Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Thu May 01, 2025 5:53 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 29 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:03 pm 
Offline
2000+ Post Club
2000+ Post Club

Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 3:45 pm
Posts: 2627
Whats going on with the Me 262, N1K1 Rex, etc that were sitting outside at NAS Willow Grove?

I know the 262 was used as a pattern ship for the Stormbirds projects.

Now whats happened to them?

Regards,
Mike


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:24 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:22 pm
Posts: 123
Location: Horsham, PA
The Me262 has been restored and is on display at NAS Willow Grove. I am not sure where the Japanese planes ended up but they are not at Willow Grove. The AR196 I heard went to Pensacola but it was damaged en route. I live around the corner from the base if you need anything else let me know.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:56 pm 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:10 pm
Posts: 4173
Location: Pearland, Texas
The AR96 is pretty sad right now. The fuselage is on its floats. The horizontals and wings are off and stacked off to the side. Severe intergranular corrosion is evident all over the surfaces. The Rufe is also at Pensacola and it is essentially the same as the Arado. The only diffence is the fuselage is on the ground and the float is sitting on its dolly. The ings are in the same stack as the Arado wings.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:05 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:15 pm
Posts: 951
They had a George there also but it disappeared in the late 70s, early 80s. I thought that that was taken to Pensacola also? The AR96 underwent a cosmedic face lift around the time of the Bicentennial.

The AR96 was taken from the Prinz Eugen when it was docked at the Phila Navy yard before its final cruise to Bikini Atoll. It was one of those shall we say "Midnight requesitions" by some farsighted sailors.

The Cutlass out side the museum is is sad shape and the crew there says it doesn't have the resources to restore it. Hopefully some deep pockets will prevail


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 7:50 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:12 am
Posts: 871
Jiggersfromsphilly wrote:
They had a George there also but it disappeared in the late 70s, early 80s. I thought that that was taken to Pensacola also? The AR96 underwent a cosmedic face lift around the time of the Bicentennial.

The AR96 was taken from the Prinz Eugen when it was docked at the Phila Navy yard before its final cruise to Bikini Atoll. It was one of those shall we say "Midnight requesitions" by some farsighted sailors.

The Cutlass out side the museum is is sad shape and the crew there says it doesn't have the resources to restore it. Hopefully some deep pockets will prevail


Any photos available.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 10:26 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 03, 2004 8:01 am
Posts: 877
Location: FL
Photo of Cutlass taken this past January below.
Other pics from museum HERE

A few pics of their airshow in May are mixed in.

Bill

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:51 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 10:20 am
Posts: 174
Hello,

I asked the same question a while back and here is the answer right from the museum:

The Zero is restored and on display at the NASM. The George is restored and can be seen at the Hazy center. The Jill is in storage at Garber. The Rex is in storage at Pensacola.
Hope this of help,
Gary J. Campbell: Senior Curator, DVHAA Wings of Freedom Museum
NAS JRB Willow Grove

Take care,

Ron Werneth


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 9:53 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:12 am
Posts: 871
wls3 wrote:
Photo of Cutlass taken this past January below.
Other pics from museum HERE

A few pics of their airshow in May are mixed in.

Bill

Image


Thanks for the link!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 10:05 am 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:10 pm
Posts: 4173
Location: Pearland, Texas
Sorry guys, I said Rufe, should have been Rex as Ron said. Anyway, what ever it is it's too bad it's in its present state . At least the Rex at the Nimitz Museum is together and in much better shape.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: P-40 at Willow Grove NAS
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:52 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:15 pm
Posts: 951
Does he know what happened to the P-40 that was displayed next to the Zero?

Also some of these planes ,the Fury and the Jet Ski used to be displayed as gate guardians at the Aviation Supply Office on Oxford ave in the Lawndale section of Philly.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:29 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:22 am
Posts: 638
Location: VA, USA
I took my young son to the Udvar-Hazy center last year and saw the George.

I had no idea it was the same one from Willow Grove NAS. My father had taken me there when I was just a little older than my son. (I remember worrying about the planes being exposed outside to the New Jersey winters.)

Anyway, here's a (not very good) picture I took of "my" Shiden at the Dulles Annex. (The Enola Gay's tail is visible upper left).

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 7:45 am 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!

Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 8:06 pm
Posts: 1660
Location: Baltimore MD
In the 1970's, while my family was visiting friends across from the NAS, I pleaded with my father to let me go look at them. You could park on the outside on the road and look at them from the fence. I don't remember the AR196 but I do remember the Schwalbe, Jill, Rex, and George. We used to have photos of them around but I think they got lost in my parents' divorce. I got to visit several times and the Jill disappeared at some point. They were the first WWII warbirds I got to see in person. I can still remember seeing them for the first time as we drove north on the road (Route 309?) and how exciting it was to see them 100 yards from me! I think I had just read Martin Caidin's "Zero" and started my long interest in WWII Japanese aircraft (I think I was 11 or 12).

Two years ago, a friend gave me a piece of the Rex which his friend sent from Pensacola during some earlier restoration- it is a piece of panel from the underbelly. My friend had told me it was a piece of a Zero, which was a neat addition to the collection. When he handed it over to me, his friend had written on it in sharpie marker that it was from the Pensacola N1K1J aircraft. Even neater piece for the collection- one that really connected me with my inner child! Well, who am I kidding- I'm still a child when it comes to WWII aircraft...

_________________
REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Highway #
PostPosted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 7:51 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 3:15 pm
Posts: 951
Route 611 Easton Rd


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:23 pm 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am
Posts: 3328
I wonder what the future holds for these arirframes with the decision to close Willow Grove NAS? :(

http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_detai ... emid=48910


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:16 am 
Offline

Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:22 pm
Posts: 123
Location: Horsham, PA
I am really disappointed in the decision to close the base. It sounds like the ANG unit is staying but minus their aircraft. Maybe one of the hangars can be used to house the historic aircraft.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 29 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Baldeagle, Google [Bot], Paul Stroud and 327 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group