Warbird Information Exchange

Now back in Australia for Xmas, I have had the chance to catch up on the latest news and rumours concerning the warbird community here in Australia.

With the sad passing of Anna and Murray Griffiths and Steve Searle, its about time we had some good news. Those who knew Murray will know he was a master at keeping secrets and providing misleading information to those wishing to spoil or spread rumours. So it is exciting that he was able to keep quiet the rebuilding of a Philippines veteran! Not a data plate or replica but a genuine rebuild using the remains of a USAAC P40E from Bataan. How it got into Murray's possession I am not sure, but I have been given assurances that its provenance is genuine and can be traced.

I look forward to seeing pictures of this very special E model as its rebuild continues at Precision. That’s all I can say until more details are
officially released in a popular Aviation magazine in 2012.


SD

Thanks for the head-up SD - I'll look forward to get more infos about this 'new' survivor.

Edited as post no longer relevant

Sorry! Message edited.

Keep us updated and with photo's as well.

_________________
A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

What is the popular aviation mag title that these photos will be in? can you give us a clue please?

*mod edit - no personal attacks please, folks*

I've been to Precision many times and old pal Murray was not secretive about what he had to me....

My assumption has been Classic Wings, although, I'm not privy to that negotiation. I'm pretty keen to see pictures and an article myself!


- SD

I'm sure that we all are.

_________________
A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

Pure speculation on my part and with no evidence whatsoever.... but someone has been asking around the Internet about P-40E 40-481

If true it would be the most prized P-40 in existence(historically speaking). It would not be hard to beleive that one was saved and recovered. A few wrecks of the 24PG do still reside in this world. And, why is everyone editing their post?

_________________
Shop the Airplane Bunker At
www.warbirdbunker.com

How more so than the early-models with FHC and TFC, or any of the other combat vets (several ex-49th FG) out there? Just curious.

Looking around on the web, there does seem to some skepticism as to the alleged provenance of these parts.

In my experience, there's usually skepticism about almost every plane recovery, even when the little evidence available is strong and positive.

From what I have heard on this one, there seems to be several people working together to analyse and piece together what happened to these machines. This seems to be a relatively recent account on where that research is going:

http://www.warbirdz.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1345

They were also actively calling for more assistance in filling in the blanks. Personally, I have not had the time to contact this group and to see if their research has progressed further or what additional information they may be needing.

IMHO, I find it a little sad and disappointing that this field of interest remains so fractured. I personally relish the thought of birds getting back up in the air, by whatever means, especially when we have so little to work with and to go on. As much as we'd all love to hop into our TARDIS and bring back one in mint condition, this is just never going to happen.

I am very interested to see how this goes - I am enthusiastic for those researchers who put in the time, money and effort to do work that so many others can't or won't do and I will be delighted to see another warbird flying and filling another gap in our history.


~ SD

Howdy Shelldrake

You may want to take your postings and information over to http://www.Warbirdz.net

I know that Peter Smyth posts there. He may be able to help you out

Lightning