Baldeagle wrote:
Not 100% sure, but I think that's reversed, I think the one in the Beech musuem is the one that flipped and killed the pilot-
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Baldeagle and Mustang Driver, I officially owe you a beer. I was about to correct you and say the Beech museum did not have one, then I remembered seeing a picture of one outside of the museum. At the time I assumed it was Jim Younkin's reproduction during a show or something, and your comment made me think maybe Matt Younkin had donated it or something since they don't fly it in shows any more. I wanted to be sure before I posted it, so I called down there and asked and got the surprise of my life.
The Mystery Ship in Tullahoma is none other than the ORIGINAL R614K! I couldn't have been more surprised if a stranger had walked up and slapped me with a wet fish. Apparently they had been sitting on the remains for years and years and finally finished restoring it. I talked for a while with the fellow on the phone and he assured me it was the real thing, right down to the green trim and that the only thing that wasn't accurate was the panel which he described as looking like a J-3 Cub...
The only thing that really bugs me about this is how the hell did I not know this restoration was happening! I don't suppose anyone knows what happened to the remains of Jimmy DooLittle's Type-R? If this has been restored, perhaps there's hope for that one...