Warbird Information Exchange

Hola everyone - here are a few shots of the Wendover Museum's efforts to start te restoration of a "L" model Sabre. A big thanks to Young Electric Signs for thier invaluable assistance!! just for kickers - a engine-less L model weighs about 10,000 pounds! (well there was a lot of pigeon poop in it to )

Tom P.

Interesting. In the first picture, it looks like it is in pretty reasonable and polished condition?!

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Cheers,
Peter

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HI Tom and all,
Did that F-86 come from Battle Mountain?
Are they going to do anything all those planes at BM?
I'm one of those guys that visit your nice town in August.
Best regards,
Don

Nice job Tom!
Looks like it's in better shape then our Corsair!
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

It is the Battle Mountain one and is just down the road from Wendover....... Got pics of it. The Battle Mountain people are "not nice" about letting anyone near the planes .......

Nice to see people be able to get near it at Wendover...... Besides BM is in the middle of nowhere.

Mark H

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Fly safe or you get to meet me .......

I never had any problems with the BM folks...always let me park my rig close to the fence and aircraft, and allowed me to climb inside the ole H&P C-119 to kick around the bird nooer.

Tom,

Good to see the F-86L safely removed from the pole. Good luck on the restoration effort. Keep us on WIX updated with news and pictures of the restoration.

I have a webpage dedicated to the C-119 there
http://www.ruudleeuw.com/bmtn.htm
At some point the C-119 identity was under discussion
There is supposed to be a 2nd C-119 wreck somewhere nearby
Craig Smith sent me pics in 2006 of the museum C-119
Later Jesse Brinson sent me pics of all the aircraft in this abandoned museum; added this to a seperate page-
http://www.ruudleeuw.com/others-brinson.htm
So when I planned my trip in US So'west earlier this year I made a point of going there.
But the day I drove Salt Lake City - Reno it was appalling weather, one thundershower after another, really poured down. No clearing in sight, so we drove of without actually getting into the fenced off area.
Never got to see that 2nd C-119.
Glad to see this F-86K saved, hope the other ones find a new home too.
Thanks for the update.

I drove past Wendover last may and had a look at the old airfield
Found only the C-123 that was used in the Conair movie
http://www.ruudleeuw.com/usa08.htm
Did not see any signs of an air museum; is that something that is being set up? What are the plans? website?
My wife wants to go back to Salt Lake City and root through the 'roots' files there; I wouldn't mind driving up to Wendover & visit the museum!
Thanks

It's there. http://www.wendoverairbase.com/

Drop in the Visitor Center also across from the Peppermill.

Well, due lack of signposting they sure won't pickup any drive-by visitors..
The website did not give much info either, read about restoration projects in 2001 and 2005; did not see anything about acquisition of any airplanes.
Anyway, it is probably years from now I am in that area again, so will have time to see how things develop.
I wish'em well.

Don, yes it came from Battle Mountain. We would love to get all the planes from there - except the C-119 - that thing is beautiful but HUGE. I do not know what will happen to the F-111 and F-4 (ex-thunderbird #0 plane I believe). I assume they are under the USAF Program same as the F-86 so maybe a museum some where will be up for some neat planes!

It is a very clean plane to be honest - a little skin work is needed - when it was hoisted up on the pole years ago there is a little minor damage on the trailing edges near the wing roots. But, it will not take a ton of work to clean it up and redo the paint in Utah ANG markings.

I apologise for the lack of road signs to the museum - long way to come from overseas and not get to see the museum. We are working on a somewhat limited budget - but i agree - we need better road signage on the main drag in Wendover. We are actually getting close to having work getting started on the interior of the old Officers Club - and that will be the home of the new museum.

I'll post more photos as I get them!

Tom P.

Here are a few more. . .

Tom P.

Great shots Tom, thanks for posting them. Always nice to see a Cold War Warrior getting some TLC!

Is the cockpit gutted? Looks like the seat is still in place at least.

Just to confirm, did the F-86 go from here...

http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/LocationDos ... erial=3016

...to here?...

http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/LocationDos ... erial=3927

Is it in public view at it's new location? Or perhaps in a hangar be worked on?

Mike

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

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