Given the choice and the resources...flyable bird or restore

richkolasa · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:35 pm

O.P. wrote:

I heard theres a couple three SBD's out there. ...
I think Steve Hinton and crew restored/built wings for one of the MGM wind machines out there that is now flying. I heard there is another MGM machine out east, and I heard that the Tallichet collection has a couple three SBD's, and I heard MarK Clark has one somewhere.

I believe that Kermit Weeks' SBD is a former wind-machine.

Rich

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:22 pm

I wonder if attempting to try and make your own new build production line would be the dream.

I think for me it would be.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:34 pm

richkolasa wrote:

O.P. wrote:

I heard theres a couple three SBD's out there. ...
I think Steve Hinton and crew restored/built wings for one of the MGM wind machines out there that is now flying. I heard there is another MGM machine out east, and I heard that the Tallichet collection has a couple three SBD's, and I heard MarK Clark has one somewhere.

I believe that Kermit Weeks' SBD is a former wind-machine.

Rich

It is, and Kermit bought it from the New England Air Museum and the PBY NEAM had in storage.
Jerry

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:38 pm

Of the aircraft that are in existence and not flyable, I would choose the C-124 Globemaster at Mchord AFB and the F6F Hellcat at Andrews AFB.
This way I could bring all my friends to an airshow, bring my own car and shove my Hellcat inside!

Jerry

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:05 pm

I thought it was gonna be a Wildcat Jerry? :wink:

spookyboss · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:08 pm

Hands Down, D.T.'s other B-26 Marauder and paint it as flak Bait the first year then a New scheme each year.
or
The ME-110's that are supposed to be out there ?
or
F-105
or
P-61 in China

tulsaboy · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:11 pm

Just to be a picky craphead, Kermit's SBD is really an A-24. Not that anyone cares... built in Tulsa, to boot!

Talk about an aircraft that we'd love to have in Tulsa.

And I would go get the Barksdale B-24 and restore it as the Tulsamerican. I would restore it completely to factory first, and would exhibit it at Oshkosh and Thunder. And then each subsequent year I'd update the paint job to represent the next stage in its rather short combat life. And I'd fly it dirty, just like my heros did.

kevin

sdennison · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:27 pm

PoF's Big Stud for me!

Me & Pop 20 years ago in Phoenix.

oz rb fan · **Joined:** Fri Dec 17, 2004 8:33 am **Posts:** 474

the former zuccoli boomerang and repaint i t as a46-222 glamour girl

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:43 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

I thought it was gonna be a Wildcat Jerry? :wink:

Chris;
You are correct!
I just couldn't think of a Wildcat out in the cold, so I choose the only F6F that is on outside display. A better fate for that aircraft would be on the air and in my hamger!
Jerry

sgt hawk · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:40 am

If the resources were available, I'd rather take on the Navy in Court and beat they A$$. That would do more for Warbirds than any rebuild I could imagine.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:01 am

I would want a B/C Mustang painted as Gentile's aircraft. That would be cool as well.

gilt · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:15 am

Obergrafeter wrote:

He's on here sometimes, come on Craig ; how complete? Last time I saw him he was down here chasing an engine. Think that is the easiest thing to find, while rare not many uses for it.

Check Solberg Aviation, N51, they had a few V-770's in original crates a few years ago.

Tom-

JDK · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:18 am

Dan Johnson II wrote:

You win the lottery and have the funds to either buy a flyable bird or chase that restoration you've always dreamed of. I'm not talking about fantasy recoveries by the way, but birds you know are out there.

Firstly, I'd be amazed, never having bought a ticket...

Obviously, I'd sponsor (not buy) Supermarine Walrus G-RNLI so it gets back to the air. That would then be the only airworthy British designed amphibian in the world - filling, IMHO a big gap in aviation history.

An RAAF operated Seagull V - just like a Walrus, but better. Via the RAAF Museum Archive.

And then I'd buy a catapult with a County class Cruiser underneath... :shock:

PS - I'm curious as to all the people who say they'd restore a type where there are already some/numerous examples out there. Nothing wrong with that - (each to their own) but surely putting something new or different in the air is better than adding another Xxxx to the sky? Discuss?

kalamazookid · **Posted:** Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:28 am

Assuming I could afford it, I would lean towards getting a project aircraft. That way you could have better control over what level of authenticity to restore it to, and where to modernize the aircraft to fit your needs. Although in the long run restoring it would be a lot more expensive in the long run, you'd really have an aircraft that was truly yours, with your own preferences for safety and modern instrumentation, level of authenticity, and even the paint scheme. As for what type I would choose, I'd probably pick up the FM-2 project that is/ was on Courtesy, or try to talk Connie Edwards into parting with one of his Hispanos.

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Given the choice and the resources...flyable bird or restore

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