Warbird Information Exchange

Doug--

Walt simply wanted to rescue warbirds from the smelter...irrespective of condition or accident. I know of four airframes (none of them really viable as projects) at Walt's that had been involved in fatal incidents: the Blue Angel F11F wreckage, an F2H wreck, a Harvard wreck and a B-57 hulk that is what was left after an explosion on the ramp that killed a ground crewman. (Interestingly I read somewhere that Walt had a dream while he was in process of acquiring the F11F remains, in which dream the pilot, Lt Richard Oliver, appeared and told Walt it was OK for him to buy the wreck! However true that anecdote is, it suggests at least that Walt, too, was somewhat troubled by those circumstances.)

Oscardeuce--

That FG-1D pic further up the thread is a very old shot (and the best I've seen showing the markings on the fuselage). The big hulk in the background in that pic is not the B-36 but the Fairchild C-82 pod Walt also still has; it was near the now-Yagen B-25 in the 80s. I think the pic predates the arrival of the XAD-1 Skyraider from Fairless Hills PA circa 1971.

If "everything" there is indeed "for sale"...wow, it's going to be an interesting time. For my part, I'd love to see the Victor nose and the CF-100 cockpit back north of the border, maybe at TAM...MAPS, if this info is correct, ought at least to look into the F7U Cutlass.

Incidentally, slightly OT, did Yagen's Mitchell make it to Thunder?

S.

I heard the same story while I was there (i was the unlucky S.O.B stuck sitting the B-25 cockpit sweating like a pig). I would like to have at least put a face with the name.

I was half hoping we could have flown over his property on the way home. I had my good camera lenses with me just in case....

_________________
Phil K.
Yankee Air Museum
Systems Admin / Ramp Crew / Professional Photo Ruiner

Whats the story on Ken Mcbride, never heard of him.?

Regards,
Mike

I wonder if we can work out a tax write off for MAPS aond other OHIO museums!

If Mr. Soplata was to donate an aircraft or all of the aircraft to MAPS or another Ohio 501(c)3 Museum they could issue a tax receipt for the value of the donation. Mr. Soplata could then take the deduction against his income taxes. If the donation was to exceed the value of his income, he can take the deduction over a period of years.

I am a little confused by some of the above postings about Walter and the IRS. They just don’t make sense. However, being that I do not know about his circumstances and the facts in this matter, I would not speculate or given any opinion.

Jim

No

He's a San Martin (Hollister?), California collector that (I've heard) owns a P-51D, a Spitfire Mk XVI, a Hurricane IIc and, now it sounds like, a FG-1D Corsair. I'd be very interested to know what other gems he owns! Has anybody seen his collection?

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry ... rtxt=151KM

Dennis

McBride has more than one Mustang. Check out MustangsMustangs; all my data on him is locked away on my other computer.

Actually, a better place to find the list is...

Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Walter Soplata Aviation Collection

...since I maintain that one as I receive information. The WIX version is dated since Scott is swamped with emails.

If anyone has any information that can be added or can make a correction let me know and I will get it done.

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

One word that come to mind when seeing that over head shot of the Grounds WOW Yeah leave it to the IRS to see past the Flaws of the GOV and then make up for it by taxing you for something that the Tax Payers all ready paid for

_________________
Always Keep Em Flying !

Glen

Lookie Capt Jim! Wham! Wham! ...............................Termights

I’m calling "dibs" on that F7U. That’s exactly what we need for the museum.

I wonder what kind of price he would be talking. Or maybe a donation?

_________________
Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

I ran into Walter at Gathering of Eagles on Saturday. He's had some health crises. (He kept repeating, "I'm a dying man.") But he looked better than he did last year. He's certainly a character. Everything for sale? That'd be different.

Re the B-36:

The jet pods were the same as the inboard pods on the B-47. They even had the doors and mounts for the outrigger gear. The engines would burn avgas ok, but crewmen have told me that efter every flight they'd have to scrape lead deposits off the tailpipe.

I was involved with the effort to restore the last B-36, #2827, back in the late 70's. At one point they managed to get all six engines running - one at a time. They only had one set of engine instruments; the flight deck had been trashed by vandals:


(I took this picture in the late 70's when the plane was still at Greater Southwest.)


The AF pulled the plug on the project, and just as well. The '36 was a maintenance hog. (Count the spark plugs alone!) ISTR a figure of 80 mx hours per flight hour.

However, the volunteers in Ft. Worth did a splendid job of restoring 2827 for static display before the USAF gave it to Pima a couple of years ago:


(Don Pyeatt via Goleta)

The entire story is documented on Don Pyeatt's excellent CD "Saving the Last Peacemaker", available here: http://www.prowebfortworth.com/

Welcome to WIX, skydaddy61!!

Dennis

Thanks! Looks to be a great place.

So, Ken M. now owns two viable Corsair projects..... Given that, I would not be so sure that they will be tucked away forever.

John