Collings Foundation Aquired a Two Place Hun...

[Warbirdnerd]

Maybe they will paint it in tribute to Misty 40. Burt Rutan.

[mustangdriver]

Congrats to Rick H and the rest of the CF gang!

[warbird1]

Warbird1, I believe the Kid is being facetious in regards to the Air Force blockages to Collings attempts to get a Thud.

Oh yeah, and Bravo! for the Hun!!!

Oh, okay, I'm with you now! Yea, it is bizzare. Private U.S. citizens are allowed to own and fly MiG-29's, Su-27's, and nearly any foreign supersonic front-line fighter, but a 56 year old, antiquated jet is not allowed by the DOD!

[Warbird Kid]

Who says they're too dangerous? Where did that come from?

Poor choice of words on my part. I meant that the CF can't obtain an F-105 to fly due to government restrictions. Yet they've already obtained two vietnam era jets through congressional help and now have a third (Im assuming the sale for the F-100 was facilitated completely in the private sector since this was already a privately owned flyable warbird).

Im going to also assume that the TA-4, F-4, and F-100 are just as deadly as the F-105 (Strictly speaking in a combat scenario). Looking at it from the government's point of view: They see this organization (The Collings Foundation) operating WW II and Vietnam era aircraft in a safe and professional manner with a very long respectable track record. Since this organization is expanding there Vietnam collection and have already proved of being capable of operating 2 high profile former combat jets, and now just obtained a third, what would the holdup be to acquire an 105? Is there something Im missing that makes the Thunderchief more of a hazard to the government than what's already out there?

[wendovertom]

That is/was Dave Tokoph's baby! It would be a CRYING SHAME for it to lose the Thuderbird paint. IMHO it is the prettiest F-100F around. LEAVE THE PAINT BE RICK!!

Tom P.

[warbird1]

Who says they're too dangerous? Where did that come from?

Poor choice of words on my part. I meant that the CF can't obtain an F-105 to fly due to government restrictions. Yet they've already obtained two vietnam era jets through congressional help and now have a third (Im assuming the sale for the F-100 was facilitated completely in the private sector since this was already a privately owned flyable warbird).

Im going to also assume that the TA-4, F-4, and F-100 are just as deadly as the F-105 (Strictly speaking in a combat scenario). Looking at it from the government's point of view: They see this organization (The Collings Foundation) operating WW II and Vietnam era aircraft in a safe and professional manner with a very long respectable track record. Since this organization is expanding there Vietnam collection and have already proved of being capable of operating 2 high profile former combat jets, and now just obtained a third, what would the holdup be to acquire an 105? Is there something Im missing that makes the Thunderchief more of a hazard to the government than what's already out there?

I don't think the Air Force/DOD really thinks they are too dangerous, that's just their "party line" they give to support their viewpoint. IF they honestly thought they were too dangerous or liable, they would immediately confiscate ALL ex-USAF jets. The Air Force/DOD just want control and power over their former assets. They don't like it when civilians can pilot/operate/display a high performance ex-USAF jet aircraft just as safely as they can. FWIW, I'm not aware of any Collings jet pilots who are checked out as PIC in any of their jets who were not militarily trained in aviation. In most cases, their pilots have a long history in the respective aircraft they fly.

[krlang]

i'm not on facebook. what am i missing?

Everything... Gotta get with the times Frank.

Get with the times?
Thats one 500m member clique I dont have time for.

At first I was thinking F-105, then i saw the picture.
When is the Thud coming?
When is the ME-262 Coming?
When is the A-36 coming?
When is the Saab Coming?

Found a pic of the old paint scheme, I like it too....

That is/was Dave Tokoph's baby! It would be a CRYING SHAME for it to lose the Thuderbird paint. IMHO it is the prettiest F-100F around. LEAVE THE PAINT BE RICK!!

Tom P.

Tom - that Thunderbird F-100F is a real beauty. The only one that might give it a run for the money for the prettiest Super Sabre is Dean Cutshall's F-100F in Indiana. I was lucky enough to see it in action last summer at Thunder Over Michigan.

[Old SAR pilot]

Congrats to Collings on the Hun!

As a side note on acquiring jet fighters, the Combat Air Museum in Forbes, Kansas has several interesting acft on "conditional transfer" from the State of Kansas. Check it out at:

http://www.combatairmuseum.org/aircraft.html

[wendovertom]

I agree Jim - Dean's Super is a beauty as well. I talked with Dave Tokoph a few times trying to talk him into bringing the Hun up to a Wendover Jet blast a few times. I kept pushing the fact that the UTTR usually gives the CJAA some open time on the supersonic range during the Wendover jet blast But I know it is a costly beast to fly and not the easiest thing to start (needs gpu and huffer). Anyway, real nice guy and the CJAA has a lot of good things to say about him as well. I would dearly love to see it flying regularly, but based in Texas I doubt I will unless I make the trip to Dallas or Houston.

Tom P.

[warbird1]

Congrats to Collings on the Hun!

As a side note on acquiring jet fighters, the Combat Air Museum in Forbes, Kansas has several interesting acft on "conditional transfer" from the State of Kansas. Check it out at:

http://www.combatairmuseum.org/aircraft.html

The CAM is a great museum, but I don't think they are any different from any other civilian museum which displays ex-military jets. All the jets, ultimately, are still owned by either the DOD or government, therefore they have strict "no flight" causes in their conditional care contracts.

[Randy Wilson]

Maybe they will paint it in tribute to Misty 40. Burt Rutan.

Misty 40 was Dick Rutan.

Randy

[Warbirdnerd]

Maybe they will paint it in tribute to Misty 40. Burt Rutan.

Misty 40 was Dick Rutan.

Randy

Doh
I knew I was going mix those two up...
I went from memory on my phone waiting outside my first grader's school. Sorry bout that and thank you Randy for the correction.

Last edited by Warbirdnerd on Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Ztex]

Tune into Warbird Radio tomorrow morning for the story!

Just FYI...A "little" bird told me she will be a Misty FAC...keeping with the Vietnam tribute theme the CF has going.

I am excited about this deal!

[Clifford Bossie]

I wondered who David sold it to. It was on the ramp at ELP for the past few days and looked good in the sunshine yesterday.

Wonder if he is going to sell them any of his One-O-Six projects.