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Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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Rob Mears
 Post subject: Soplata News
PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 1:10 pm 
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Looks like Walter is selling off a couple of his aircraft. Word is that the FG-1D Corsair has been recovered and relocated by a collector to the west coast. At least one other plane at the site is being looked at as well. For those of you aquainted with Walter and his ways, this is obviously a major coup. Never thought I'd see the day. 8)

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Shay
 Post subject: Re: Soplata News
PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 1:33 pm 
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Rob Mears wrote:
Word is that the FG-1D Corsair has been recovered and relocated by a collector to the west coast.



Yeah I figured it would've always been an estate sale when these birds flew the coupe.

Is this FG-1D the former NAS Akron bird?

Anymore info on the new owner?

Shay
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Rob Mears
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 2:29 pm 
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It is in fact the former NAS Akron bird. I'm going to hold off on identifying the owner for the moment until I can get his approval.

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Last edited by Rob Mears on Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

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mustangdriver
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 2:40 pm 
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It is great that these aircraft are going to be saved, but the real hero is Walter for saving them. It is sad that the government screwed him over so bad.

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MX304
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I hope it will be a flyer.
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Shay
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Rob Mears wrote:
It is in fact the former NAS Akron bird. I'm going to hold off on identifying the owner for the moment until I can his approval.


I understand.

I hear that BuNo. 88026 is touted as being "UNDEMIL'D". Surely it's 6 .50's were removed before Walt picked it up.

Once restore i'd love to see it in it's NAS Akron markings (would be different), but I'm sure it'll get repainted in those of some more infamous Corsair from the Pacific.



mustangdriver wrote:
It is great that these aircraft are going to be saved, but the real hero is Walter for saving them. It is sad that the government screwed him over so bad.


What happen?



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Jack Cook
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:43 pm 
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I'm probably wrong but I heard he had some issues with the enviromental folks :shock:

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Rob Mears
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The plane was never civilianized. It suffered from recurring enging troubles and the Navy eventually chose to abandon it on site at NAS Akron when they vacated the field - handing it over to the civilian airport authority. It sat on outdoor display there for a few years before Walter managed to purchase it for a few hundred bucks!

You can count the number of early Corsairs types with actual combat history on one hand. This is one of them!


Thanks to fellow WIXer "Mad Dog" John Kerr for the scoop on the move. 8)

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Shay
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Rob Mears wrote:

You can count the number of early Corsairs types with actual combat history on one hand. This is one of them!


Oh really? Very Cool.........What is it's history?



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B-29 Super Fort
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:51 pm 
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Great news and Walt does deserve credit for saving these from the junk yard. Doesn't he have a fairly complete B-25?
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Shay
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:14 pm 
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This is great news.

To be honest, I would rather see Walt sell off his collection and be able able to enjoy the benefits of it. Then see them get sold off as a result of his passing.

He should hold a massive auction. :shock: :shock: :shock: Would be awesome.



Sort of on a side note. Would there be any problem (legally) if someone bought, restored and rebuilt Walt's B-36 to flight with the intention of flying the air show circuit? (pipe dream I know, but still curious).


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:wink: :wink: :wink: FIFI needs a friend
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Last edited by Shay on Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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JimH
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:17 pm 
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found this by accident this past April shuttling a friend to get his airplane at the Geauga Co. airport.

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tom d. friedman
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sad to say.... but there has been a "dead pool" on old walt for years. i think it's galling & distasteful.

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mustangdriver
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:27 pm 
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Walter told me that he bought all of these aircraft as scrap, and that is what it says on the bill of sale. But the IRS said that he was cheating out of paying taxes on it, and sued him for a ton of cash. They said that these were not scrap. I think it is sad. He told me that years ago out at YNG when he had the P-82 and the TBF in the garage. I am not a mechanic, but some of these aircraft might not be able to be flown. he had the spars cut in a lot of them. Now there is more than likely a way around that. But I am sure it is not cheap. Walter is actually a really nice person, just don't insult him. Becaus I have heard that he gets angry awful fast if you start asking to buy stuff.

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phil65
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:59 am 
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One of the funny thing about the B-36 is that the jet engines ran on Avgas,they didn't want to have two different fuels onboard :wink:

Phil
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