Warbird Information Exchange

"Silence" in Chinese!!

SN

It doesn't look correct by any means but BRAVO to them for finally bringing it indoors!

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

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If it ever was really for sale, that window has closed. Now that they are showing some interest in it, they probably would never sell it. Also, the "big names" weren't able to acquire it, so my guess is the advertiser really didn't have the authority to remove it from the museum and get it out of the country.

Rats, I was hoping to continue my “investigation” on my next trip to Beijing as posted in This Wix Thread Guess I have to put my sleuth hat away

question, is it immaterial that this was stolen property? considering the air force gave up all claim and struck it, and the government that stole it is in power. i see her coming home, after the red government goes, and ending up in a USAF museum

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-recovering Viper crew chief
-AWACS driver/soon-to-be A-26 driver
-displaced Philadelphian

I'd say it is about as "stolen" as most other war-prize aircraft from that era. I'm just glad to see it is reassembled and indoors. 3/4 of the worlds P-61 population is on display here in the U.S. I don't see a problem with China keeping this one, it looks like the museum has enough interest in it to have it on display. It probably would have been easier for them to scrap it or sell it.

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Have to agree with Dan here. Considering the conversations we all have about gate guards with the USAF, at lest shes warm and Dry and being enjoyed.
Just glad they didn't put invasions stripes ans a sharks mouth on her to boot LOL

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Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

Agreed 100%

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A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

Somehow the US needs to get the WW2 aircraft inside, the sooner the better. As has been mentioned here before, loaning these aircraft to museums that will put them inside will go a long way to assuring their futures. Otherwise the scrapman will be taking all of them in probably 10 years. The first three that should go inside in my opinion are the P-38 in New Jersey, the Corsair in Michigan and the P-51 in Wisconsin.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

That would probably be the answer most likely to get them to keep it. I suspect if anyone asked that, the Opium Wars (as well as about the entire 19th century) would come up veerrrry quickly. Besides, they're taking decent enough care of her now.

And, even if a big name with deep pockets stepped up and acquired this P-61, how much original P-61 would be left for the final product? She looks rough. And I'll take a wild guess that the interior was ravaged for technical purposes. I'll just appreciate her for what she is and be glad she's indoors. All the more reason to make a donation to MAAM to help them get their P-61 flying.

Ken

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

I've seen this aircraft on more than one occasion and it is in decent shape. As far as replacing skins, I've seen perfectly good skins replaced on Mustangs so they'd buff out a little better and few seem to complain about that.

The first time I went to that museum I thought the P-61 was there but it wasn't. When the two women with me explained what I was looking for (Black Widow doesn't translate in Chinese, but P-61 does, "pee lee oh sure eeee"), the guy at the museum started getting excited and with a big grin explained what museum it was at and how to get there. We had found an enthusiast!

It will be much more viewable now at their national air force museum. Good on them for making efforts to protect it and put it on display. None of the aircraft there are restored or displayed to western museum standards, but that kind of adds to the charm. At least we don't have to listen to discussions about how pieces of original metal were replaced, ruining its authenticity, to make it displayable.

When I saw it back in about 1998, it had one of the underside access panels cracked open a little, enough to see that the 20mm cannon were still in place. I suspect it still contains much original equipment. Did you get to see inside it Brandon?

If only I had brought a borescope with me Mike! It was pretty well sealed up so I didn't get much of a look inside. It certainly didn't have half of the skins removed for study like many of the other aircraft at the school did.

Thankfully Beijing is fairly dry.