Walter Soplata Aircraft List, The Next Generation

[mrhenniger]

Yeah, yeah... I know... ...another Soplata thread. Well I ask a bit more of your patience.

Most of the other threads here on WIX and other forums reference a list of aircraft collected my the late Walter Soplata which I compiled using Excel. There are a number of different versions out there, all are very out-of-date now including the one in the WIX downloads section (Scott, if you are reading this, that file should be removed).

Anyway... I have compiled a new version of the list using the Locator and the Airframes Database. It can be found here...
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Walter Soplata Aviation Collection
...and this version will be regularly maintained. The list separates those airframes assumed still on-site and those that have left. Of course since this is a location dossier, it includes links to the individual airframe dossiers which include what is known about the histories of the airframes. A number of WIX members here have contributed photos to the project and are included in those histories. You can find them in the airframe dossiers, or you can view them in the Gallery here...
Aerial Visuals - Walter Soplata Aircraft Photos in the Gallery

As well this is a database, and it has been set-up so you can contribute like a Wiki. If you would like to add to any of the airframe histories just use the editor in the airframe dossiers, or look for the photo upload links to contribute any photos you may have of the Soplata aircraft. It would be fantastic if we could get some uploads of the current F-82 restorations or perhaps of any work done on the F-84 which last left the collection. What I am trying to say here this is not just my list, it is a community project. So, what photos and bits of info can you share?

Mike

P.S. Here are a few teasers...

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Convair RB-36E Peacemaker, s/n 42-13571


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Fairchild-Fairchild C-82A-10-FA Packet - Fairchild, Hagerstown, Maryland, USA, s/n 44-22991, c/n 10035


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - FleetwingsXBT-12 [23], s/n 39-0719


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - North American-North American F-86E Sabre - North American, s/n 51-1123?


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - North American T-28A Trojan, c/r N7691G

[bdk]

Are the wings for the XBT-12 on site?

[JohnB]

In the last photo note the Sikorsky H-34 in back. And I think the orange pieces might be to the right is a rear view of a H-23 (or less likely, a H-13) cabin with the engine mount cage alongside. The color fits for a US Army training helicopter in the 60s.

[marine air]

Those are realy interesting. Never seen pics of the XBT-12. I guess with all the other stuff, pics have never been published. Have to ask; when are they going to make a list available of items for sale?
I remember the Frank Ryder estate did this first, before auction. Tallichet also had a long list that was circulated for a couple of years.

[cooper9411]

At this time there are no plans to "sell" anything. From a reliable sorce I've been informed that the family in the not to distant future may decide to do something with the collection. There are no plans to sell things individually but rather keep the collection together if at all possible. When I learn of any new developments I will most cetainly share them with WIX members.

[marine air]

Are you saying they will donate the collection to another museum or back to the U.S. govt?

[cooper9411]

Not back to the government!

[Clifford Bossie]

The nose of the B-52B City of El Paso is on the farm. I can sure think of a much better location for it.

[mrhenniger]

Are the wings for the XBT-12 on site?

I doubt it. The from what I have found the XBT-12 is incomplete. That doesn't mean too much, but it could be that there are no wings for it. I really have no details about what is still there. The list I provided is a best guess, compiled from numerous other sources. I am sure there are others that know more.



A number of other photos have been added...
Aerial Visuals - Airframe Gallery Featuring Photos by Paul Cooper
Aerial Visuals - Airframe Gallery Featuring Photos by Leon Cleaver

Including the following teasers.

Mike

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - North American-North American F-86L Sabre - North American, s/n 53-0715, c/n 201-159


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Beech UC-45J Expeditor, s/n 51228, c/r N2024

Actually I am not sure about this one. I just put the photo of this Beech in this airframe dossier as a process of elimination. If anyone can correct me please do.

