Pima Air & Space Museum Night Wings

[bilwor]

The Pima Air & Space Museum 3 Saturday nights a year - June, July, August - is open from 5pm until 9pm. The photos were taken last evening. July & August should be better if we get some clouds for better sunsets.
bill word

[JohnB]

Not a complaint...but with the uniform silver paint (as opposed to natral metal) and the painted windows, the B-36 looks like a huge model.


Nice shots...Pima is one of my favorite places.

[kalamazookid]

Cool shots! Love that B-47.

[P51Mstg]

B-36 was a valuable addition to the collection. Now you have a place to stand in the shade to shoot the rest of the museum from......

Mark H

[67N20]

Love the shot of the AT6 (?) with the barracks in the background.

[steve dickey]

http://www.pimaair.org/collection-detail.php?cid=203

[bilwor]

North American NA-64 "Yale" (64-2150)(RCAF 3397)(purchased by France in 1939 but was 1 of
119 sent to Canada in 1940 after fall of France and then used in the RCAF as a trainer)

[JohnB]

North American NA-64 "Yale" (64-2150)(RCAF 3397)(purchased by France in 1939 but was 1 of
119 sent to Canada in 1940 after fall of France and then used in the RCAF as a trainer)

Is it ex-Ernie Simmons? It seems most are.

[steve dickey]

I don't think so, the museums book on its aircraft says it was civil reg. in 1974 by Alvin Broeker and John Jackson who then donated it to the museum.
"JamesinTucson" can give the full details.
When was the Simmons auction, I can't remember?

[jamesintucson]

I don't think so, the museums book on its aircraft says it was civil reg. in 1974 by Alvin Broeker and John Jackson who then donated it to the museum.
"JamesinTucson" can give the full details.
When was the Simmons auction, I can't remember?

When I was writing the book all the information we had was that it was donated in 1974 by Broeker and Jackson and that it had the civil registration N4635G. I didn't have time to do any more detailed research into its Canadian history or its post-RCAF background. If anyone has anything more on it I'd love to hear about it so I can add it to the second edition of the museum's guide book.

James

[AviationArtist]

Nice shots, brings back many good memories!!

I visit Tucson every so often from the UK and love it. Pima Air and Space is a must stop, but you need a gallon of cool water and if you're going to walk around outside it's a hop from one shadey spot to the next!

[rcaf_100]

Is it ex-Ernie Simmons? It seems most are.

I don't think so, the museums book on its aircraft says it was civil reg. in 1974 by Alvin Broeker and John Jackson who then donated it to the museum.
"JamesinTucson" can give the full details.
When was the Simmons auction, I can't remember?

When I was writing the book all the information we had was that it was donated in 1974 by Broeker and Jackson and that it had the civil registration N4635G. I didn't have time to do any more detailed research into its Canadian history or its post-RCAF background. If anyone has anything more on it I'd love to hear about it so I can add it to the second edition of the museum's guide book.

James

While I haven't seen a photo of 3397 at the Simmons auction in 1970, it doesn't mean it wasn't there.
I know for a fact that my Yale was at the auction but I have yet to see a photo of it 'on the farm'.
Ernie picked up all but one of his Yales at Brantford airport and the majority of the Yales that we know were his were retired from RCAF service on September 25, 1946.
It would seem that most of the Yales stored at Brantford were retired all at once on that date.

3397 is among the Yales retired on the 25th, as is mine, CHAA's 3399, all three at CWH, the 'BT-14' at Dayton, etc.

There were only two people who purchased Yales from Amsco (who bought them all for scrap). One was Ernie, and the other was Cam Logan, who scrapped all but one (the same one Ernie later purchased).

So, if 3397 was retired at Brantford and survived until at least 1970, it must have been at Ernie's farm near Courtland.

By the way, I'm not sure if you knew this but the compass rose on the accessory panels does have a meaning.
It was worn by Yales serving at No. 6 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) at Dunnville, Ontario.

As an interesting side note, the one Yale owned by both Cam Logan and Ernie was flown for a very brief time (circa 1947) by a pair of teenagers from Courtland (just down the road from Ernie's farm).
Neither had a pilot's license nor was the Yale registered.
When one of them flew it to Fort Erie, the RCMP found out and promptly grounded it. It later made its way to Ernie.
Since the pair stripped all the paint off it, I can't tell which Yale it was looking at photos, but the Warbird Registry says it's either 3385 or 3415.

Hope this helps a bit with your Yale's history, James.



Shane

[jamesintucson]

Thanks Shane. That does help.

James