Flying Warbird-Which are you most thankful for?

[L. Thompson]

Okay it's Thanksgiving week, and I think sometimes we don't thank the folks enough who have restored and actively fly some of the warbirds we have enjoyed over the years.

Which FLYING warbird are you most thankful you have got to see in action at a public showing? Criteria here is it may not be your favorite type warbird or the best restoration in the world but you are just thankful somebody or some group made the effort.

I guess for me it would be the B-29 FIFI, because my dad had over 2600 hours in B-29s, and this is the only one I may ever see fly. That is unless the DOC B-29 gets finances to be finished and they are able to get it out on tour. My thanks this week for all of the many dozens of people who have hands on contributed to the CAF B-29 and to those still working on DOC.

When the New England P-61 is done it may become a close second.

[Mike]

PA474 - the RAF's Lancaster. Seen in the air by literally millions of people each year, the sole flying memorial in Europe to the sacrifices made by the crews from many nations of Bomber Command in WWII.

[JohnH]

David Tallichet's Marauder. First time I saw it flying was when I got to be the first to shoot air to air of it on August 5, 1993. It was a thrill of a lifetime and made up for the fact I missed the first flight in 1992. Last time was in 98 when Tony Ritzman and Carl Scholl flew it for a group of Marauder veterans at Chino. Thankfully I was on vacation that week and was able to see it fly, the same day Borman's P63 made it's first flight. This was George Lee's last flight in the airplane, he helped to restore the airplane's interior and in flight crew training and manuals. He was a B26 veteran pilot from the war who started the war working on the airplanes at the Martin factory in Omaha. At the same time I'm glad Kermit isn't flying it now as it's too rare to risk losing.

John

[Forgotten Field]

Stinson Division, Consolidated Vultee L-5E 44-17543. Very grateful for its flight.

[bdk]

Planes of Fame N9M. It was a monumental undertaking and a credit to all the volunteers and donors. I saw what a pile of rotten, rusty and delaminated crapola they started with. The airplane also didn't match the drawings they had in many areas so reverse engineering was required. Special impregnated woods had to be sourced in Europe for the spars.

It is quite a sight to see now and I hope it is in the air again soon. You certainly won't see anything like it anywhere else!

[Mike]

Interesting that 3 out of the first 5 posters have chosen aircraft that, contrary to the thread title and criteria, are not currently FLYING.

As with most of Kermit's collection of 'heavies', the B-26 is static only, Fifi is short of $3m or so to get back into the air, and the N9M hasn't flown for the past couple of years.

Brandon, any idea on the current status of the N9M? Last I heard, they had completed repairs to the airframe but were having trouble locating a replacement engine for the one which caught fire in flight.

[mustangdriver]

Glacier Girl.

[gary1954]

All of them.
I am thankful to all of the greatest generation that produced the toughest, and toughest looking aircraft, at least to me in the free world. Each one has it's own beauty lines. There is not enough to be said about our American Warbird Heritage. All of them

Last edited by gary1954 on Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mike]

There is not enough to be said about our American Warbird Heritage.

Who said anything about limiting the choices to American ones? There are another 190-odd countries out there, you know, and many of them have extremely active Warbird scenes.

[Jack Cook]

Not to rain on anyone parade but.........
I've got a lot to be thankful for this year but an airplane doesn't
make it on my list

[gary1954]

Here we go yet again, I said I was thankful to the Greatest Generation,
you know, the people that funded, built, and flew the toughest etc etc..........jezzzzzzzzzz

[bdk]

Brandon, any idea on the current status of the N9M? Last I heard, they had completed repairs to the airframe but were having trouble locating a replacement engine for the one which caught fire in flight.

They are repairing the engine now. I don't think the engine was damaged in the fire, the fire was as a result of a cracked exhaust pipe. During the cleanup of the area and a general condition inspection I think they found some cracked cylinders or such that needed replacement. Please don't quote me (even though I've just typed this on the internet), but that is what I recall.

As to flying, it was flying recently and should be flying again soon. Just because it is not flying right this minute... We need to not get so wrapped up in the details! 60+ year old aircraft do need maintenance after all, some need lots of maintenance, others not quite as much.

Does a Mustang undergoing an engine change meet your criteria of unairworthy for the purposes of this discussion?

[51fixer]

Does a Mustang undergoing an engine change meet your criteria of unairworthy for the purposes of this discussion?

I'll ask the owner. He thinks my preventive maint program means preventing him from flying.
Rich

[Elroy13]

Im thankful for all the groups that are currently flying B-17's!!!

[Old SAR pilot]

Comes down to two choices, so I'll take both - Ol' 927, and any and all C-47s.