Rudy Frasca - Frasca Air Museum

Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:18 pm

I got the opportunity to visit the Frasca family’s warbird hangars & museum this afternoon. I arrived just after David Frasca had finished his second flight of the day and the P-40 was still parked outside basking in the sun, making for some decent photo opportunities.

Until now I really didn’t have a good idea as to exactly what aircraft Rudy Frasca has accumulated over the years. Below are some photos of the majority of the warbird collection. There were quite a few others in the hangar as well, including various kit planes and homebuilts along with a few military vehicles.

I was specifically looking forward to seeing the Flug Werk FW-190 project, but alas it’s been relocated to the west coast for eventual completion. David Frasca said it will probably remain out there to spend some time once it finally flies.

I wasn't aware that the Frasca’s had earned their warbird collection by designing and manufacturing flight simulators. The last couple of photos show a few of these very impressive rigs (wish I had one!).

Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:26 pm

Great shots, Rob. Thanks for posting.

Excuse my ignorance, but what's the story behind the Spitfire project they have?

Gary

Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:41 pm

Rob - Thank you so much for posting these! I was honored to receive the Joseph Frasca Scholarship nearly ten years ago while in college and had an opportunity to speak over the phone with Rudy - such a nice man.

It's so rare to see photos of the collection and I am pretty impressed with what they have... I wasn't even aware of the Wildcat quite honestly. I have been meaning to make a trip out there to thank them in person for helping my college education, and this gives me renewed energy to do so soon!

Thanks!
Ryan

Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:46 pm

Ryan,
Just think how different things would have been had he fastened his parachute straps..................

Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:48 pm

..a REEAALLYY old 737-200 center pedestal, minus trim wheels? That'd be one heck of a restoration!

Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:02 pm

what's the story behind the Spitfire project they have?

David said it had been there for a long time, but I didn't know how long until I checked the Warbird Registry. Looks like it's ex-Indian Air Force...

Delivered to Indian AF as HS653, Dec. 31, 1947.
Ormond & Wensley Haydon-Baillie, Duxford, UK, 1977.
- Hulk recovered from Barakpor AB.
Rudy Frasca/Antiques & Classics Inc/Frasca Air Museum, Champaigne, IL, 1979-2002.
- Long term restoration to airworthy, Champaigne, IL, 1992-2001.

Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:20 pm

Matt Gunsch wrote:Ryan,
Just think how different things would have been had he fastened his parachute straps..................

Yeah, that was certainly one of the most unfortunate situations to happen in the aviation world.

Gary

Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:04 pm

I think this is the same Spitfire some years back.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1247082244057392307MbYgIA

Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:02 pm

retroaviation wrote:Yeah, that was certainly one of the most unfortunate situations to happen in the aviation world.

Gary

Joe Frasca did an awesome aerobatic routine in the P-40 at Oshkosh one year, including a loop with a snaproll at the top. Low and very impressive. He also flew his little aerobatic plane rather impresively. That guy sure could fly!

Sat Jul 04, 2009 1:50 am

retroaviation wrote:
Yeah, that was certainly one of the most unfortunate situations to happen in the aviation world.

Gary
Joe Frasca did an awesome aerobatic routine in the P-40 at Oshkosh one year, including a loop with a snaproll at the top. Low and very impressive. He also flew his little aerobatic plane rather impresively. That guy sure could fly!

What happened to him?

Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:07 am

One of those special moments, Jeffrey Quill, Spitfire Chief Development Test Pilot through WWII, signs Rudy's Mk. XVIII, TP280.

This at a private 'Garden Party' for 60 Squadron pilots at Audley End, UK, in August 1992.

PeterA

Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:32 am

bdk wrote:Joe Frasca did an awesome aerobatic routine in the P-40 at Oshkosh one year, including a loop with a snaproll at the top. Low and very impressive. He also flew his little aerobatic plane rather impresively. That guy sure could fly!

Joe did solo acro in both the Kitty and the FM-2 for several years at OSH. He was indeed proficient and his routines were always enjoyable. I preferred his Wildcat routine to Pardue's.

The 34-year-old paint on that Kittyhawk still looks good! It was applied by Don Plumb of Windsor Ont. who owned the plane in 1975 along with what are now Bill Greenwood's Spitfire and Cavanaugh's P-40N. Though not perfect, it is still one of the better attempts at an AVG scheme on a flying P-40.

The serial number on the tail is of the P-51D in which Plumb was killed in 1975.

The Kitty and FM were among the nicest warbirds around in the late 1970s -- the Kitty was OSH Grand Champ in '76 -- and they appeared in a famous photo in a National Geographic article, circa 1978 I think, that was one of the first and best instances of mainstream media coverage of Oshkosh.

August

Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:59 am

Can anyone identify the odd canopy, and the hard points (which look to have been torched off!)?

Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:05 am

Awesome collection. THat is how I would love my hangar to look. Funny how no matter which collection you look at, there is always a Cub!

Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:07 am

Canopy looks to be Chipmunk.

G