Warbird Information Exchange

Does anyone know if any restoration work is taking place on either of Kermit Weeks' Hellcat or Lightning?

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

maybe, but we can not discuss it or post any photos at the request of the supposed owners

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S.

Just about a year ago we were there, and the Docent giving the tour kept telling us how many things were being worked on. BUT, every aircraft that was unrestored we passed he told us, "They aren't working on this yet." or "They won't finish this in my lifetime." He pointed out that the N3N in the same building as the P-38 would take "At least 30 years to restore." and when I asked directly about the P-38 I was again told, "Not in my lifetime."

I figure the fellow was in his mid '70's, so based on that and his N3N comments, it seems the rest of the projects available seem to be slated to finish in 30 years or so. He said it so many times, that my wofe's running jokes whenever I start a project at home is, "Well, that's a nice project, but it won't be finished in MY lifetime....".

I really hope the B-23 Dragon is next on his list to be restored.

I'm pretty sure the 1941 HAG in Geneseo will have theirs (former CAF'S) up and flying before Kermit's.

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
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Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

The more airworthy B-23s in the U.S., the better.

Obviously Kermit can and will do whatever he wants with his planes, but...
Since he has the money, it would be great to see some of his restorations started, like the P-38 or F-6. I'm pretty sure neither has even moved in at least 10 years. I'm guessing Mr. Weeks wants these projects done in-house, but wouldn't it be a joy to see Ezell Aviation get some of that restoration work, or Flying Tigers, or the Sanders, or whoever just to see these birds get back in the air in the next decade or 2.
Just thoughts.
Tommy

Nothing at all going on with the 38 back in may when I was there, F6F looked like it was slowly coming along.. It's hard to tell what's actually being worked on and what's just window dressing in the "Restoration Hangar". I think the Curtiss Owl (?) may be the next plane to actually get done.
The Docents are a joke but they probably work for free.
IMHO having been visiting FOF since it opened, I think Mr. Weeks is loosing interest in it all.....

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

It's a long time ago, but when I spoke to him, it didn't sound like there was anything ever going to happen with the Lightning.

I don't anything about Kermit Weeks or the museum. Does anything in his collection fly?


Chappie

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Brrring. Dispersal? TWO SECTIONS SCRAMBLE!!

He keeps about half a dozen of the smaller aircraft flyable at any one time, the remainder are just parked, some at FoF itself, some at other museums such as at Lakeland and Oshkosh. Some, which were airworthy when he got them, are in storage and haven't seen the light of day in many years.

Yeah, I know it's his money and he can do what he likes, but all the same..............

A couple of years ago, while on a Learjet charter, I drove over to see the Red Bull P-38 being restored. Me and the other pilot were invited to dinner with Nelson, his wife and the two other visitors that were from the Austrian version of the FAA. We talked all things aviatoin and especially how it would be ideal for the Ezell group to do another P-38 as the expertise, and equipment were all in place. I mentioned that Kermit had a P-38 and it didn't seem to spark any conversation.
Kermit has a lot of projects being "finished" for decades. Has he commisioned any new projects in the last 5 years?

One of the things Kermit does with his collection is to rotate the aircraft kept in flying status. He has a number of them serviced and running to play with/ display, while the majority of the collection is in storage.

FOF has monthly events, much like POF does, so it is a fairly active place. I also believe the Docents work for free- they all seem nice enough, but some are much more interested in what they are doing than others. I was there in December, and that's when we kept hearing "Not in my lifetime...." and comments like that. The place seemed like a ghost town, with little to nothing going on. I figured it was probably a Christmas break for staff or something.....

....as a friend went down earlier this year and was all excited at the amount of work going on there. Still, Kermit seems much more interested in aviation for children related things these days; which he details in his on-going blog.

The P-38 was piled on some sort of crating, with the tail section having been cut off with a chainsaw. (Done during its recovery from a jungle somewhere decades ago...). The entire plane was rough, but it is certainly restorable...having seen so many other much more badly damaged aircraft put back into the air over the years.

I have also noticed a lot of focus on the whole "Orlampa" idea of starting a new city nearby. I sorta like the area the way it is now. I suspect if they ever built the place, the locals would be upset about all the airplanes and have the place closed down....

When the B-25 and Spitfire XVI have flown for the last time?
What is happening with the F3F?

Thanks.

Sigh. Lovely. Too bad his musuem can't be more like MAM or POF.


Chappie

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Brrring. Dispersal? TWO SECTIONS SCRAMBLE!!