Merle Maine Auction?

[Rob Mears]

Does anyone know the circumstances surrounding this auction? Its not often you see an airworthy Tigercat and a dozen military jets pop up on an auction site.

Aircraft up for auction:

F7F Tigercat
Mig-23
A-4 Skyhawk II
T-33A (airworthy)
T-33A (no engine)
T-33A (static)
MiG-17
Vampire
DH-35 Sea Venom
F-111 Aardvark (static)
T-28A
L-39C
A-7 Corsair II (no engine)
F5D Skylancer (!?)

http://www.starmanauctions.com/Past%20Auction/Merle%20Maine%20Trust/photo%20manager%20template.merle%20maine%20trust.htm

[mike furline]

Merle passed away.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49628&hilit=merle

[wendovertom]

I saw this via the CJAA site - my wonder is. . . . if given enough $$ could the F-5 Skyray be made into a flyer? How about the F-111??!! I assume the spar (or equivalent ruination) has been cut on the F-111.

Wondering,

Tom P.

[kalamazookid]

I know of several groups interested in the Skyhawk. Hopefully wherever it goes, it will end up a flyer.

I'd personally love to see the Skylancer in the air if that's a realistic possibility. The static example outdoors at the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio is one of my favorite static jets anywhere.

And of course, any Tigercat without nose art makes me swoon.

[marine air]

Does anyone know if it's possible to bid online? I would like to place a bid but am working out of the country.
Thanks

[T-28mike]

Starman Bros. has provisions for proxy bidding. Contact them starmanauctions dot com

[Steven M. Dennis]

Any WIXer's attending this auction today?

Would be interested to hear what kind of prices these birds bring as well as what collections they will be joining.

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[wendovertom]

Wondering if anyone heard how this auction went. Seems like the Tigercat should have gotten a pretty noce price being almost done as far as restoration.

Also, I wondered looking at the auction flyer - how much of a deterant is the statement "no bill of sale" on the aircraft like the A-7, F-111 and F-5?? It seems to me that one might begin to wonder when the gov't will show up and say it really belongs to them unless you can provide a bill of sale from the gov't to Merle or whoever.

Tom P.

[kalamazookid]

Heard the Tigercat went for $1.3 million. Not sure who the new owner is.

[wendovertom]

Is it just me or is 1.3M a screaming deal for a Tigercat with a nearly complete restoration job?

Tom P.

[RobC]

It hasn't flown since resto and it has been sitting awhile. So probably a fair price if true.

[wendovertom]

Humm - we were up there about 1-2 months before Merle passed away and got some F-86 brakes. At that time they had mounted and had done some run ups on one of the engines and were getting ready to mount the other one - IF - the 1.3M is true it seems like a steal to me - but I am the first to admit I am no expert on these planes and value.

Tom P.

Anyone hear what the status of the Merle Maine F5D Skylancer is? Apparently a "Blue Angels" A-4 Skyhawk has ended up at the Legacy Flight Museum in Idaho.