Warbird Information Exchange

the million dollar question is, if this corsair can't be cared for how can the United States get it back,( or a private owner to buy?)

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

I was reluctant to post in this thread,but seeing more concerns and questions instead of solutions,here I go:
FAH-609 is not for sale,or ever will be,as it is officially honduran patrimony.
The aircraft is taken care of by the museum's staff.They Clean the aircraft,lube some components,pour oil in the cranckcase and turn the propeller so the engine doesn't seize.
The new canopy is actually waiting to clear customs in a neighboring country,the fabric is available,and the other components not seen on the aircraft are in storage.
As somebody said in this thread,the museum does not have a budget,and the money it gets it's basically by the visitors that attend it.
Zorro007 has talked the talk (and will continue to do so),but many of us who know him firmly believe he don't walk the walk.Fundraisers and logic solutions or ideas are not in his agenda,but to tarnish and criticize the current administration and museum's members who have put the sweat and will to keep the aircraft in good shape.

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http://catrachowings.com/foro/index.php

what's his motive behind his negative posts? He seems to actually hate the musuem or at least certain people there for some reason

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

"Grasshopper"

Good day!

I know that you as a former FAH member care for FAH 609 as much as I do! However, you've been only getting lately half of the FAH 609 story! Plz keep in mind we are talking here about an F4U Corsair with historical significance not only for the Honduran folks but for the worldwide warbird audience that seems to understand more about F4U Corsairs!

I've posted a better resolution pic for you of FAH 609 & the warbird audience of the world to see how it actually looks on Oct 2011, at the back of the FMAH Museum, neglected and semi-abandoned.... waiting for the end of the Mayan Calendar Dec-31-2012, ... to see what would happen!! We' re the voice for FAH 609 for now, asking while all kinds of diplomatic maneuvers are taking place to be placed as a mininum under shelter!!! Simple as that!!

If you were in charge of that Museum,...which aircraft would you be taking care of first??? and why??

Personally, I'd like to invite you to join the friends of FAH 609 now emerging from all over the world, from Bridgeport CT to UK & Australia to lend a helping hand!!

2 B Cont...!

F4U-5 FAH 609 Folks:

Just an update on the restoration status of an old warrior F4U-5N FAH 609!

We do not know exactly what the colleague jaldo means by stating that the FAH Museum folks are taking care of FAH 609!

What we see done lately has been a trimming of the grass area around the old warrior and the posting of few signs. Certainly, we give 'em credit for that task. However, as the pics indicate the aircraft continues to be a "sitting duck" outside the museum hangar slowly deteriorating at the mercy of the elements.

Yes, we do know the museum has lack of funds and has plans for the restoration of FAH 609 in the future, which sounds great but this is only a smoke screen of what really is taking place. Visitors come and go, cadets get to see to see the front of FAH 609 outside the museum but not allowed to see the aft section of it and other damaged areas.

Gentlemen, at this rate there will be not much to restore when that time comes. If something has been done to the areas previously mentioned, missing instruments in the cabin, damaged canopy area, missing L/R ailerons and deteriorating elevators plz indicate with pictures and with the due apologies we will withdraw our comments.

Plz indicate with pictures the location of the L/R aileron and the current damage/update restoration done. Once this is done a few of us friends of FAH 609 will be willing to donate a few green one$ to cover for the materials. All that you have to do is find a technician to do the labor. We'll cover for that expense also.

In the meantime, we suggest you find a space or remove the wings of FAH 609 to place it inside your hangar or any hangar in the Toncontin area to minimize the damage already done. In your roll of administrators you are in this Feb 2012 responsible for it or consider to resign from your present positions!

...2 B cont!

Having worked with museum A/C I will say parking over grass is undesirable. The moisture that comes out of the ground will directly come in contact with the lower surfaces. Vegetation that grows near or touches the lower surfaces is even less desirable.
This moisture combined with pollen, grass clippings and other natural plant residue will tend to get trapped in openings and cavities, such as the gear wells. This creates an environment to excellerate corrosion growth.
Being placed on asphalt or concrete while being stored outdoors is better than on grass.
At least it is preserved though.

_________________
Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
benstear.org
#64- Stay Strong and Keep the Faith

BOOM BOOM, ROUND ROUND, PROPELLER GO

Don't Be A Dilbert!

FAH 609 Folks/51Fixer:

Tks for the comments on F4U-5N FAH 609 S.of the border!

The ironic part of this saga is that the museum has plenty of space to store an F4U with wings folded or not. As of Feb 15, 2012 is more important to store a project fuselaje of a PT-17 under the museum hangar rather than the F4U FAH 609!

