CAF(?) AM-1 Mauler

[Jack Cook]

what was the cause of the accident???

[astixjr]

I suppose it's going to a good home but I sure would have liked to see Eric turn it into a first class flyer. I know Mable is still wearing her NAS St. Louis paint scheme but I don't recall hearing any details about the other project Mauler that was sitting next to Mable. Was it also a former NAS St. Louis plane? I assume it went along with Mable to her new home?

Here's an idea Eric. How about a Nifty Fifties Nav Air Navy Blue P2V-5 Neptune complete with all the turrets? I mean really, imagine how much fun you could have with two R-3350s complete with PRTs! You can put the searchlights back on it and hunt for enemy surface vessels in the Missouri River. When that gets boring maybe you can get a contract from the state to find and destroy Meth labs! A Skyraider and Neptune working as a team again! I'll be your partner in the Neptune, we can split it 50/50. Of course you will need to loan me the money for my share.

[Old Shep]

Once again, "Ober" fires a shot across the bow...the Maulers are not being sold. The Navy would not allow us to either sell them or restore them to fly. Permission to do this back in around 1980 was tenuous at best, and, after the infamous "corral accident" involving several horses and one AM-1, the Navy definitely said no to the flying part. This is one of the saddest chapters in the history of the CAF: perhaps Ober in his wisdom can spin this to make the "good old days" of the CAF seem more attractive?

The happy ending is that the airplanes are going to a location where they will be restored/preserved by people who have the wherewithal to do so, and the Navy is happy with the arrangement. I would have liked to have kept them here, but it was not meant to be.

Re: the picture of Gerald Martin flying Mable...as I recall he made three flights in the airplane. The -4360 is a beast of an engine, and the sound it made was impressive. The next pilot who "attempted" to fly the airplane (without the necessary authorization as I recall but I could be wrong) discovered the significant torque/P-factor of that engine/airframe combination. Result; several dead horses and a really dinged up Mauler.

Gary can weigh in here because he was involved with the attempted sale to Eric Downing (who was going to make it worth the while of the CAF to do this sale; thank you Eric) and he knows of the dialogue with the Navy.

Old Shep

[Steve S]

Does this mean that the navy still ownes them in some way?

I do agree that while sad to have them leave, it is good to see them going to a good home. The Martin Museum will be very glad to get theres adn I am sure will lavish it with attention and make it a centerpiece item, just not possible with the caf right now (and understandably so) with all of the other projects they are working on.

[Obergrafeter]

Once again it is good to hear the rest of the story. Sorry for the mistake Shep , but I checked back thru my Dispatches and Contrails and never found any correspondence on the Mauler being the subject of Navy action. I also never found anything listing the Ju-52 "For Sale", but thats a different matter.

[george]

Astixjr - I'll try to answer your question about the other CAF Mauler. I have seen pictures of Mable, 151, at the Lubbock, Texas airshow being flown by Gerald Martin, who said "it flies like a dream". These pictures were taken in March 1984.

I have also seen a picture of another Mauler, 158, at the Brownfield, Texas airshow in 1982. 158 does not have a spinner, and the paint job and markings are also different from 151. 158 has NAVY on the rear fuselage, and below NAVY it says ST. LOUIS. Unlike Mabel, there is no name on its cowl. So I would deduct that the other airframe is probably 158. But I have also read that between 4 and 5 airframes were used to get the 1 or 2 flyers, so I can't be totally certain that the CAFs other airframe is 158. And where are those donor airframes today?

These pictues of 151 and 158 were in a magazine called AERONEWS PHOTO, which I think lasted for only a couple of issues.

[retroaviation]

Astixjr - I'll try to answer your question about the other CAF Mauler. I have seen pictures of Mable, 151, at the Lubbock, Texas airshow being flown by Gerald Martin, who said "it flies like a dream". These pictures were taken in March 1984.

