Spanish Heinkels - Casa 2.111

[richkolasa]

Maybe someone from Cavanaugh can pipe in here, but I thought I had heard that the plans of restoration to flying condition of their example changed after the CAF's crashed. I thought that it was going to remain static indefinitely.

That's what I'd heard as well. Mr. C. was worried that his bird would be the last airworthy example and didn't want to risk such a rare aircraft overall.

With all due respect to the money people who own these aircraft, I don't understand why it's better to have none flying, rather than one [which if it were to have an accident, would leave none, which is what you have by deciding to not fly it because if it were to have an accident, you'd have none.....].

Rich

[AviaS199]

A few months ago, I was hanging around Dan Webb's bookstore in Oakland (a great place).........

Tell me more please - I work in Alameda and haven't heard of this place.

It's on Grand Avenue, between Broadway and Webster. Terrific selection of aviation books and magazines. And Dan's a really good guy, too.

[needle]

With regard to the Cavanaugh He111, these were the comments I wrote on WIX back in 2006:

Cavanaugh He111 (N99230):





(Pictures attributed at http://www.fag.es/sevilla/aparatos/unpedro.htm)

The aircraft was used in the film Battle of Britain, and according to some other information I have available, "returned to 403 squadron at Cuatro Vientos still bearing the two-tone green camouflage and German Squadron markings it received for the film".

Seeing the aircraft in the above photos marked as N99230, but whilst still in Spain (landscape and accompanying aircraft), would indicate that these photos must have been taken after purchase (June 1976) and prior (or during) its trip to the UK (September 1977).

If the aircraft was not repainted between the making of the film, and its sale in 1976, this would tend to indicate that the aircraft was being operated by the Spanish Air Force for approximately 7 years in what appears to be a WWII German two-tone green paint scheme, rather than one of the standard Spanish paint schemes (silver or light desert brown) which appear to have been used on all other serving Spanish He111's (as per the fuselage of B2-I-103 at Duxford). I have also found no references to the aircraft being painted in Spain after its purchase, or prior to its trip to the UK.

Does anyone have any pictures of B2-I-27 when it was with 403 squadron (after 1968, until 1972), 406 squadron (1973), or 462 squadron of 46 group at Gando Air Base in the Canary Isles from 29th January 1974 until 21st January 1975, that might help me determine what colors the aircraft wore during these various periods?

Was the two-tone green paint scheme also a standard scheme used by the Spanish Air Force, and therefore, B2-I-27 did not need to be repainted after its use in the film?

The following comments were also from a WIX entry I wrote in Dec 2006 and as far as I am aware they are still pertinent:

The aircraft last flew at the end of 1995 (or may have been early 1996).

The plan to restore N99230 has been up and down on the list of priorities, but there is currently no definitive date as to when work will start.
At one point in time the work was set to start once hanger space was available at Nelson Ezells. (Jim and Doug very logically decided that there was no point in taking the aircraft to Breckenridge, only for it to stand outside, when it can stay inside a museum hanger at Addison until indoor space and restoration manpower are available at Nelsons). I don't know if this is still the plan. Doug may have more up to date (accurate!) info that he could add.

.

Obviously, if the aircraft is going "off-site" for restoration, a "ferry" flight would be one of the options of getting the aircraft from A (Addison) to B (restoration facility), but even getting the aircraft ready for a ferry flight might take some time, and so don't expect to see the Cavanaugh He111 in the air in the very near future .

Also, as an added bit of trivia for all of the "data plate officienados" out there, on all of the original CASA data plates on this aircraft (which are correct for this airframe - 155) the aircraft is listed as an He111-H16.

Julian

[Speedy]

Paul Allen has one, still in storage in the UK.
_________________________________________________

Unless he shipped it overseas to be restored, I think it may be up here in the Northwest. A few years ago on a rainy day, I was driving southbound on I-5 and passed a HE-111/CASA-2111 on a flatbed semi heading north towards Arlington.

[cozmo]

The Cavanaugh machine is displayed at the museum...no changes in the past several years...that I can tell...Hope to see here fly one day!

Heck, I would just like to see it out in the sunshine and be able to do a walk-around some day.

Though they did open the hanger doors all the way today.

[JDK]

Maybe someone from Cavanaugh can pipe in here, but I thought I had heard that the plans of restoration to flying condition of their example changed after the CAF's crashed. I thought that it was going to remain static indefinitely.

That's what I'd heard as well. Mr. C. was worried that his bird would be the last airworthy example and didn't want to risk such a rare aircraft overall.

With all due respect to the money people who own these aircraft, I don't understand why it's better to have none flying, rather than one [which if it were to have an accident, would leave none, which is what you have by deciding to not fly it because if it were to have an accident, you'd have none.....].

Indeed -

It's not as if it's the last example of the type - the German Tech Museum for instance is currently fully restoring one to full museum static condition as a CASA, and there's a handful more elsewhere - Mike?

- so we don't need to worry that they're all going to be reverse engineered. As as a 1930s twin, it should (IMHO) be relatively benign to fly, with a very known-quantity engine (as opposed to rare German engines) and simple systems. The CASAs, while interesting aren't such a historic type they are too valuable in historical terms to fly, surely.

But then it's owner's call....

[BenG]

Speaking of the German Tech Museum Casa 2.111, its rebuild is now finished and roll-out took place last month.

Photos can be found here:
http://www.airventure.de/news.html

[Michel Lemieux]

Tks BenG.

That is one nice paint scheme

It would go nice beside a Buchon with the same colors

[DoraNineFan]

He 111 P-2 Werk No. 5883 is still listed as an airworthy restoration in Austria and will use a CASA cockpit section.

It would be nice to get an update on this project and the engine choice. Dirk Bende's engine shop in Germany had photos of two restored Jumo 211s at one time and they were captioned as being for an He-111 project.

It would be great to see an original in the air one day.

[T J Johansen]

A few months ago, I was hanging around Dan Webb's bookstore in Oakland (a great place). One of the customers told us about the time, back in '74, when he was changing planes on the Canary Islands. He looked out the window of the terminal and saw numerous CASA 2.111s and HA-1112s lined up, waiting to be scrapped. According to his story, the Canary Islands were the end of the line for the '40's-era Spanish warbirds.

Can anyone corroborate?

This photo from airliners.net show one Casa in 1969. I participated on a thread at a Norwegian forum some time ago where I believe another photo was posted of CASA 2.111s in the Canaries. Unfortunately that forum is currently down. Here is the other one though!

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled ... 0492989/L/


T J

[MattP38]

This is an interesting thread. I was lucky enough to see the CAF CASA along with Sentimental Journey out at the N/E Philly air port, back in 1999. I have a photo of me and my dad standing in front of the 111 from that day. My dad died two months after the CAF's 111 crashed, so that picture holds a great deal of sentiment for me.

I would love to see to see one of the CASA's restored to flight-worthy status, JDK makes a few good points regarding airframe and engine availability as well as flight systems.

That is a nice photo of the Deutsches Museum's CASA.

[David J Burke]

Ithought Paul Allen had two Casa's in storage in the U.K - the ex Aces High machine and the La Ferte Alais example.

[MattP38]

Ithought Paul Allen had two Casa's in storage in the U.K - the ex Aces High machine and the La Ferte Alais example.

Cool, let's grab one and get to work.

[retroaviation]

I know where there are a few parts for these CASA 2.111s are laying around, if anyone out there needs any.

Gary

[MattP38]

I know where there are a few parts for these CASA 2.111s are laying around, if anyone out there needs any.

Gary

We can make a swap out with some Yoo Hoo.