Pretty soon the administrators will be required to make a move. Lack of initiative, leadership and just plain laziness are among some of the factors in this equation... since June 2009!

2 B cont..

FAH 609 Folks/51fixer:

As of this date, the grass has been cut around the old warrior F4U-5N FAH 609. A better canopy is on hand and a new museum president & X FAH commander is now in charge of things .... making sure sure that law & order exist at the museum.

We hope to see with the upcomimg new leadership some changes that should have been taking place long time ago. Still to find out is when the aircraft is going to be moved under shelter like it used to be some time ago.

Included is the link dated Nov 2011 showing the sad demise of a fine flying machine when all that will take is move it some 600-700 ft back into its ex- shelter area.

...more to come with photos of it curent condition on this 7 April 2012!!!


http://s1069.photobucket.com/albums/u46 ... 074563.jpg

It would be nice to see the Colonel's Corsair inside....permanently.

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Always looking for WW2 Half-Tracks and Parts.

F4U Folks/PinecastleAAF:

Good Day!!

For now, we are the only voice that speaks out for that fine person and fighter pilot Lt. Col Fernando Soto Enriquez..and its fine flying machine!!

More details here fm Inverted2: (AVCANADA Forum)

A cool restoration project is, yes indeed but not for that price! You could prob buy 2 F4U HS props for the amount indicated. In the Warbird World of April, 2012, (we are talking F4U here) the price guidelines for that bird as its seats right now is around $1,000,000+

There have been a few restorations offers/buyers before. The Smithsonian considered helping a few years ago with the restoration in the US provided it could be flown to Airshows due to its historical value. That offer was not taking up c. 1993 by the FAH leadership. The aircraft is not for sale and most likely it wil never be on sale but something has to be done soon before the elements do their number.

A complete restoration prob will never be done. Something like the UK Corsair KD431 is most likely to ocurr during these tight budget days. In other words, a partial restoration with all its old markings from the Korean War and other Vought details left intact.

We are pleased to know that the FAH Museum is now under a new managment and the new director is in place, He is enthusiastic, with fine insights for a new direction regarding priorities. Something that the previous admin folks failed to see.

F4U FAH 609, Buno 124715 has been sitting outdoors to pasture some 3 years now. You could see that the picture speak for itself.. it is falling apart. We are trying as a minimum logistic move to persuade the present FAH Museum Director to move it back inside its previous hangar and position while something more concrete takes place.

For as simple as this may seem, it has been impossible for the previous admin folks to make a move, some type of progress for the last 3 years, as a result you can see the sad state of affairs of a fine flying machine!

2 B Cont....

F4U FAH 609 Folks:



F4U FAH 609 Folks:

Good day!!

We are waiting for more recent pictures of FAH 609 to see exactly what it looks now. We are also pending to hear from some type of plan of attack (POA) by the new museum administration to see if any more concrete steps are to be followed in the near future. Meaning.. before the end of the Mayan calendar Dec 31, 2012.

A night raid by the folks in black uniforms is out of the equation. A construction of a temporary shelter is a more likely option.

2 B Cont...

F4U FAH 609 Folks:

Good day!!

An update for the friends of F4U-5N FAH 609 via our colleague Legion. A bit of progress is being made on this April 2012 by the new museum admin folks on the preservation & restoration of a fine flying machine!

The cockpit cabin was cleaned-up a bit and some cosmetic work was done on the left & right elevators. We welcome the small steps taken by the new museum director bringing some law & order in the institution.

Still to find out is when is this gem is going to be moved under shelter... some 400 ft from its present position or if a temp shelter can be made while a more concrete POA takes place.

While all this takes place a new cockpit tarp, complete with bungee cords will be sent to FAH 609 via TACA next week.





p.s Will someone plz tell me if the L/R ailerons are made of fabric or metal on the F4U-5N??






2 B Cont..

Ailerons are made from wood with a fabric covering.

_________________
Rich Palmer

Remember an Injured Youth
benstear.org
#64- Stay Strong and Keep the Faith

BOOM BOOM, ROUND ROUND, PROPELLER GO

Don't Be A Dilbert!

That's and excellent first step getting it off the grass and onto concrete. Good job! It's amazing the amount of damage a metal object will accrue sucking up the moisture from the ground, unless of course the ground is desert.

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Always looking for WW2 Half-Tracks and Parts.

PinecastleAAF:

Good day!

See you understand warbirds! Tks. We are talking here about a fine flying F4U machine with a unique historical value! For right now... we have been only educating the masses S. of the border!!

p.s p51Fixer:


Tks for info/data on the ailerons!!