Warbird Information Exchange

No, I really mean it.
Not my money, not my airplane - the owners can do what they want.
But now its just another blue Corsair like all the rest and it's uniqueness and historical significance has been lost.

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

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... Reno '72 ... pilot, Robert Mitchum ...N194G ...

thank you Mr. D!

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

I retract my statement and apologize to Chad

It’s uniqueness and historical significance has been lost? It’s short and poor racing history pales in comparison to its military history. Knowing what I know of the racing modifications, this airplane was heading towards disaster if it had been raced with the last modifications that were done and thankfully never flown with.
The only thing you got right in your statement is that the owner can do what they want.

Digging the NAS Glenview markings.

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

Is this the airplane Scott Dennison was working on?

Without arguing about how much racing history actually constitutes historical significance, I'm with Lon on this one. Bob Mitchem is a part of racing history, both with his FG-1D and Harvard. Sad to see it emerge as "just another FG-1D". To me seeing it as #94 in Bob Axtell's hangar in Denver in 92 will always be worth more than seeing it fly in its new guise in the future. And I normally prefer airplanes that fly!

T J

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Make my day, punk!

Yes indeed.

Yes it is. I really enjoyed following his work on reconstructing the extremely complex leading edge fairings, including the structure and skins, of the oil cooler intakes on the wing center section, as well as the interior inlets and the exit doors. The main restoration is being done by Tab Air.

Yes, another Blue Corsair. Thats where its real history is and its value.


It has very little racing history and would not have been much of regular flyer with its racing modifications. Not practical in any way to fly it regularly the way it was modified. Thankfully this airplane did not race with the big wing cut as in this photo like when we received it as it definitely would have been a smoking hole because of the ailerons.
Thankfully it will be a regular flyer versus sitting in a hangar. How often do you see any of the real historic Reno race aircraft flying? Not often and their value some day in the not too distant future will be in their original configuration versus the race configuration.

I seem to recall a member of WIX who is kinda knowledgeable about racing history saying on a different thread that some of N194G's current mods were done post- Mitchem's ownership. Which means that the plane could have been brought back to the 1971-72 guise and been safe. And the jury is still out on how much racing constitutes historical significance. But things like that are naturally not interesting in todays warbird world.

I do note that you mention value in your posts, which is one of the sadder effects. These days historic airplanes are basically investments, and not planes being operated in the same manner as before. I'm actually very happy that NEAM has got the old Anson Johnson #45 (even if it isn't flying). If it had been in private ownership it would likely have been re- made into a stock D and repainted in a 8th AF paint job, because as you say, that's where the value lies. And value seems to be what matters most.

T J

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Make my day, punk!

Very good point T.J.

These machines get restored to concours standard.
They fly to a few prestigious events, so they can be given accolades, which doesn't hurt to increase value.
Then they get put away like fine art.
It ends up being a way to store money.

Andy

I do like the markings chosen by this restoration BTW

I highly doubt this one will be a hangar queen. WHF are flown regularly at events throughout the Midwest.

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Matt