WW2 Aircraft currently flyable by someone famous

[Ed Likes]

I don't know of any World War 2 aircraft of any kind that can say yes this aircraft was flown by Dick Bong for example. I know all ready the answer is no to Dick bong. But that is what Im wondering just for kicks if there are any current flyable aircraft that can document it was once flown by someone most of us would know. Chime in Wixers.

[JohnB]

Obviously, the few aircraft that were flown by people who became famous for flying THAT aircraft....Morgan/Memphis Belle, Tibbits/Enola Gay, etc.

But aside from that, there is a Stearman flown by a Ensign G.W. Bush and although not famous to the public at large, Serenaded to the Big Bird author Bert Stiles flew a couple of missions in the Shoo Shoo Baby now at the NMUSAF.

[Scooby]

Besides the bombers I feel the Stearman flown by Bush is a very significant aircraft.

I think the F-4 in the NMUSAF is the actual aircraft Robin Olds flew. I could be wrong.

A local guy I know has the Chipmunk Prince Charles first solo'd in stashed in his garage.

[JimH]

George Welch flew this Mustang...



Bob Hoover's Mustang is still going
Charles Lindbergh flew the Planes of Fame Zero
Alex Vraciu's Hellcat is still together...atleast parts of it are still airworthy
The NASM P-38 was flown by Bong...but it is obviously not airworthy.
I'll think of a few more eventually...Mike Porter owns a WASP Stearman that I'm sure was flown by someone special.

Jim

[rcaf_100]

The former Russell Group Bf-109E WkNr 3579 'White 14' was flown by Luftwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille during the Battle of Britain.

I was on hand to see her take off the last time she flew back in July 2010. The prop was due for overhaul a few days later. She's since been sold and is currently at Biggin Hill awaiting a rebuilt engine/prop.

[Richard W.]

I don't know of any World War 2 aircraft of any kind that can say yes this aircraft was flown by Dick Bong for example. I know all ready the answer is no to Dick bong. But that is what Im wondering just for kicks if there are any current flyable aircraft that can document it was once flown by someone most of us would know. Chime in Wixers.

I'm not trying to be a smart-aleck but the lovely unrestored P-38J at Udvar-Hazy is documented as being flown by Richard Bong at Wright Field near the end of the war when it was used as a test bed.

The museum's page for it says it was a very eventful flight!

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-o ... -lightning

[tulsaboy]

I believe Gen. Tibbets flew Fifi on at least one occasion. Chuck Yeager (though not the most popular guy here sometimes) flew several mustangs and T-6s that still fly.

Part of your question has to do with time frame- do you mean aircraft that were flown during the war (or immediately after) by well-known folks, or aircraft that (much later, during their "warbird" careers) were flown by well-known folks (like Fifi by Tibbets.) I would guess that there are a lot of airplanes flown by famous people post-war. Doolittle flew at least a couple of B-25s that are still around, though none from the Tokyo mission (for example.)

kevin

[Warbirdnerd]

Didn't 'Bud' Mahurin fly Planes of Fame's P-47 in the 60's?

[wendovertom]

Both General Paul and Paul IV Tibbets flew "fifi". When Gen. Tibbets came to Wendover last year he talked briefly about that flight. He said at the time he kind of had to be talked into it, he was just enjoying being with his Grandfather and the CAF guys kept saying "This really is an opportunity for you" so he finally took the flight with his grandfather and the famous picture came about. He told me that he has a large copy of the photo in his office - BTW he is the Commanding Officer of the 509th BW - quite a heritage!






Tom P.

[Mark Allen M]

The ole man flew this one below, does that count as famous enough? lol .....
Actually according to one of the CAF SoCal's class act members from long ago ..... "nada"
70222 ain't 70222, or maybe a few rivits are. Who knows,
and after all these years of my financial support to help keep that thing flying? ... Who cares anymore anyway.
I'll think what I like about it. Their just BuNo.s ...
As for that class act CAF member. I'm certainly not supporting the CAF's hellcat for his benefit, you can count on that
Sound bitter? naw! just have no toleration for losers ...

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f6fregis ... 70222.html

Commemorative Air Force F6F-5 Hellcat
Bureau #: 70222
Construction #: A-5634
Civil Registry: N1078Z
Model: F6F-5
Name: Minsi III
Status: Airworthy

[bdk]

Didn't 'Bud' Mahurin fly Planes of Fame's P-47 in the 60's?

Yes.

[Old SAR pilot]

Is Jimmy Stewart's P-51 still flying?

[p51]

the Corsair at the Olympic Flight Museum might have been flown by Pappy Boyington, I've been told.

[A26 Special K]

Col. Joe Kittinger. USAF, holder of many balloon and parachuting records, flew B-26K Special Kay during his training for the Vietnam War. Kay was built in 1944 and went to England in 1945. Her number then was 44-34198. Conversion to K model for VN happened in 1965 when she took on the number 64-17679. JR

[Firebird]

Chuck Yeager (though not the most popular guy here sometimes) flew several mustangs and T-6s that still fly.

As did Bud Anderson, and on a few occasions, they did together, recreating one of their last flights together at the end of the war.

They did this at Nellis AFB during the 50th Anniversary Airshow in 1997. I have a few photos somewhere of them taxiing back past the crowd line in P-51D's painted as 'Glennis and Old Crow (not sure which P-51 ID's they were though)