose

2- Zeros (replica)
1- Val (replica)
1- Kate (replica)
1- Tabby

Of course there are even rarer aircraft that i wouldnt mind having in the collection either.

B-24
P-39
Zero, (authentic, or at least acurate like the Fargo Air museum)
Hurricane
Me-109
FW-190 (Flug Werk)

Aloha All,
The GULF COAST WING has since 1973 a consultant for Japanese aircraft repaint...when a CAF owned plane had the need. Check with the ToraLead Charles Hutchison and his men...when you come to details.
Cheers,
David

That's actually the L2D-3, a one-off version with a gun cupola on top. I wanted to build that version cause it looks cool, but mine was for a group project and I was limited to a specific airfraime (an L2D-2 in my case.) The best reference I was able to find was the old "Maru Mechanic" book on the DC-3 / C-47 / L2D. Unfortunately I couldn't read a word of the text, but at least the pictures were in English.

Someday I may try to convert a C-47 to an Li-2 with a gun turret on top..


SN

Nathan wrote:


I beg to differ with it being "still alive". If it were ACTUAL Japanese a/c doing the display, I'd agree with you. To the best of my memory, it's some modified T-6's and some oil fires and we have to be TOLD what it is they're doing. It's "advertised" as "Tora, Tora, Tora" the attack on Pearl Harbor. If there were no lead in explanations as to what it's supposed to be, people would only think it was a bunch of modified T-6's and some oil fires and explosions.

Mudge the illusionist

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Land of the free because of the brave