I have also seen a picture of another Mauler, 158, at the Brownfield, Texas airshow in 1982. 158 does not have a spinner, and the paint job and markings are also different from 151. 158 has NAVY on the rear fuselage, and below NAVY it says ST. LOUIS. Unlike Mabel, there is no name on its cowl. So I would deduct that the other airframe is probably 158. But I have also read that between 4 and 5 airframes were used to get the 1 or 2 flyers, so I can't be totally certain that the CAFs other airframe is 158. And where are those donor airframes today?

These pictues of 151 and 158 were in a magazine called AERONEWS PHOTO, which I think lasted for only a couple of issues.

Well, that's not exactly right. 151 is 158. It seems there was a little funny business that took place back in the day, and 151 "just appeared" out of the blue. The spray bomb spray paint they used to turn the "8" into a "1" has faded away and you can see the original number still painted on the bottom of the L/H side of the center section now.

That other airframe (can't recall the bureau # right now) is the one that was used to make 158/151 fly. For example, the vertical fin on 151 is off of that other airframe.

Gary

[B29B24crewchief]

More pics of the Maulers disassembly!

[george]

Those pictures are heartbreaking, painful and brutal. Seeing Mable like that makes me want to upchuck, knowing she'll be stuck in a museum, dead, with no chance to ever fly again. Mable may have been the last chance for a Mauler to take to the skies. Very sad.

[retroaviation]

Those pictures are heartbreaking, painful and brutal. Seeing Mable like that makes me want to upchuck, knowing she'll be stuck in a museum, dead, with no chance to ever fly again. Mable may have been the last chance for a Mauler to take to the skies. Very sad.

Well, no offense, but the last nail put in that coffin was when that idiot ran the thing through the horse barn many years ago, when he had no business even being in the airplane, much less trying to fly it. Not only that, he then stole many of the parts that would've been required to make it fly again. And I was just informed that he has just recently offered to sell those stolen parts to the Martin Museum folks. Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything about it, but I'm sick and freakin' tired of people thinking that we just let that airplane go without at least trying to make something good come of it (like trying to find sponsors within the CAF...which NOBODY ever seemed to be interested in, and eventually trying to sell it to Eric Downing...who would've really been the best thing for the airplane, it just wasn't "allowed" for us to go that route).

Gary Austin
Former Director of Maintenance
CAF

[george]

Gary - you are misinterpreting the comments, at least mine. I think we are all aware of the monumental efforts you and the CAF made to make both the AM-1 and the P-82 have different outcomes. In fact, nothing I have said has anything to do with anything except how terrible it feels to see them torn down and leaving in a way not wanted by those of us who love to see warbirds flying. The actions of the AF Museum and and NHC towards the planes is where the frustration lays. Sorry that you took my comments in a way that were not intended and that never even entered my mind. And I have tremendous respect for the CAF for their effort in trying to keep the planes. Hope you understand.

[retroaviation]

Gary - you are misinterpreting the comments, at least mine. I think we are all aware of the monumental efforts you and the CAF made to make both the AM-1 and the P-82 have different outcomes. In fact, nothing I have said has anything to do with anything except how terrible it feels to see them torn down and leaving in a way not wanted by those of us who love to see warbirds flying. The actions of the AF Museum and and NHC towards the planes is where the frustration lays. Sorry that you took my comments in a way that were not intended and that never even entered my mind. And I have tremendous respect for the CAF for their effort in trying to keep the planes. Hope you understand.

Sorry george. I'm having a pretty dang bad day here, so I reckon I'm taking everything wrong. I still stand by what I said about the Mauler, but I sincerely apologize for directing it towards you.

Gary

[FWTurner]

Growing up with my parents and all their friends in the CAF, I know what really happened with Mable. Maybe someone should understand what really happened before making comments about my father that spent his own time, money and resourses to help get her flying again in the first place.

[Brad]

Please tell the real story FWTurner. I'd be interested in hearing your view on it. Is your dad still alive? I haven't seen him in a few years.

[Warbirdnerd]

Link to the NTSB report for anyone that is interested...
http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief ... 9046&key=1