P-40 restauration at Sonoma Valley Airport, Ca.
Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:01 pm
Was touring the valley today and dropped at this nice little airport. Lots of nice surprises in there. Cool SNJ-4 on the ramp offering rides, two Stearman in a nearby hangar, a beautiful Cessna 195 in another...
Walking among the hangars, I spotted one with a partly open door and sound of riveting.
Peeked inside, only to discover a real nice P-40 being restored ! Owner told me he has been working 11 years at it. To my newbie eyes, it looks like this one will be a flier soon. Engine installation seemed complete, they were fixing some of the cowling parts. No canopy installed yet. He looked quite busy but let me take a quick picture. Did not want to intrude so I did not ask too many questions and continued my little walk...
I'll post the pic here when I get back home later this week.
Anyone here knows about this one ? Exact model, where it's from, etc. ?
Walking among the hangars, I spotted one with a partly open door and sound of riveting.
Peeked inside, only to discover a real nice P-40 being restored ! Owner told me he has been working 11 years at it. To my newbie eyes, it looks like this one will be a flier soon. Engine installation seemed complete, they were fixing some of the cowling parts. No canopy installed yet. He looked quite busy but let me take a quick picture. Did not want to intrude so I did not ask too many questions and continued my little walk...
I'll post the pic here when I get back home later this week.
Anyone here knows about this one ? Exact model, where it's from, etc. ?
Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:37 pm
Actually, that probably didn't help much at all. 
Chris Prevost's bird at Sonoma is P-40N 42-105306. Don't know much about it other than Pioneer Aero performed some of the original restoration work.
Chris Prevost's bird at Sonoma is P-40N 42-105306. Don't know much about it other than Pioneer Aero performed some of the original restoration work.
Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:51 pm
A shame I didn't know you were coming Michel, I could have met you up there. You missed most of the good stuff.............
http://www.napanet.net/~arbeau/usaah/saa2.htm
I was up there myself yesterday, doing a couple of air-to-air shoots (Curtiss-Wright CW-19R and Ryan ST-A).
Oh, and three miles away, there's another airport (Sonoma Skypark) with at least as much good stuff.
Glad you got to see the TP-40N though. It's a real beauty, and will really be something when it's finished.
http://www.napanet.net/~arbeau/usaah/saa2.htm
I was up there myself yesterday, doing a couple of air-to-air shoots (Curtiss-Wright CW-19R and Ryan ST-A).
Oh, and three miles away, there's another airport (Sonoma Skypark) with at least as much good stuff.
Glad you got to see the TP-40N though. It's a real beauty, and will really be something when it's finished.
Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:02 am
Wow that is GREAT !! is their a chance that ths Bird might be at the Gaithering this Summer ??? and on that matter dose any body have a count on how many might show up ? P-40's Got to love em !!
Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:24 am
Oh, and Michel, you asked about the history of this one. It's a 49th FG combat vet, which crashed later in Australia (mid-air with a P-47 IIRC).
The wreckage was recovered in the 1970s, and passed through several owners until ending up, part-restored, with Chris Prevost in Sonoma (who now owns the type certificate for the TP-40N, and has converted it to that spec)
The wreckage was recovered in the 1970s, and passed through several owners until ending up, part-restored, with Chris Prevost in Sonoma (who now owns the type certificate for the TP-40N, and has converted it to that spec)
Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:56 am
Mike wrote:Oh, and Michel, you asked about the history of this one. It's a 49th FG combat vet, which crashed later in Australia (mid-air with a P-47 IIRC).
The wreckage was recovered in the 1970s, and passed through several owners until ending up, part-restored, with Chris Prevost in Sonoma (who now owns the type certificate for the TP-40N, and has converted it to that spec)
If it's an authentic combat vet, why convert it to something it was not? Do you know the rationale for this conversion? Is he going to be offering rides or dual in it? Just curious.
TP
Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:51 am
At least it wont have a sharks mouth on it.The bird will still look the same from the outside and at least some lucky person can get some dual in it.
Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:33 am
warbird1 wrote:If it's an authentic combat vet, why convert it to something it was not? Do you know the rationale for this conversion? Is he going to be offering rides or dual in it? Just curious.
I dunno. Perhaps you should ask all the owners of P-51s who add a second seat / dual controls / do a full TF-51 conversion the same question too?
Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:28 am
As to the second seat, the US Army did that many years ago...so it certainly is authentic in that respect. Chris has taken great pains to see that the aircraft is much Curtis as possible.
The prop was assembled in the last month, tested on a steel table, disassembled, inspected, reassambled & installed on the aircraft engine. The upper fairing over the Allison is on to check fit as well as the large lower one. She's really coming along. Wiring has been going on also by a friend.
The prop was assembled in the last month, tested on a steel table, disassembled, inspected, reassambled & installed on the aircraft engine. The upper fairing over the Allison is on to check fit as well as the large lower one. She's really coming along. Wiring has been going on also by a friend.
Last edited by Tom Moungovan on Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:36 am
Tom Moungovan wrote: Christ has taken great pains to see that the aircraft is much Curtis as possible.
I really doubt that. Jesus is a round motor fan.
Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:02 am
Thank you, DanK,
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Walt
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Walt
Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:12 pm
Dan K wrote:Tom Moungovan wrote: Christ has taken great pains to see that the aircraft is much Curtis as possible.
I really doubt that. Jesus is a round motor fan.
Wow, my typo, sorry. Meant Chris, of course. Thanks for pointing it out.
Nonetheless, this is a really fine project to watch and view the progress of. Especially when you realize how little there was to start with.
Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:48 pm
warbird1 wrote:If it's an authentic combat vet, why convert it to something it was not? Do you know the rationale for this conversion? Is he going to be offering rides or dual in it? Just curious.
My girlfriend and I went flying in Chris Prevost's Stearman last October, and he said that the TP-40 is going to be used for rides. They will also offer rides in a P-51D in the future.
T J
Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:59 pm
Mike wrote:warbird1 wrote:If it's an authentic combat vet, why convert it to something it was not? Do you know the rationale for this conversion? Is he going to be offering rides or dual in it? Just curious.
I dunno. Perhaps you should ask all the owners of P-51s who add a second seat / dual controls / do a full TF-51 conversion the same question too?
Well, Mike, there is a big distinction here. The vast majority of surviving Mustangs are not combat vets. If a certain aircraft is a "parts" restoration or "dataplate" restoration, then the idea of converting it is much more palatable. For an authentic combat vet, I would think that most owners would want to try to preserve as much authenticity and originality as possible to keep her provenance untainted. I'm not complaining, it just seems odd, that's all. That would be like taking the "Memphis Belle" and converting her to a firebomber. Does that not strike a cord!
* Runs and ducks for cover for the ensuing firefight!*
