Warbird Information Exchange

Hi All,

As you probably remember from my recent posts, I was on a business trip to Seattle, WA recently. The work hours were long, and I was working 7 days a week, but I did have a number of my mornings free where I could get out and about, and I did. I got my pics back from the photo lab and have picked through them to select the best and clean those up. The links are given below.

PLEASE NOTE... None of these photos may be published or reproduced without my permission, and that of the museums of the aircraft featured.

First is the Museum of Flight...
http://community.webshots.com/album/253372192pgVPax
The highlight of this visit was the new Personal Courage Wing. The displays were very well presented, and the MoF have proven that they have a world class facility. Even though photography is diffucult, with very dark displays and uneven lighting (a tripod is a must), I still managed to get some decent shots. I found that editting the photos to remove spot light glare, etc. improved the presentation 100%.

Secondly is the Olympic Flight Museum...
http://community.webshots.com/album/251653542srqNsu
Not a large museum, but a friendly museum. The light is very good. The displays are informal, but you can walk right up to the aircraft. In addition there are a few aircraft displayed outside that are awaiting some TLC. It is certainly worth a visit if you are in the area.

Thirdly is an album for a few sighting around Boeing Field...
http://community.webshots.com/album/253390407nkruRB
Boeing field is a very interesting place to go aircraft spotting. Everything operates out of there, from Cessna 170s, to new 737s in bare metal and primer coming to the print shop, to E-3 Sentrys (AWACS) operating out of the Military Flight Center of Boeing.

This one should get some attention, the Me-262 project...
http://community.webshots.com/album/252241500mKdjee
Only the airframes that have not been sold are featured here, as these are the only airframes I was allowed to photograph.

Another interesting location go go spotting is Paine Field...
http://community.webshots.com/album/251700713HpSKAU
I managed to get a picture of the Me-262 replica White 1 out in the open. It is from a long distance and you can't see much.

Finally there is the Museum of Flight Restoration facility...
http://community.webshots.com/album/252127163gDNhxT
There are a number of interesting projects here. The volunteers workings on the projects are quite friendly and willing to talk.

Of course it is probably just as easy to go to my Webshots community page at...
http://community.webshots.com/user/mrhenniger
...to get to all of thes albums.

I am looking forward to your comments. I am also looking for any information you may have to share since there are a few unidentified airframes in the albums.

Enjoy!

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.

Wow Mike great photo tour from your trip.
And you really worked 7 days a week while you were there also?

Thanks for the pics and narrative!

Bill

Yeah... I did a 12 hour day on my birthday which fell on a Sunday. That was fun... not! However the visit to the FHC the day before kind of compensated.

BTW... I am asking permission from FHC/Vulcan to post my FHC pics. FHC gave me a contact at Vulcan. The email has gone out, and I am waiting for a response. I have offered to lower the resolution and place text across the picture. I guess we wait and see.

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.

Funky bird at Boeing field - dome over the cockpit??

Neat photos - they helped to make up my mind as to what one museum I hit when I get up there in March.

Tom P.

I was told it was the electronics test bed airframe for the F-22 raptor flight control systems. The dome you are referring to are acually canards!

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.

This is the prototype B757, with modified as an F-22 avionics testbed. F-22 leading edges are built into the top canard/wing piece (AFAIK it has no aerodynamic purpose or controllability) and the nose under the blue cover is an F-22 radome and (assumably) the F-22 avionics.

Mike,

Thanks for the pics. I really appreciated the F7U, Vamp, and F8U pics from the restoration area. Any idea if the Fouga or that T-craft in the rafters belong ot the MOF?

Jim

You are welcome.

For the fouga the c/r info is...
NX505DM, CM 170R, FM-36, Jon Galt Bowman

For the Taylorcraft...
N19893, A, 398, Sale Reported

For the Piper...
N1700, 601P, 61P-0551-236, Business Management Systems Inc.

That is all that I know, essentially all that I could dig up based on their markings and the website info.

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.

Just looked at the MOF homepage. The Taylorcraft is listed but the Fouga is not. Wonder if they are holding it for a private owner of if it is a new donation.

Jim

I had assumed it was a private owner's aicraft and the one I saw on the tarmac at Paine Field last April. However I just checked my photo archieve and found the picture with the following c/r info...

N-number : N312DM
Aircraft Serial Number : 275
Aircraft Manufacturer : FOUGA
Model : CM 170 MAGISTER
Engine Manufacturer : TURBOMECA
Model : MARBORE IIC
Aircraft Year : 1960
Owner Name : GRANLEY NEIL S

...so I guess they aren't the same airframes. Hmmmm....

Regards,

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.

Thanks for posting the pictures Mike. It was good to see the changes at the various museums. A LOT has happened since I was there in 2003. Incidentally, I am curious as to why you need permission from the museums to post images, there must be dozens of shots posted/printed from all of them out there which had no such consideration?

Cheers,
Richard

All the Fouga's are privately owned. John and Ann Bowman own the one at the restoration facility. Bud Granley ownes the other two gold ones that are sitting at the Airport. His son ,Ross Granley, owns the white and red Yak18T with russian stars on the top of the wings and maple leaves on the bottom. It's usually parked by the gold Fougas. The Granleys also have two Yak 55's and a Harvard kept at Paine Field.

_________________
Brad

The Olympic Flight Museum specifies mentions no restrictions at any point in your visit about what may be photographed and for what purpose. The Museum of Flight (both the main museum and the restoration facility) on the other hand is different. I walked up to the counter to pay my fee carrying my camera bag and tripod and was asked if I would be taking pictures "for profit", i.e. for publication. I insisted I wouldn't, and that they would be for my personal collection. I don't count Webshots as publication since it is a method of sharing with my friends. The Me-262 Project had exactly the same restrictions. The FHC however was an even more restrictive keeper of the warbirds. Not only are you not allowed to publish or post, but every picture you take you must be in the frame! Fortunately I was using my tripod and my camera has a shutter delay, so I could do it all myself. As mentioned I have requested permission from the FHC to post heavily marked up photos. So far they haven't answered my email, and I get the feeling they won't.

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.

Thanks for the tips Brad! I'll go warbird hunting again at Paine if I get a chance to be in the area again.

Did the OFM make you home sick?

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.

Hi Mike,

I'm trying to catch up on the WIX and I just went through your photos....excellent as always!

One note though, and someone may have already mentioned this, but in the Museum of Flight gallery, you have the following caption:

"Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa - One of four hulks recovered from Simuysu Island in the Kuril Islands off Japan. If you have any ID information about this airframe please let me know. "

I believe that this is actually the Oscar that is owned by the NASM who loaned it to the EAA museum in Oshkosh, WI, who in turn loaned it to the MOF in a trade deal to get the ex-Champlin Spitfire MJ772 (N8R) for a limited time of display here in Wisconsin.

To the best of my knowledge, she was never a hulk in the Kurils, but was in fact a war prize/evaluation aircraft wearing the USAAF codes FE-6430, and T2-6430. Her identity has been reported as: C/N 6, S/N 62387 (and then S/N 6430, which is probably the correct serial when looking at other Oscar identities)

Hope this helps.....I miss seeing the little Oscar when I go over to the EAA museum. Hope the folks out West are enjoying her.

Steve