Warbird Information Exchange

Nice pics!

Being from the wet coast, photos of rust-free sheetmetal gets me going. So I've got dibs on the 4-door '55 Chevy in the pic second from the top right....flat black spray cans and a straight axle out front anyone?

greg v.

"Phil" is migace, flyingheritage and other nicks etc from both here at Wix and the warbirdz aussie forum, and I recall him posting photos of "his friends p-40's" either here or on that site. Hopefully that puts the comment in context.

regards

Mark Pilkington

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20th Century - The Age of Manned Flight
"from Wrights to Armstrong in 66 years -WOW!"

That first P-40 mockup looks like an N from the perforations between the prop and exhaust stacks.



I like the '65 Chrysler 300 convertible - a friend has a complete 2-door hardtop you could use for a parts car.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

I read where the price maybe 45 to 50 grand? Seems a bit much for something that is somewhat "close".

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Hang The Expense

Group,

I am the owner of the P-40 Replicas located at California City Airport (East End). The P-40's were built by Leon Starr for a movie that was never made. Leon also made the P-40 that is on display at Dyess AFB, as well as other aircraft on display at different musuems around the U.S..

Each aircraft is hand made (no molds, that is for fiberglass).

Current plan for the P-40's is to rebuild them to museum Quality display aircraft. I am currently in talks with several Museums that would like one to display.

The Dissassembled Fouga is also mine, and is used for parts to support the three flying Fouga Aircraft located at California City. The Aircraft will be reassembeld as Static display condition as time permits.

The Yak-52 photographed at the airport, is anouther aircraft in my collection. We just received several parts needed for the restoration, and hope to have it flying again this summer.

We are also part way through a rebuild of an L-5, and have several other aircraft awaiting restoration.

Anyone wishing to visit and see the aircraft & replicas upclose is welcome to come by, with advanced arengements.

The 55 Chevy belonged to someone else who was storing it pending restoration. It is currently at a restoration shop

Thank You
John Fischer
fish@aviation-tech.com

Sheep Dip! Nothing like hearing from the source directly!

Well...

That is all I got to say about that....

Thanks for the info, John and welcome to WIX! How are the P-40 mockups constructed under the aluminum skin; are they built up on a steel or aluminum framework, or stringers and stressed skin? Will the wings be built-up, or will you use C-45 wings?

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Chris Brame,

Currently they have thin aluminum bulkheads, attached to steel undercarrage. The skins have been put on with pop rivets.

We will be drilling all of the pop rivets out and replacing them with flush, bucked rivets. We will also be adding extra interior bracing. We will start with the three partial fuselages behind the hanger. Once we have completed rebuilding them (including wings and props), we will move on to the six fuselages on wheels.

The wings are already made for five of the fuselages on wheels. There are six fuselages on wheels, three partial fuselages behind the hanger. The wings are stacked behind the hanger, between the fuselagesd and the Fouga.

These replicas were made to be seen from a distance, and then blown up on set. It will take some work to bring them up to museum quality models.

Overall the aircraft have held up very well sitting in the desert, with occasional winds approaching 50-60 MPH.

Laterrrrr
Avn-Tech

John, is the HC-131A yours also? What kind of shape is she in?

-Derek

Viking 73,

No, the HC-131A belongs to a Museum. I am unsure of the name, but they are suposed to be the only aviation Museum charted by the state senate.

The plane used to belong to Wally McDonnald, who used it for a NASA Test of the Space Shuttle Escape System. The plane was heavly modified on the left side.

It could probably be made airworthy again, but would take lots of work.

Laterrrrrr
Avn-Tech