Warbird Information Exchange

I think we should start a fund, get mustangdriver this B-25 fund. Ha Ha. All joking aside, this owner of this plane needs to man up and either sell this plane, donate it to a museum, or take care of it.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I'm not suggesting anyone gives the owner any money. All I am saying is sometimes circumstances happen that others don't understand or know the details behind and instead of lambasting the owner and playing armchair quarterback of what other people should do with their money and property I think a more productive approach is to see if there is something you can do to help.

This is the same discussion we could have about Doc or CAF headquarters, or the hundreds of other aircraft that sit outside, uncovered, unprotected that are in the backlots or sitting along the sides of the hangars of nearly every warbird restorer out there "rotting" away. Not to mention just about every aircraft that is on a pole, in front of a VFW, etc.


When you see an aircraft such as this or the aircraft sitting in the field next to the CAF hangar at Midland it is easy to say "wow how could you let your airplane waste away like that?" but at the same time sometimes ***t just happens. There are more of these airplanes around than people who can (or have the desire to) afford to take care of them and that is just the way life is.

The question is: what are the concerned citizens going to do to make the situation better. They could buy it and do what they want with it or spend some of their time and money to make sure they are all covered up? It is easy to talk, much more work than most care to do to actually do something about it.

going a little farther with this thought.
I'll assume the GA people that utilize airports love flying and airplanes.
Why haven't any of the local airport folks done anything like what has been suggested here??
Can someone inquire of maybe the a/p manager???

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Don't touch my junk!!

If someone wants to donate one of these aircraft to me(please include the MM) I'd be happy to spend a few years restoring her! I have the A&P and a good set of tools... Just need a restoring job... And a good regular job!

Robbie

I've been watching this thread for a few days now and I guess I'll throw in my two cents. First of all, we don't know why it is left outside. If the owner is cash strapped due to the state of the economy, then he may not be able to afford inside storage let alone an engine overhaul. It seems like a lot of warbird owners are big in real estate and we all know how that market is. If the market recovers, the owner may still have plans for the plane and therefore wants to keep it. It's sure a lot cheaper to do that than to sell it and buy another later. As said in previous replies, there are a ton of derelict warbirds or near warbirds that could use some TLC. Unfortunaltely, it ain't gonna happen. There's not enough crazy people with unlimited cash to burn on old airplanes to save them all. If there was, then all of the CAF planes would either have been assigned or those that are for sale would have already found homes. I would love to do the Martin Mauler or the Grumman Guardian at the CAF Az Wing but it seems as though these days, if it isn't a P-51 or Corsair type, then the interest is thin. It sucks that it's that way but that's seems to be the way it is.

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

I would say Jack is right> This dude isn't, hasn't and won't be working this airframe anytime soon. Your thirty eight cents won't change that. BILL, however, could really use the help. And HIS bird would actually be out there making a difference. Instead of whinging on about a could be, how about doing somethnig about what IS.

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

Couldn't have said it better. I'd also rather support Bill then this one!

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

I think Muddy Boots and Fugas posts are a good example of my point. A lot of people seem to be concerned that some SOB is letting his airplane rot on the tarmac, then the minute you mention how about helping the guy out, everyone has a dozen excuses why helping him is a waste of time.

The dust hasn't even settled on the Bill G incident and everyone is up in arms to help. The truth of the matter is that you can find volunteers to help someone with a flying warbird, or a museum with a flying aircraft but when you have something that looks like a lost cause everyone wants to point fingers but nobody wants to help.

Ryan

You missed the part I deleted about how stupid it looks to be complaining about this guy and his airplane (which he has at LEAST not sent to the scrapyard) while Bill's bird is sitting propped up leaking fluid on the tarmac somewhere, is in much better shape, has an owner who would LOVE to put it back together and keep it flying, and which is one of, what, three in the world that were flying (now there is I believe ONE left.)

And we're sitting here talking about rebuilding a bird we know nothing about, with an owner no one knows, with a frame we have no idea the condition of.

Typical of human beings to find an "opportunity" which probably won't do a bit of good, talk it into the ground, delay actually doing anything about it, while making ourselves feel and look good while not actually doing anything.

I'm just saying Bill's right here, one of us, and he needs our help. BADLY. Seems like we should be looking closer to home, to a project that is dooable and will show results, rather than sighing at the great unknown
and not actually doing anything about it anyway.

I'm just sayin...is all.

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

Now I have to say that this post is correct as well. I have seen a bunch of guys complain about the condition of an aircraft, but do NOTHING to help out the situation.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager