China Lake, Museum Aircraft compond

[tex-fan]

Found this Museum Aircraft compond, at China Lake. the decription says "Storage are for the China Lake museum" i can't really make out what the planes are, but there's one that looks like a B-29. the link is http://wikimapia.org/#lat=35.6776313&lo ... ft-compond
see what you guys think and can anyone name those planes?

[The Inspector]

Looks like a couple of partial B-29's, the front half of an F-111, maybe an F-4, couple of C-47's, one or two T-39's, an A-6 with the wings folded, two C-130's and an F-8 with the wings folded or off, no idea about the peripheral smaller stuff, resolution is way too poor for any better id's at least with my monitor

[gregv]

interesting. looks to me like:

-X2 C-130
-X2 R4D/C-47
-P-3
-F-14
-Vigilante
-F-4 (or maybe a Skyray?)
-at least one A-6
-I think one A-7

greg v.

edit: too big to be a P-3, you guys are right; looks like a couple of B-29's.

[vernicator]

If you plug the coords N35.6773306 W117.6773715 into Google Earth you can zoom ni a bit more.

The C-47s look more like Super DC-3s (R4D-8s/C-117Ds). That's actually an F-18 under the "d" from the mis-spelled word "compond" on the Wikimapia image. Can't see any P-3s there but I do see the remains if a B-29 fron t section and the other 4 engine machine close to it is either another B-29 or maybe a C-97.

[bluethunder28]

Yes there is a B-29, Here's Hopin', (it's rebultable) in there that was going to Tony M (after Doc when to Witchia) and it and 2 F-4s was just left at Inyokern airport. It also looks look they brought in the "body" that was with Fifi, Doc and Here's Hopin'

[Jerry O'Neill]

Bing Maps will get you a little bit closer look at these airframes.
Jerry

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9eXAuRWR3Y ... EwOTM3NQ==

[tex-fan]

yeah that was edwards, his bing was newer and closer, i mislabled the f-14, those are 2 f-111s one with swept back and 1one is not, i'm going to rename them, any more help is FUN, thanks

[Jerry O'Neill]

I screwed up! I went to Edwards then moved the map up to China Lake.
Stupid!
Jerry

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

44-70102 Here's Hopin is the B-29 missing the aft fuselage and one outboard wing panel.

I am not sure if the airplane above and to the right of Here's Hopin is a B-29 or not. I know that the Echo Range B-29 was white in color like that, but the tail was blown off of it.

Echo Range B-29 at:
35°31'28.13"N 117°10'13.17"W
http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH9#Jn ... cuNTc4MTI1

One of the previous threads on Echo Bird... http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... e&start=15

Does anyone know what the serial to the Echo Bird is? Or if it was moved to the museum and the severed tail propped up with it? Maybe m50a1ontos can weigh in on this...

[m50a1ontos]

Hmmm


having not been by there in a while. as I recall, There are two R4D's, B-29 "Here's Hopin" An F-4, a VC-97, RA-5C and an F-111B amongst a pile of F-86 bits. Things may have changed a bit since the overhead was taken. I know an F-86 was pulled out, repainted as a drone and put on display at the museum on base (old officers club).

One of the R4D's was an arctic reasearch bird. It has nose art and sample gear sticking out of various parts. The VC-97 is very complete, including the vehicle ramp! All the VIP seats are missing but everything else is mostly there....including the pile of manuals stored near the forward "head". I was last inside it about 7 years ago.

[Andy Marden]

The compound contained the following in Mar09:

156640 AC/602 Rockwell RA-5C RVAH-12
159312 604 Grumman A-6E ex NAWC-AD
162203 612 Grumman A-6E ex NAWC-AD
44-70102 Boeing B-29A
52-2669 Boeing C-97K
(12431) Douglas NC-117D NARL N31310
(17156) Douglas C-117D NARL N722NR
57-0461 Lockheed DC-130A
150468 McD F-4N
145528 139 Vought DF-8L
152715 GD F-111B
150989 Rockwell T-39D
59-2873 ED Rockwell T-39B

Regards,
Andy Marden

USAMOOS

[Enemy Ace]

I actually think the F-111B would be interesting to see in a museum, especially parked next to a Tomcat , the plane it inspired.
Okay, maybe inspired isn't the right word but it would still be a neat display.

[APG85]

So what's the intention with these airframes? I keep hearing that they will be part of a China Lake Air Museum, but that never seems to happen. I believe the aft section of the B-29 is in storage in Borego Springs (owned by someone else)...

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Rob,

Thanks for you help in identifying that as a C-97. That means the echo bird still has its home on the range.

Ok, does anyone know what the huge rectangular cutouts are for in the fuselage of Here's Hopin? I noticed the sections in Borrego Springs have the same hacking.

[Taigh Ramey]

The Museum of Flight in Seattle went in to China Lake and removed the forward section of the tunnel for their B-29. They used a chop saw to gain access through the top of the fuselage.

You will see other similar cuts around turret openings and even side blisters as other museums did the same thing to the China Lake birds over the years. Pima did it in the late 70's/early 80's. IWM Duxford did it in 1980/81.