Post-Service Ferry Flights to Museums

[Noha307]

It isn't really done anymore, but back in the day there were a few cases of aircraft being made airworthy for a final ferry flight to a museum after they had been retired from service. This includes:

• 10 June 1984 - C-124C, 52-1000, flown to the Jimmy Doolittle Air and Space Museum (now Travis Air Force Base Aviation Museum)
• 17 June 1986 - B-47E, 52-0166, flown to the Castle Air Museum[1]
• 9 October 1986 - C-124C, 52-0994, flown to the McChord Air Museum
• 12 October 1988 - B-17G, 42-32076, flown to the United States Air Force Museum (now National Museum of the United States Air Force)[2]

A few notes:

• To be clear, this doesn't include cases of aircraft that are the last active example being flown to a museum for retirement, but only those where it had sat for a number of years before being restored and flown for transportation.
• It wasn't apparent until actually compiling the list above, but all four of the above occurred in a four year period in the middle to late 1980s. Given that they were all also done under the auspices the Air Force (and two even involved the same model of airplane), it seems plausible that there must have been some blessing from above at the time. The fact that, only a few years earlier in 1979, the 8th Air Force Museum (now Barksdale Global Power Museum) claimed in a newspaper article that they were working on returning PB-1W, BuNo 77244, to flight, appears to support this.
• I had the idea for this question after creating the surviving unusual modifications thread, so consider this a follow-on.

Are there any that are missing?

EDIT (24-09-08): Changed the date for the B-17G delivery flight. Thanks for the correction!

Last edited by Noha307 on Sun Sep 08, 2024 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[tulsaboy]

The B-24D Strawberry B**ch was flown from Arizona to the NMUSAF in 1959, 14 years after being placed in storage.
kevin

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit ... liberator/

And a prior thread, with neat pictures!

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66133

[quemerford]

There was also a YC-125 that was being flown to the Air Force Museum but lost on its ferry flight. Subsequently replaced by a second airframe, though that was ultimately a waste of effort too...

[ricusa]

The Swoose.

[Hooligan2]

The B-29 at The Imperial War Museum at Duxford was restored for flight at China Lake and flown to UK as G-BHDK in 1980.

B-24J KN751 flown from Poona to RAF Museum at Cosford in 1974 after six years in storage (the Tallichet/Weekes B-24J came from the same source and was flown to the US via Duxford).

[Thomas_Mac]

Based on when they retired the last B-29s this may not count but Bockscar was ferried to the NMUSAF on Sept. 26, 1961 after 15 years in storage.

[Pogo]

There was also a YC-125 that was being flown to the Air Force Museum but lost on its ferry flight. Subsequently replaced by a second airframe, though that was ultimately a waste of effort too...

I had personal experience with a YC-125 way back when, and lemme tell you, that's a plane you never forget ... no matter how hard you try...

Boy, how I'd love to see (and hear) one flying today, though. Bet it'd attract a crowd at OSH.

[Andy Marden]

I think 12 October 1988 is the correct arrival date for B-17G 42-32076 at the United States Air Force Museum, as per;
https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbird ... -b-17.html

[Hooligan2]

Possibly sorta fits the bill, the RAF Museum's B-17G was retired from its fire bombing role and underwent a lengthy restoration in the US back to wartime configuration before being delivered trans-Atlantic in 1983 to RAF Brize Norton where (I presume) it was dismantled for its final journey by road to Hendon. Engines were swapped with those then keeping Sally B flying.

[quemerford]

There was also a YC-125 that was being flown to the Air Force Museum but lost on its ferry flight. Subsequently replaced by a second airframe, though that was ultimately a waste of effort too...

I had personal experience with a YC-125 way back when, and lemme tell you, that's a plane you never forget ... no matter how hard you try...

Boy, how I'd love to see (and hear) one flying today, though. Bet it'd attract a crowd at OSH.

I seriously hope that 'surplus' NMUSAF example finds a safe home: aircraft like that deserve to be preserved. And yes, it was an unusual aircraft which seems to have gotten a bad press. They had a more successful life in civilian hands once they were developed properly.

It's amazing that three survive, given its history too!

[Matt Gunsch]

B-24J KN751 flown from Poona to RAF Museum at Cosford in 1974 after six years in storage (the Tallichet/Weekes B-24J came from the same source and was flown to the US via Duxford).

the B-24 at Pima came from the same source and was flown from India to Tucson.

[JohnB]

The Swoose.

In my father's A-2 leather flying jacket, we found a 1949 clipping from The Washington Post " about aircraft being flown to Andrews AFB.

His interest was simple, he was a B-17 pilot with the 463rd BG...aka " The Swoose Group" (as indicated on the leather jacket's leather patch). The unit was commanded by Colonel Kurtz, former pilot of the Swoose.

[Hooligan2]

B-24J KN751 flown from Poona to RAF Museum at Cosford in 1974 after six years in storage (the Tallichet/Weekes B-24J came from the same source and was flown to the US via Duxford).

the B-24 at Pima came from the same source and was flown from India to Tucson.

The Collings B-24 also came from the same source and was flown out of India to the UK for Doug Arnold; but courtesy of a Heavylift Short Belfast! Not sure if they got the fuselage AND wings inside the Belfast in one lift, but I shouldn't be surprised. The Belfast Captain may well have been well known B-17 display pilot Keith Sissons who probably hoped the B-24 might be added to his log book, but sadly Blackbushe was only a relatively temporary home before crossing the Atlantic for expert restoration by Tom Reilly - Blackbushe was the only place I've seen it, tucked into the Warbirds of Great Britain hangar.

[sandiego89]

- 11 Aug 2024, Martin Mars Hawaii Mars bu. number 76823, flew from Sprout Lake to the BC Aviation Museum after years of storage and a few test flights. Philippine Mars to perhaps do a similar flight late this year to Arizona.
- 31 Aug 2008, C-133A 56-1999 Made the final flight of the type to the Travis Museum after years of storage in Alaska.
- 30 April 1959, B-36J 52-2220 Made the final flight of the type to the USAF museum after storage in Arizona.
- 06 Sept 2004, Bristol Freighter 170 C-GYQS made the final final flight of the type to a museum in Alberta after years of storage.

[tulsaboy]

Also, didn't a Shakleton fly to Pima on a ferry permit not too long ago? Seems like it was a one-off flight, maybe from the CAF?
Or am I crazy?
kevin