Warbird Information Exchange

I was wondering how many ex-military fixed wing aircraft are still working after retirement from the military

I can think of a couple of turbine and jet examples

OV-10 Bronco - fire spotting for the California Forestry Dept

A4 Skyhawk - Advanced Training Systems International

I can't think of any older piston engined 'working warbirds' , most of the older air tankers have been retired , anyone ?

Also with the right permits in place for restricted commercial ops what uses can you think of for ex military types ?

For the OV-10 I was thinking about a fuel tanker into remote mountainous strips utilising the external tanks, internal cargo bay and STOL performance , cloud seeding and search and rescue.

Other types and uses ?

_________________
Aussie expat lost in Indonesia

Raytheon has 2 or 3 A-3 Skywarriors at Van Nuys as avionics test ships.

PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org

Would the civilian C-130 count?

Or, the Martin Mars water bomber?

There are some HU-16 still flying, I don't know if any are working though.

...heaven forbid if you found one available then actually put it back in the air. The govt. would think you were plotting to take over the country with it.

The National Research Council of Canada operate a 1951 CCF Harvard 4 (C-FPTP) and a 1954 Canadair T-33 (C-FSKH).

Brian.

The Raspet Flight Research Lab at Mississippi State still operates a 450 Stearman as a tug aircraft (for gliders, UAV tests, sensor packages, etc). It has been in continuous service since 1950, when it served as the prototype/test aircraft for most of the cropduster STCs.

A Skyraider would be a cool cropduster

_________________
Aussie expat lost in Indonesia

Plenty of T-6es hard at work hauling rides all over the country.

loose LOTS of money fast....not to mention the OIL pollution you would sling out on the plants

NASA still employs two Martin WB-57F's..It's great to see the the beasties in the air from time to time..
http://jsc-aircraft-ops.jsc.nasa.gov/wb57/history.html

_________________
He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

I think Martin-Baker are still using two Gloster Meteors for ejection seat trials in Chalgrove UK if I am up to date enough!!

_________________
If the first casualty of war is innocence, the second is sobriety - Hawkeye.
Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws - Plato.
Lies get halfway round the world before the truth has a chance to get it's pants on - Churchill
If you are going through he11 - keep going - Churchill

There are plenty of piston-powered warbirds around the world still engaged in money-making civilian jobs other than "warbird flight experiences". Right off the bat, I can think of these:

Mars: firefighting

PBY/Canso: firefighting (still active? maybe no longer), movie and TV work

C-45 and variants: cargo, skydiving, sightseeing, aerial survey, movie and TV work

C-47 and variants: cargo, skydiving, aerial survey, electronics test, movie and TV work

C-131 and variants: cargo, aerial survey, electronics test

C-123: cargo, electronics test, movie and TV work

Neptune: firefighting

C-54 and C-118: cargo, firefighting

DH Beaver and Otter: bush flying (passengers and light cargo)

various jets (T-33, A-3, F-4, A-4, et al): electronics test, military pilot training contracts by civilian operators, movie and TV work

. . .and I'm sure there are many more. . .

Cheers,

_________________
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

With Russians in their backyard, 7 of these beasts are still flying over Alaska...Only the best..you betcha!
Ready to kick some pesky Russkie ass...
www.ercoupe.org/491st/491st.htm

_________________
He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

That's hilarious!

RAAF Point Cooks Mustang is still serving as an active RAAF Aircraft and the RAN Albatross Fleet air arm has a Firefly that is being made ready to fly.

_________________
aaaaaaaa