Warbird Information Exchange

My new place is like 30 minutes away from the Air Zoo, so I am becoming a volunteer there. I had a fast visit the other day, and here are a couple pics. The Albatross has Howard Hughes signature in the logbook along with entries that he put in there himself! Really a beauty of an aircraft. It flew to the museum, and I was told that it did have the wing A.D. done on it!

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Don't mean to burst your bubble mustangdriver but that looks like a Mallard to me?
Nice pic of the the Bearkitty, haven't seen that one in awhile, thanks for posting.

Looks to be a Mallard

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Don't touch my junk!!

Actually the "Albatross" IS a Mallard. Its a lot smaller (but still big). I remember the days flying in and out of the Erie Barge Canal in NY with dad and Gordon Newell in his Mallard.

GREAT AIRPLANE, sorry to see it comdemed to the ground.

Mark H

Those 'cats look so sad just sitting there collecting dust... I have many fond airshow memories of when they all flew together. It's a nice museum, but a shame they don't fly them anymore. Cursed insurance premiums.

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

Does anyone know what methods if any they are using to keep the aircraft systems from deteriorating?

I used to volunteer as a docent at the Zoo, but have been too busy for the past couple of years. When the warbirds were hangared at the end of the 2000 flying season, I was told that the engines were "pickled"..don't know what was done to preserve the various systems.

I was also told that all aircraft in the "new" building (including the Airacobra, Buchon, and P-47) had all the fluids removed per EPA and OSHA regs, rendering them more-or-less permanently grounded. The Mallard is in the new building as well, and I'm assuming is in the same condition (it was moved in a couple of weeks after our model contest last month, so I haven't seen it yet.)

Fortunately, the Cats and the Corsair are in the "old" building, which is an actual hangar with airport access..so they could concievably be resurrected at some point.

We'll have to hook up over there one of these days, Stangdriver..or maybe you could join the Kalamazoo or Grand Radids IPMS chapters (shameless plug!) My girlfreind and I are gonna be visiting your old stomping grounds this weekend..we're going to a model show in Cincy, and plan to spend a day at the NMUSAF. Where are you located now? Your profile still shows Pittburgh.


SN

Hey man, I am still in Pittsburgh. My wife is out in Grand Rapids, and as soon as I find an aviation job ou thtere, I am going to move. We just bought a new house in Rockford. It is really nice there. What dates are you going to be in Pittsburgh, or Dayton? I am going to be at the NMUSAF in a week from today. It would be great to meet up either in Pittsburgh, Dayton, or Michigan.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

My GF and I will be at the NMUSAF this Sunday (10/21.) I've never been to Pittsburgh, and don't have any plans to visit at the moment (nothing against the place..just never had any reason to go there.) I'm in the middle of moving right now (GF and I just got a house..so I'm packing up the little apartment I've inhabited for the past decade-and-a-half.) Once I'm established in the new digs, I may try to do some volunteering at the Zoo again.

SN

Anyone who ever saw one of the Air Zoo's Cat Flights will fondly remember what a unique sight and sound they were. I saw many of the Air Zoo's a/c at many airshows and am so sorry that they will never fly, at least not in the foreseeable future. However, they are safely preserved on display for future generations to enjoy in a safe building to protect them.
Don't want to start a flying vs. display debate...again. I enjoyed my visit to the Air Zoo a few summer's back and have always enjoyed the members I have met a various aviation events.
Ms Parrish was a real trip for a first year OSH warbird line crew volunteer, I can tell you that much.

Does anyone remember Tom Austin, that used to fly on many of the Cat Flights?

Steve G

The last time I ran into Tom Austin was at the Richmond, VA Air show back in 1996. He flew the Jug down for the show.
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."