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Republic-Republic P-47N Thunderbolt - Republic


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - North American-North American B-25J Mitchell - North American, s/n 44-30129, c/n 108-33404, c/r N7947C

[Woodsy Airfield]

Mike - Walter obtained the XBT-12 and O-52 at same time. As I recall, He came upon them in a salvage yard in central Ohio - he bought them on the spot and was given - like 2 days to remove them. Neither aircraft had wings......
Leon

[mrhenniger]

Mike - Walter obtained the XBT-12 and O-52 at same time. As I recall, He came upon them in a salvage yard in central Ohio - he bought them on the spot and was given - like 2 days to remove them. Neither aircraft had wings......
Leon

Thanks Leon!




Leon has been busy uploading a number of photos taken of the Soplata collection over the years. Most I have not seen anything similar on the net. I am including a few teasers below.

Mike

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - North American T-28A Trojan, c/r N7691G


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - FleetwingsXBT-12 [23], s/n 39-0719



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Convair RB-36E Peacemaker, s/n 42-13571



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Sikorsky-SikorskyH-19D-2-SI Chickasaw [S-55] - Sikorsky, Stratford, Connecticut, USA, s/n 54-1412

[ef82e]

I don't think I have seen a discussion of the http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?N=0

if you search by f-82, xf-82, etc I think these are photos of the Twin Mustang of Mr. Soplata's, that he only had one fuselage of, which was stored in the B-36

http://grcimagenet.grc.nasa.gov/GRCDigi ... 24896L.jpg
http://grcimagenet.grc.nasa.gov/GRCDigi ... 24898L.jpg

hopefully these old EBAY auctions weren't already discussed, but in the completed auctions of ebay from seller AKACHUCK were some Soplata images. ebay auction titles:

25 Orig AIRCRAFT Photo Neg SOPLATA COLLECTION BONEYARD OHIO Winter Snow 1970 ++

14 AIRCRAFT Photo Neg SOPLATA BONEYARD F2G P82 Crawford Aviation Museum P51 1967

another soplata tidbit via the web...

Flying magazine, May 1963
Since 1945 I have been collecting military aircraft and engines for an educational and historical private museum of military aviation. I have the museum open every day, with anyone welcome.
Located on 17 acres here in Newbury, O., it consists of nine complete aircraft and 38 engines. One aircraft is a demilitarized F7U-3 (Cutlass) purchased in Boston, Mass., and transported here in three trips in a $100 cut-open school bus, and since welded together.
I would appreciate, and will reply to any letters from anyone interested, or for any infromation concerning location of missing aircraft such as the F47, SB2V, SB2C, SBD, TBM, or others in fighter or bomber class in non-flyable condition.
I am also a collector of aviation books and magazines, and have many old issues of your fine FLYING magazine.
Walter A. Soplata
PO Box 65
Newbury, O.

[Noha307]

At this time there are no plans to "sell" anything. From a reliable sorce I've been informed that the family in the not to distant future may decide to do something with the collection. There are no plans to sell things individually but rather keep the collection together if at all possible. When I learn of any new developments I will most cetainly share them with WIX members.

IIRC, I was told by someone at the TSWM that when they asked about possibly buying a bare P-47 fuselage they had, they were given a quote for an inordinate amount of money. Something along the lines of several hundred thousand dollars.

[Iclo]

The futur of this collection is perhaps impacted by some past events : is there the story of a historic racing Corsair sold with the restriction that the plane could be restored to static exposition only, and was put airworthy at the end ?

Of course, it's the Soplata familly right to decide the future of these planes, but i doub't the best way to insure their futur is to do a sale to one buyer : the plane will be kept in storage for decades.
Allowing individuals or museum to acquire one or few plane to take care of it would be the best way to maximize to see them restored one day.

[cooper9411]

At this time there are no plans to "sell" anything. From a reliable sorce I've been informed that the family in the not to distant future may decide to do something with the collection. There are no plans to sell things individually but rather keep the collection together if at all possible. When I learn of any new developments I will most cetainly share them with WIX members.

IIRC, I was told by someone at the TSWM that when they asked about possibly buying a bare P-47 fuselage they had, they were given a quote for an inordinate amount of money. Something along the lines of several hundred thousand dollars.

I remember that. I was having conversations with Paul at TSWM about another P-47 and he had told me that the asking price for the fuselage was 175K! I know a couple people from TSWM had went to the farm a time or two to inspect the fuselage.