Warbird Information Exchange

Austin Acres Wildlife Refuge, Petting Zoo, Vintage Aircraft Tours, Canoe Rental, & Helicopter Rides.

Hello, my name is Gary, and I am addicted to collecting stuff other people were sending to the scrapper.

Yesterday, I got a call from a fella who was getting ready to scrap an experimental helicopter that they had just stripped all the "good stuff" off of. I had no interest in it until he said that the tail boom, vertical stabilzer, and landing skids were all off of an OH-58 (Bell Jet Ranger). It was at that point I figured there was still room in Lake Austin for some more "stuff." So, if you know anyone out there that could use some old OH-58 parts at bargain basement prices, have them get in touch with me.

Here's the unloading process.......

Arrival at AAWRPZVATCR&HR...




Part numbers for tail boom and vertical stabilzer...






So, how does one go about installing a tail boom on a helicopter all by himself??? Well, he just uses the PBY in his pond as an assistant. Isn't that how everybody does it?




And here's the complete collection (for now)......






Gary

Gary...Gary...Gary...You're a great guy and we all appreciate the work you put into the a/c there but...sometimes I think you might need............
MENTAL HELP

Mudge the observant

ps. "Just funnin', son. Just funnin'".

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Land of the free because of the brave

I am SO jealous!

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

Mudge,

I think the ever expanding collection on Lake Austin IS mental help, or therapy at least! (Keep up the good work with your flying!!)

Scott

Scott, that's a great theory, but I think Mudge is right and the continuing additions to Lake Austin are just a cry for some professional help........You know...airplane movers, crane operators and such.

Gary

HI!! GARY


The 2007 -Austin Family Xmas Card - Pappa Airframe on the Left, Mama Airframe on the Right, and Junior in the Middle

Will the AAWRPZVATCR&HR eventually reach this stage? If so, the Christmas card is going to be kind of complicated.

NAS Clinton, Oklahoma circa 1946, with around 9,000 residents.

Woah, for a second I thought that WAS a picture of the AAWRPZVATCR&HR compound.

One day I'm going to have my own PBY Canso/Catalina. I just need a ummm.... "Sugar Buddy"???? Yeah, that'll work, a sugar buddy to buy me things. Oh wait, No... not that kind of buddy... hmm.. maybe I should have said "Sugar Uncle" or something. yes, no?

Nnone the less, I've got my eyes on a "tragic" little Canso and want to save it. It was flying a few years ago, but no longer. I think I need about $90,000. Anyone want to help? lol

cheers,

David

Gary,

You need to know that you are not alone. Just be forewarned an addiction to saving things from the scrapper never gets better only worse lol. Be careful or your family album will soon look like mine.

I'll trade you a 90% complete helicopter for those B-25 wings.

Gary

Any more info about the heli you've got?

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

Gary, I was thinking that fire engine would look great on you. Just imagine, driving down the tarmac, wind blowing through your hair. The only thing is don't try and trade me one of FiFi's run out 3350s, I already have one of those lol. After so many years of "saving" things from farmers fields and hangar going out of business sales lol we are cleaning house. I have been trying to sell or practically give away some of the trucks etc to collectors who can use the parts. Most of the trucks in the line of WWII GMCs and Chevy's are thankfully gone.

I was thinking you might be looking to make a trade of a barely used but slightly banged up P2V-3W for the PBY.

Ryan

Fouga23...I don't know a whole bunch about the helicopter, except that it was a designed and built by some retired engineer, who used many components (including the powerplant, transmission, etc.) from a UH-58 (Bell 206, Jet Ranger). I'm told that he flew it for about five hours, then sold it due to his age. I reckon after many years of building it, he just wanted the satisfaction of flying it, even if it were just a few hours. It was just bought by some folks that stripped it clean and were going to scrap the rest.

rwdfresno...E-mail me. I'm sure that Austin Acres could use a firetruck or a used, but slightly banged up P2V-3W. However, that PBY isn't mine, so I'd have to work out something else to trade you.

Gary

That helicopter must've been deregistered with the FAA because that tail number now belongs on a homebuilt in Wisconsin.

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If God had wanted man to fly behind a flat motor, Pratt Whitney would've built one.

gary & fresno are th the sandford & son of wix!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!