If you had ONE warbird to own, Why?

[Canso42]

Hellcat's third sentence shot me down, so I'm gonna have to reconsider.

[bobbrunn]

The F6F. It stinks that over 12,000 were built and a handful survive. That plane deserves more recognition than it gets.

[Second Air Force]

Reality for my means: Culver PQ-8 or PQ-14. Simple, relative low cost-per-hour to operate.

Far outside my reach, but fun to consider: Macchi C.200. Simple for a fighter (just like the Boomerang in that regard) and I'd bet an 1830 could be fitted for ease of maintenance. I should think a C.200 would be a project on the scale of a P-36 or P-35 to construct, and it would be interesting to see one flying regularly, even if it were a replica.

[jet1]

....cause I like them

[Curtis Block]

Taylorcraft L-2.

I think if I played my cards right, I could possibly own one right now.

Most of the maint. I could do myself, and I know a few I.A.s that would sign for cheep or free.

Hangar rent where I am isn't bad, especially if you could split it up.

Sure it's not fast, but it's easy on the go-juice.

Besides I still have a soft spot in my hart for the L-2 since it was my first solo.

[EHVB]

A TBM 3S, which I should paint in the livery of the Dutch or Japanese Navy, or in the most colourfull livery used on an Avenger Borate Bomber. BW Roger

[famvburg]

WW11 ? World War Eleven was when?

Good question the way you posed it...lots of
different possibilities here, but the one that I have had the most fun in & would seem to be the most affordable would be a Stearman. I was lucky to go supersonic while in the USAF, have ridden in a couple of WW11 fighters and the Dauntless, but I now understand why some interviewed vets said that they did not care if they never flew in anything else but the Stearman. Fuel burn is comparativley low and they are a pretty simple flying machine.

[marine air]

Wow! so many airplanes to fantasize about. For me the fantasy would begin with an airplane that is so sought after,that you have about 100 paid airshows and military open houses calling.
It would have to be imminently fun to fly, especially cross country.
More than one seat, so as to accomodate newspaper reporters, airshow promoters, base commanders, as well as milfs, cougars, and deserving fans like that woman T33driver flew in the satin blue shorts!
And something the vets would tell you stories abut and give you their pictures and memorabilia.
OV-10 Bronco, B-26K, razorback P-47b, A-20 or the P-61 come to mind.

[RyanShort1]

An L-5 ambulance version that was my own... Or maybe a Storch or an Auster.

Ryan

[GARY HILTON]

I believe that I would have to say the PV-1 or PV-2...because if one ever got into it with one's spouse, it makes a cool batchelor pad, and airport ramp rental is cheaper than house rent.....and the dog thinks it's cool too.......

[kalamazookid]

Spitfire MKIX. I would have it painted as Johnnie Johnson's machine in D-Day markings. Why? They're still fairly rare in North America, and they're just cool.



From an operations standpoint, it seems to be the best Spitfire in terms of being able to find parts and people who have experience maintaining them. The ability to operate safely on turf runways would be a big plus as well.

[Steve T]

Been away a while, yes, but haven't changed my mind on this one...

Hawker Sea Fury FB.11, WG567, aka NX878M "Miss Merced". One of two (well, two and a half) flying ex-RCN Furies. I'd have to upset everybody: she'd go to Ione, but not for speed mods; instead the R3350 would come off and a nice zero-timed Centaurus 18 would replace it; then northeastward she'd go, to Sky Harbour, for an every-stencil-in-place refinish as NAVY:133 of the RCN circa 1953. Yeah, the Kustom Kar flame scheme is striking, but isn't my "spot of tea". There would be a nod to 567's racer heritage, though. The name on the cowl would be "Old Flame"...with one little blaze of orange fire as the cross-stroke on the "F".

Yeah, I know. Vivid imagination...drab finances. (But at least I did finally go out and get an old car!)

S.