Warbird Information Exchange

Saw this in the Desert Sun the other day:

http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... 9907300340

Hope they get it straightened out soon...

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

What is the other side of the story??

Lynn

If you work your way through all the papers work it seems they got a steal on the airplanes like P-47D $850K yikes! Spit $750K, F8F 1.3M. But they've only paid 10% of the selling price and are complaining about tools and jacks. I'm not understand why the need for continuing heavy maintence of static a/c and the need the pistons, pumps, gadges, cylinders ect.
If you read the comments some knucklehead mistook the granddaughter for Jo Pond and called her.....Have you seen this woman who won't cooperate with the air museum or talk to the press? She is young enough to look like Robert Pond's daughter or grand-daughter. The terms "tropy wife" and "gold-digger" come to mind. So does the name, "Anna Nicole Smith." Oh, what a lifestyle!

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Don't touch my junk!!

Yeah, a 77 year old trophy wife that he was married to for 30+ years!

Another poster on the newspaper site suggests that the donated airplanes are also the ones that the museum still owes money on. They obviously don't understand that the Pond's donated some aircraft outright and gave them a bargain price and great payment terms on the remainder.

My operatives say that there is a power play going on among the directors at the museum (and there are a bunch of them). Without the Ponds, that museum wouldn't even exist. It was Bob's idea and his (and therefore his wife's) collection that provided the displays.

Despite this lawsuit, the P-63 seems to be flying a bit. Hopefully they can work through this.

Only the lawyers will make out on this.What a shame.Hope it all works out.

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Hang The Expense

The Spitfire.

Formerly 'Our' much loved red Spitfire G-FIRE of Spencer Flack.

Somebody please put it out of its misery and paint it in a representative livery.

PeterA

I think I know someone who's got a stash of red, white and blue paint available...

T J

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Make my day, punk!

But it sounds like it from the article that the museum WANTS to fly the Pond donated aircraft again, but not being allowed access to the logbooks and tools make it clear that Mrs Pond doesn't want them to. One of the other readers commented on her quote to the reporter where she states that any of the tools in question can be bought at a hardware store, as that indicates she is clueless. I don't believe that, and in fact she may have stated it to throw off a clueless reporter. Maybe she has an emotional attachment to the aircraft and doesn't want them flown? Could it be she doesn't want them flown until the full value of the collection is paid off, in the event of a loss? Maybe she is afraid once they are flying again there is a possibility that one or two might be sold off?

I hope it all works out. I don't get involved in the flying/static museum debate, but I hate to hear about perfectly flyable aircraft that make the rounds at shows, now suddenly grounded.

Pete

How sad. Jim Dubay must be spinning in his grave.

go through the paperwork and you'll see that Mr Pond didn't want the a/c started or much less flown. You're correct they can't do anything until they're paid in full. I met the Pond's once and my impression was that she loved the airplanes very much and they were very active with the museum more so than being the reason for it's very existance.
If you can't fly it, run it at all or even pickle it what the heck would there be a need for ongoing maintence. Their hands seem to be tied by the agreement they signed.
BTW they haven't flown in years.
Over to the experts.

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Don't touch my junk!!

I wondered what happened to change his attitude? When he went to inspect the hulk of the P-63, he flew out in the silver & blue A-26. During the Minnesota days, the a/c were all annualled, even if most of them only logged a partial hour over Memorial Day weekend.

Mr. Pond did ground the airplanes before he died, how ever the museums has always been and will be a flying museum. Every one involved right now has the goal of eventually flying the aircraft. The aircraft donated to the museum, some by Mr. Pond and some by other donors, are able to fly. Mr. Pond set up the trust so that his legacy would be carried on through the warbirds. The airplanes, I ASSUME, were sold to the Museum at a discounted rate because thats the way Mr. Pond wanted it. After all, he was a pretty good business man! All the aircraft will eventually be flown. The tools are integral to being able to not only maintain flyable aircraft but static aircraft as well. After all, we have all seen those airplanes sitting on the road side rotting away. The tools and manuals were always part of the museum. The P-63, Stearman, Cub, C-47, PBY, T-33 and Mustang, belong to the museum, they were all donated.

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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

Benjamin Franklin, American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher

I know out of these, the P-63 still flies because it is outright owned by the Museum and not Mr. Pond's estate. Do any of those others fly as well?

Only the aircraft owned by the museum can be flown at the museum's discretion. The aircraft that are part of the purchase arrangement are not to be flown until they are paid for. The museum couldn't afford to buy the Pond collection up front due to loan obligations from the construction of their hangar.

Stearman, Mustang, PBY and C-47 fly AFAIK.

All the ones listed can be flown, the Stearman and the 63 are flown regularly, the PBY is going through some maintanance to remove the fire bomber stuff and get it ready for a ride program. The C-47 is on a ride program and is waiting for a new #1. The T-33 is flying also and will be on a ride program also. The cub flies about three or four times a year. The mustang is complete it just needs to be gone through. All of the aircraft will eventually be painted accurately including the Spit!

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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

Benjamin Franklin, American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher