Warbird Information Exchange

Is the most intact Val considered to be the one owned by POF (the former Diemert ma chine) or is there a better example somewhere?

_________________
Always looking for WW2 Half-Tracks and Parts.

After what BD did to that thing, intact will have to have a very broad definition.
Rich

_________________
Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
benstear.org
#64- Stay Strong and Keep the Faith

BOOM BOOM, ROUND ROUND, PROPELLER GO

Don't Be A Dilbert!

You guys would not believe the nightmare the POF Val was in.The repairs were the most God awful attempt.You would just have to have seen them back in the day to believe them.It did fly but would not have flown for long in the state it was in.IMO "He" was an absolute menace.

_________________
Hang The Expense

After all the "Diemertizations" were removed from the POF Val, how much original Aichi-built airframe is still there?

The wreck at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredricksburg TX may actually be more complete as far as original material goes. I seem to remember reading awhile back about a Val wreck discovered somewhere in the Pacific that was substantially complete. An expedition recovered the remains of the crew, but the wreck was left where it was.

SN

I've wondered the same. Pictures are hard to come by, basically either the old black and white from Air Classics with Diemert flying it or one or two color shots of it at POF with the wings removed and a tarp over the cockpit. I guess it must be in really bad shape hence they don't even want to show pictures of it but that is just a guess.

Its a shame something can't be done with it after so many years, another guess is it is so far gone its not worth the effort. Too bad there are no intact complete examples in good shape, probably the same goes for the Kate. I think if I had big bucks to drop into a warbird
resto/recreation a Val or Kate would be near the top of my list.

_________________
Always looking for WW2 Half-Tracks and Parts.

The POF Val is not too far gone. They fully intend on restoring it to airworthy condition as time and resources allow. It's been very slowly worked on over the years, but priorities shifted once it was realized how in-depth and thorough the restoration needed to be accomplished to bring it up to flying standards. My guess is that it will be worked on seriously after the P-59 and O-47 and possibly the B-17 are finished. So, it would probably be number 3 or 4 in the restoration queue.

For more info, see here:

http://www.planesoffame.org/index.php?p ... n-projects

Also, to add to what someone else mentioned, I believe a "fresh" Val was recovered from the big Solomon Islands expedition from a year or two ago. I don't know anything else about it, or where it ended up, but it was successfully recovered.

Also, there is a persistent rumor that Paul Allen has a complete Kate (not the Russian example from the Hunt brothers), that he recovered from the Pacific. At least one person on this forum has seen pictures of it.

Thanks for the update it is great to know they are making slow progress on it and that it is inside. The inside picture I'd not seen before but i have to laugh it has the same blue tarp over the cockpit.

It will be great to see it completed and in the air someday.

_________________
Always looking for WW2 Half-Tracks and Parts.

Bob Diemert sent me some photos of the Val being recovered back in 1972 and they are posted in my airplane album on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23057174@N ... 789690023/

Wow i was hoping someone would have pictures. I love the rear cockpit shot with the intact tail gun ring.

This thread is no longer worthless it now as pictures.

Thanks for the link sir.

_________________
Always looking for WW2 Half-Tracks and Parts.

Wow, very cool pictures! I've never seen any of those before! Thanks!

Great stuff. I just discovered this .

I know this isn't where video links normally get posted but this is just such a classic:

The Defender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmJg55puhaQ

_________________
Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

Hi Guys,

I just read about the Val on the POF Resto page. It sounds like the Val eventually will take to the skies, but it will likely take a major effort and rebuild to do it the correct way. I trully hope that they do it and fly it along side the authentic Zero or Zero(s) that are airworthy.

Paul

_________________
Dammit Jim, I'm an Airplane Inspector/Mechanic not a Doctor !