Warbird Information Exchange

Any confirmation on the P-6E ?

Yes this is the late Jack Taft's collection of aircraft that he acquired many years ago. The P-400 would have made a very interesting article and Jack kept saying he was going to talk in detail about it. However Father Time caught up with Jack and he and I never got together to do the story.
I was at Jack's place back in 2005 and took several pictures of the P-400 at that time. I think in this day and age that with the modern technology that now exist in the warbird area this airplane along with a lot of money can be returned to the air. It won't be for the faint of heart however, but I think feasible none the less.
Jack bought 2 of these aircraft back in 1968 for if memory seves me right less than $1000.00 for the pair. They were on an old airstrip somewehere in New Guniea at that time. He finally in the mid 80's got the airplane you folks are talking about to his farm in Jackson Michigan where Jack and a few others worked on the P-400 as time and money allowed.
I don't know what the current status is of the P-400, but I might be able to learn more from a friend of mine who was good friends with Jack.

So, it sounds like we've come to the conclusion that this is NOT an amazing find, but rather an already known grouping from a lesser known collector. On top of that it sounds like only 1 P-39, and no confirmation of the P-6.


HHHmmmm, sounds like sensationalist journalism at it's best!

what prices did the planes go for? sounds like pat may have gotten a screaming deal on a yale.

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All I did was press this red button here...

i've got to see pics of this time capsule if true!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I think I see where the confusion of 3 airacobras might have come in. At Pacifics Wrecks, they mention that Taft got his bird from PNG and part of the deal was, he paid for the recovery of 2 additional P-400s.
More data and pics at
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/p-400/AP347.html

It only mentions 2...

"Recovery

Recovered by Jack Taft who donated the funds to recovery of two P-400s at Bulldog, in exchange for an export permit for one of them. Recovered by a RAAF Chinook on November 29, 1984 and flown to Jackson Airport.

The salvage was part of an agreement between the PNG National Museum and US Military Aircraft Museum, for the recovery of P-400 AP 347, and a second, P-400 AP 335 for export to the United States."


AP 335 is the one in the picture in the magazine article

Hello all, sorry it took me so long to post on here, had to wait for the registration to go through.This barn find is true. What he is talking about is Jack Tafts collection located in Jackson, Michigan. There is one PT-19, one P-39, and Yale 3383 which I now own. There is a lot of vintage aircraft parts around the farm, including a couple ranger engines still in crates, one Allison 1710 in a create and an old Curtiss V-12 engine. I was told by a neighbor that helped me load the Yale that Jack did in fact have the fuselage for a Curtiss P-6 Hawk in one of the many semi trailers that he has out on the property. I did see all of the aircraft and parts when i was there including the Curtiss engine. The man that is helping with selling the estate didn't look inside the trailers as of yet when I was there. Here are pictures of the Yale on Jacks farm, now in my hanger. You can also visit the our website to see the Yale: http://www.legendofaces.com

Congrats on the nice Yale save, it looks fantastic. Do you know the final disposition of the P-39?

The Yale looks in a lot better shape than i would have expected. Any idea how many of the Simmons' Yales are still unrestored?

I would love to see a WIX thread dedicated to the aircraft saved by Simmons and where they are now, etc.

Thank You. As far as I know the P-39 is still up for sale. I have not been able to contact Mr. Anderson who is handling the estate sale for Jacks sister Pat. The Yale is in great shape, will all of the original Grease pencil markings still viable as they left the North American Factory. It would be great to start a Thread on the Simmons planes.