Warbird Information Exchange

...prop spinner detail c. Nov 2013. Photo via FMAH.

FAH 609 Folks:

Good day!

Another angle of what will soon be a special exhibition of a fine flying machine in c. Jan -Feb 2014. F4U-5N Buno 124715 gaining momentum. Good job FMAH. Currently another module is being added to the existing museum area to preserve FAH 609 under cover! Photo Via FB /FMAH

do you remember your comments 2 years ago about the members of FMAH??? as it was said, THEY were going to continue their job, and they will, because is their mission.

Update:
The work on FAH-609 is almost complete, it has successfully gone through engine runs without any major issues. It will hopefully be presented for an airshow by the end of this month. I had the opportunity of taking photos and videos of the work and engine run, they'll be posted on a later date (as per FMAH request).
It sure looks (and sounds) beautiful!

FAH 609 Folks:

Good day!

...I agree FAH 609, Buno 124715 is soon to be to be one of the best F4Us S. of the border!! Photo via AEC




p.s Next step.... a high speed taxi run at TNT!!

Remember the Firefly...

In my conversations with Col San Martin, he never mentioned or eluded to any plans to do anything silly like a high-speed taxi. The engine runup and preservation of the airframe was the goal. They have nailed both of them pretty well. They should be proud of what they accomplished.

_________________
Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

CB13:

Good day!

We are talking here about 2 diff world economies! WW II Warbirds on static display or museums are all over the place. The ones that can move & ruffle a few feather$ are few.The idea of a taxi-run was on the agenda some 18 months ago. A high speed taxi-run is feasible on a +/- 7300 ft runway & we have plenty of FAH F4U vets who would be willing to take it for a spin! Something like my friend Howard H, did with Spruce Goose sometime ago!!

There are also some talk/ideas floating around about a gathering of F4U Corsairs for a one-of-a-kind Air Show somewhere in Central America in the near future.

p.s ....yes!! the crowds will come! Just ask what happened a few days ago when the new & improved FAH 609 was "towed" across the ramp for a hydraulic ck. Picture below FAH 609 during better times c. 1977!Photo via 619

Great job zoro! Keep em flying

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

cherrybomber

don´t try to convince zorro7 or zorro9, or whatever calls sign he has, his mind is completely out of the real world.
i will explain why the plane can not make a "high speed run" or any other dangerous things:

1. the National Congress declared the plane as a "National Monument" due to its participation in the war with El Salvador. under this condition, any damage or loss of the plane will take the Museum member to PENAL responsibilities (this mean going to jail zorro9) because they just have to make custody of the plane not beyond putting it in danger. I assume that people in charge of museums can understand this.

2.to fly, the plane would need permission from the DGAC, the FAA in Honduras, and if they don´t let it, it can not fly.

3.the restoration has just covered what CB said,not more, information coming from the first source of the museum, the president. to fly, with would need probably a million dollar or more. the inversion so far has been 6 to 7 thousand, not enough to put a plane like that under flying conditions or "high-speed runs".

4.the engine will run depending the economical conditions of the museum because it does not have any support from the government or anybody else. it depend just on the effort the members do to gather money and continue the restoration of the other 24 airplanes it has.

5.the museum was created not just for one plane, but to rescue, preserve, and let the people know the story of Honduran aviation. the museum has 24 more airplanes that need to be restored too. this restoration has ended, they have to continue with the other in need to be restored, beside to construct the building to store the other exhibitions.

6.there is no a qualified pilot to make those runs, the last one who flew one of this plane in Honduras is about 72 or 73 years old, and he made the last flight 30 years ago.

7.zorry9, don´t dream to much, land your head, what they have done is great, but don´t rise your emotions to levels that are beyond normal levels.

CONGRATULATIONS TO FMAH MEMBERS FOR THE GREAT JOB THEY´VE DONE!!!!

Jack,
The points you mentioned were basically the same conversations I have had with the Col. I don't think there is one of us here that wouldn't love to see 609 climb into the clouds once again to honor the Honduran people but she has served her country and has earned her retirement. Hearing her 2800 throb and growl for a few moments will hopeful inspire a new generation to come to the museum and support the mission.

I take my hat off to Col. San Martin, his crew of volunteers and the donors that helped rescue such a famous airplane.

_________________
Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

Weird,because I was there next to him just a few days ago when he mentioned the plan of taxiing the aircraft (although he never said "high speed").My thought was the same as Jack's: there are no qualified pilots to do that.
The other controversy being discussed is the color applied to the flag (rudder,wingtips),and also the type of font used for the numbers (round vs. 45-degree angle),and the 3 kills drawing,which shows too much details (wingtip tanks on the Mustang,pitot tubes).
Rest assured everybody,that 609 won't be airborne at any time,and that's a fact that everybody agreed on.

Slow Taxiing on the ramp and High Speed Taxiing down a runway are two totally different things. Given the historic value of the air-frame I don't think the Col. would allow anything silly to happen to the Corsair. That was my only point in this conversation.

_________________
Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

Can we just have the corsair back now? You've played with it long enough

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