Warbird Information Exchange

Among the many warbirds owned by Hardwick Aircraft were 2 brand new Me-109s, still in their factory crates, with Spanish Air Force paint from the factory. When he moved his collection from a small airport called Rosemead Field to a location in South El Monte, CA, these were moved along with all his parts and aircraft. It looks like he had the largest collection of B-25 parts anywhere, which he sold to Aero Trader in 1976, sold P-47G SNAFU in 1975, and sold P-51 Boise Bee in 1978. He kept 3 P-38s at nearby Brackett Field.

A. Does anyone know where the Me-109s ended up?

B. Does anyone know the address for the S. El Monte location? Historic Aerials have views of S. El Monte during the time the collection was located there, which to me would be very interesting to see.

One of them ended up in Germany with Flugmuseum Messerschmitt. Re-engined with a DB 605 "Red 7" D-FWME is flying quite a lot, though having several accidents in her life. This year she was flown at Biggin Hill, will fly at Flying Legends (Duxford) and Royal International Air Tatoo, Fairford. Several other occasions in central Europe as well. Many video clips of Red 7 around (search youtube). One of the well done ones by Flugmuseum Messerschmitt clicking on link below. Enjoy watching (btw turn your sound up, and hear the DB roar!).

Michael

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jenWQy4Zm-w

Which one was the third? I know that he had N29Q and N79123 out there in their black paint jobs. never heard of a third though...

T J

_________________
Make my day, punk!

He also had N38LL, the original "Scatterbrain Kid" which crashed and was destroyed in the mid 1970's.

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

... Hardwick Aircraft Co. ...

.. 1612 Chico, So. El Monte, CA ...

But not at the same time as the other two. I notice that Goodall's directory puts him as the owner in 1950 in between spells with Fairchild Aerial Surveys.


Have you been using this website for reference?
http://www.bannerbob.net/Rosemead.htm

Personally I find it slightly hard to believe that Hardwick had the "109s" at the time he moved out of Rosemead, which would have been in the 1950s. At a time when they would only recently have been built. Would the Spanish have sold a front- line fighter to a civilian..? There are a few photos in the July/ Aug. issue of Warbirds International of Hardwick and his Buchons. This from an undated letter he sent to Challenge Publications years ago. In it he states that he had recently bought two 109s, one for his wife and one for himself. The planes were to be used in an upcoming movie about the BoB, after which they would be dismantled and shipped to the US. The one the Hardwicks stand in front of in the photo has film paint on, while the other is in the paint booth. Meaning that the planes had been bought not that long before 1968.


But if Goodall is right on this airframe's history, Hardwick had it around 1981-82. After several other owners, like Doug Arnold and Steve Schulke. Which means Jack couldn't have had it since it left Spanish service.

Hardwick is also supposed to have owned Robert Murphy's elusive C.4K-116 N6109 around 1970-76. A time frame which stands to reason.

T J

_________________
Make my day, punk!

Thanks for the address, Sledge39. I was hoping to see something, especially in the 1960s and 1970s views, but no luck, which is disappointing, since the 1958 aerial view of Dallas Love Field clearly shows the six B-17s stored there. I was hoping for the same type of result regarding clearness.

T J - I used Forgotten Airfields-Rosemead, and the sight you linked. As Bob Cannon knew Hardwick, visited his businesses, and kept his plane at Brackett, I trust his information is correct. The Me-109s were seen, still in their factory crates, when Hardwick was moving from Rosemead to S El Monte, which I think was around 1959-1960, then years later seen again at S El Monte. The three P-38s, all painted black, were seen at Brackett in the 1960s, when Bob Cannon kept his own plane there.

In the early 1950s, at Rosemead, he had P-51s, P-40s, a Wildcat and who knows what else. And what was the inventory that went to S El Monte? It would be so interesting to see exactly what he had and when.