Warbird Information Exchange

Now thats a tragity.

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Shop the Airplane Bunker At
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My understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) is that Mike won't be paid before he wasn't able to complete the A-25 since the AFM refused to give him the extra few weeks he needed. He also won't get any official acknowledgement for the outstanding job he did.
If you go back and look over Mike updates you'll see that he has nothing
but praise for the folks at the AFM he was involved. All the trouble started
when a new restoration director took over. Mike's said in his last post
but when the last restoration supervisor retired and the new kid on the block took over, it was a whole new ball game. Nothing was quite up to his standards; he was not around when a very damaged, corroded, burnt and crushed airframe entered my shop, but jumped in the arena when much of the work was all ready complete. Seven years of my life were donated to returning what many thought as an impossible task of rebuilding the A-25 to displayable standards. 6 to 8 weeks were required to complete the final restoration, when the decision was made by their restoration supervisor to finish the project at Dayton. This meant no final payment.

I've heard the new guy who's responsible for all of this is a real DH. I won't post his name but if you want it just PM me.
This last sentence just sums it up.

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Don't touch my junk!!

ALL I WANTED WAS A COUPLE OF PICTURES!!

I doubt I will be in D.C. when that happens, but I will get you some when it gets to NMUSAF.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Ok guys...

This thread was about the Goose...it had nothing to do with the Helldiver.
Jack, Mike, Mustangdriver and the rest of us need to try and keep our comments on an even keel.

There are legitimate concerns about how these machines are handled. Those concerns can be addressed with out the rancor and back biting. I have been guilty of throwing out a smart azz comment now and then...but I try real hard not to be a jerk about things.

A lively discussion is great fun....try to be reasonable in your responses and remember on this here internet there is no body language or inflection to be seen and heard....just words...in black and white.

Be nice and have fun...

Thanks
Z

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Zane Adams
There I was at 20,000 ft, upside down and out of ammunition.
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I, for one and I bet there are many others, will be v-e-r-y pleased when we finally get to see all of The Swoose, even if I have to suffer through another kindergarten exercise called The Behind The Scenes Tour.
Please Note: Kinda joking here, God Love the NMUSAF volunteers who generously give their time to escort people like me so we can see stuff not on display inside the museum. However, having said that, it IS a trifle annoying to get treated as a Kindergartner by the lead volunteer lady at the start of the process of touring.

...back to The Swoose...
ALL those years it was stored at the NASM Garber Facility and the one of very few open houses they had (October 1996), all I got to see were parts of the wings. It will be terrific to see the whole bird and I hope they finish it while I can still get to Dayton.
This move and eventual restoration is a step forward for us B17 nuts and represents, at least on paper, progress.
Further, I am really glad that I don't have to make the decision of how to restore The Swoose, since it had several configurations & many different markings in its career. I think whatever configuration they pick and whatever markings they choose, we will have at least a 42 page thread about in this forum.

Before anyone thinks I am bashing either institution, I truly understand the very real demands placed on both Museums - both have a wide range of a/c & artifacts and both collections are huge. There are only so many hours in the day and only so many $ in play. Which is why I am a Friend of the NMUSAF and a member of the NASM Air & Space Society (and have been for almost 2 decades for NMUSAF and since the year they started the A&S Society for NASM).

Hey its real easy as to what configuration the D model should be restored as she is a combat veteran of the Phillipines.

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Hang The Expense

Holy Crap groundpounder...I am with you I was hoping that someone from here at WIX would have had the time to go and get some pix of the move. Would be marvelous to see some daylight on Swoose for the first time in how many years??? Any chance of maybe grabbing any other aircraft from that facility while they have the doors open to let Swoose out of her cage???

I would have liked to have gone to NMUSAF and seen what there is left of Swoose reassembled and put on display until they had the time to give her some attention in the restoration rink. Sorry Chris, but I am disappointed once again in the General's decision to immediately hide her away again in the restoration facility. Just when she got sprung from her prison cell...now we have to wait how many more years to see her in one piece??? Yeah, yeah, I know about the restoration facility tours...not the same thing as taking what they have and put her on display until she can get the attention that she needs...a la the P-61 and P-38 at the NASM and the B-50 there at the AF museum.

I am NOT bashing the NMUSAF. We here at WIX refer to each other from time-to-time as a very disfunctional family. I come from a large family and can say that none of us ten kids EVER fully agree on anything...NEVER. So how in the heck can we ever get all of us kids here on WIX to fully agree on anything? Not gonna happen. Hopefully, we can continue to have the lively debates and agree to disagree with each other...just like a great big dysfunctional family

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Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

You have to understand that she is not going to be hidden away. She is going right into to restoration. Meaning her and the Belle are going to be done at the same time. this means that you are going to see a complete Swoose sooner. Isn't that a good thing?

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

The Swoose is Coming !! The Swoose is Coming !! Wow ! ok now that I got that out of my System (Never ) I want to take a min and Thank everybody that posts on here . At times their are some pretty lively points of view. I think that we bite and snap at each other till some one comes along and jacks with the Warbird Community as a whole. but in the end The Wix Hanger is a place were people that love, Breath Eat, Sleep War Birds can come to the table all agree that saving of a Bird from the Smelters is a sweet victory of any sorts.

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Always Keep Em Flying !

Glen

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

I agree pal.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Ummmmmm....conjuring up some politically correct terminology here...

From what Mrg97 wrote is that Swoose is going directly into the restoration facility to be restored alongside The Belle. IIRC the timeline for The Belle to be put on display is something like 10 years? I think it is a tremendous coup for the AF museum to have procured Swoose and pried her from her cold, dingy cell that she is residing in...looks like a tour of the restoration facility will be in order...soon. Probably no chance of a partial restoration...just enough to be able to put her on display and then the museum restoration staff could devote all of their attention to The Belle while us weirdos that like looking at old airplanes that are not all glossy and shined-up could enjoy Swoose...for just a little while?

Yes, I am like a little kid at Christmas...I wanna see it now or I am gonna stomp my feet and cry

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Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

No worries pal. I think that the main idea is that it will be easier and faster to do them both together. You have to look at the big picture. Both are going to be on display faster. Now I won't lie, I don't know what condition Swoose is in. TO say that it could just be put back together for display may not be correct. Not sure how much work even that would take at this point.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

THe NMUSAF has around 400 aircraft on display in the collection at Dayton. To say, it doesn't look good is a bit of a stretch. Just because they moved one aircraft in a manner that you are not a fan of, and do not have all of the details about.


Can I remined everyone that the AFM destroyed numerous one of a kind aircraft when they moved the collection in early 1980's (including a YB-36 and B-52A) - luckely, parts of both aircraft survive

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Dave Gansz