Re: Former Air Zoo Bearcat & Tigercat fighters

Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:34 am

Hello,

Maybe I missed this info on the WIX. Any idea on where the former Air Zoo Museum Tigercat & Bearcat fighters went? If so, will they be flown again?

Thanks,

Ron W.
www.beyondpearlharbor.com

Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:00 pm

Ron,

AFAIK, the Tigercat and Bearcat were still at Kalamazoo last week.
One of my friend has visited them and took some photos.

Ben

Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:02 pm

I was at the Air Zoo last week and didn't see them anywhere.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:58 pm

I thought the Tigercat went to Rod Lewis, or did he buy a different one?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:16 pm

I was there last weekend. I think I heard that the bearcat was going to the west coast.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:50 pm

Elroy13 wrote:I was there last weekend. I think I heard that the bearcat was going to the west coast.

hopefully the northwest coast!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:48 pm

spookythecat wrote:
Elroy13 wrote:I was there last weekend. I think I heard that the bearcat was going to the west coast.

hopefully the northwest coast!

Lower than central and a bit to the East :-)

Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:00 am

I was also there a week ago yesterday and didn't see them either.

Website · Fri Aug 15, 2008 12:30 am

Someone was there from ASB last week and said they were in the maintenance/ restoration hangar.

Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:11 am

warbirdguy wrote:Someone was there from ASB last week and said they were in the maintenance/ restoration hangar.

Thats where they were at. We were able to get a behind the scenes tour if you will. The Tigercat was in the middle of the hangar with the #1 engine off and the Bearcat was out in the sun being worked on as well as the external fuel tank. Its a really nice place! The new 3D film located in the hut is really cool!

Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:53 am

Dang, didn't think about them having a maintenance hangar still, should have dug deeper.

Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:00 am

They have V-1 that they were restoring. The wings were in the wood shop. Also a Sopwith Camel if I remember correctly. They also had some sort of 1920's era kit plane. The name of it escapes me but I believe it started with an "H". We headed over to the Zoo on monday morning. I really enjoyed the whole place. I thought the floors were pretty cool being painted in sections and then put together on the museum floor.

Last edited by Elroy13 on Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:10 am

The homebuilt being restored is a 1920-something Heath Parasol "kit plane" (the same Heath Company famous for radio and electronic kits.) It was an uncompleted project found stashed in a barn. When the original owner passed away, his estate donated it to the Zoo.

The Camel is a simlar case..It's a replica incorporating some original parts. It was another lifetime "labor of love" that the original owner was unable to complete before he died. His family gave it to the museum, and the staff are having to build the wings from scratch.

SN

Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:06 pm

The Tigercat is indeed going to Rod Lewis. The Bearcat is going to Oklahoma, but I can't provide any further details.

Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:46 am

Thank you for the info.

I am sad to see them to go but hopefully they will at least fly again.

Ron