Kindsvater Me-109/Buchon Listed on Courtesy

[Ryan Keough]

Just noticed that Courtesy is listing the Kindsvater Me-109 (Merlin powwwwwered) for $1.2 M.

http://www.courtesyaircraft.com

Anyone know why it's being sold? Is there another project that this sale is financing?

[warbird1]

Harold has had that thing for sale for quite some time now. I don't remember if he had it with another broker before Courtesy.

As to why he's selling it, I really don't know, but I do know that Harold Kinsvater was very apprehensive/reluctant about flying it due to it's nasty ground handling capabilities. Skip Holms flew the bird for a lot of it's flying, if I remember correctly. Perhaps this is related to why he's selling it?

The line in the ad, "Best Restored, Flying 109 in the World!" is very debatable. I would think that Paul Allen's E model is much more authentic and restored more faithfully than this one, not to take away from Kinsvater's beautiful restoration, though.

[Jerry O'Neill]

I understand the marketing aspect of a Messerschmit vs a Buchon, but someday I'd really like to see a Buchon restored AND flying as a Buchon, in Spanish colors.
Jerry

[Ryan Keough]

... restored more faithfully than this one, not to take away from Kinsvater's beautiful restoration, though.

I remember flying in Harold's Nord 1101/ME-208 right after Bill Anderson bought it and can attest that Harold did a heck of a job with the restoration, it was beautiful.

Hopefully it looks like that again under the care of Fighter Factory.

[rwdfresno]

Harold bought the aircraft primarily as an investment. That was what he had told many people from the get go with that aircraft.

[Lynn Allen]

He also did the CAF's Fi-156D as well. Another 1st class job...

Lynn

[Dan K]

I understand the marketing aspect of a Messerschmit vs a Buchon, but someday I'd really like to see a Buchon restored AND flying as a Buchon, in Spanish colors.
Jerry

Did Kalamazoo's Buchon ever do airshows in its current colors?

[P51Mstg]

I don't recall Kalamazoo EVER flying theirs (I could be wrong though)

Mark H

[Roger Cain]

The line in the ad, "Best Restored, Flying 109 in the World!" is very debatable. I would think that Paul Allen's E model is much more authentic and restored more faithfully than this one, not to take away from Kinsvater's beautiful restoration, though.

I had the pleasure of visiting him at his ranch a couple times during the restoration, and he was definitely doing a very fine job, which was done before Paul Allens plane.

He has always been big on the German aircraft, previously restoring and owning the above mentioned planes and also a Fiesler Storch in the 80's-90's and a Nord 1002 as a BF 108.

PS. "Hi Jerry".

[marine air]

Jerry you may be the only guy that wants to see a Buchon as a Buchon. I agree it would be cool to see one of the Buchon derivatives with some ordnance hanging from the hardpoints!
The Kalamazoo Buchon was donated by Dr. Bill Harrison after he had a vicious groundloop and got disgusted with it. It may have some internal wing damage,etc. He told me he had something like 50 or 70 hours in it and at the time (of donation) he was one of the highest time civilian Buchon pilots in the world.