Warbird Information Exchange

What happened to the engines...?

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

I would imagine that the owner sold them off, as the most valuable pieces of what may very well be a parts aircraft now. When I saw it last, it was a beautiful airplane in fine condition; I'd been unaware of the accident. I've always liked the Lockheed twins, and who knows? This one could fly again. I sure hope so.

The engines were sold to the CAF Houston Wing with one to be IRAN'ed and installed on our C-60 N60JT, "Goodtime Gal". Things were looking good and an engine was ready to hang when it was noticed that the R-1820-XX wasn't able to be intermixed with the current engines, a -56 and a -72A; I'm not sure of the Dash #'s on the Lady Lodestars engines, but they wouldn't jive on our ship without a double engine swap. Ouch. I wasn't in on the discussions and decision making, but both engines were then sold to the Gulf Coast Wing for use on their B-17, Texas Raiders. They were sent to an engine shop to be upgraded to -97s (new nose case & reduction gears?), and I believe one is currently flying on Raiders with the other as a spare. Spanner might know more definitively on that last part, but I think I'm pretty close...

But that reminds me; any of youse guys know where to find a decent, low time R-1820-56 or -72A?

JohnB

RV8er, why didn't your wing buy Lady Lodestar for spares? Would you buy her or trade for what's left of her?

Why wouldn't headquarters just "give" the Lodestar to Houston? Could they afford the transportation costs? Seems logical!

Good questions both! As I recall when when this all happened a couple of years ago, the airframe was tentatively sold to be a gate guard somewhere on the east coast... I never did learn where. So our group bagged the engines to use on our Lodestar and the airframe seemed destined to be a plane on a stick... but that never happened. Some time went by and it was still advertised on Courtesy's website; apparently that gate guardian thing fell through. There was talk around our hangar about acquiring it for spares or possible restoration, but that never really went anywhere; as to why CAF HQ couldn't just "give" us the airframe, I don't get that either. But then again, I'm just a pilot, wrench turner and oil puddle mopper-upper, so I don't know really know about all that high level CAF horse trading. Methinks the transport cost would have been a wee bit up there, and then there's the storage issue. Our hangar is maxed out. Since it has finally sold, I hope it goes to a good home and someone brings it back to life.

RV8er,
Your info about 'Lady" going to be an east coast gate guard is almost complete. As Paul Harvey used to say, here is the rest of the story:
The Air Mobility Command (AMC) museum at Dover AFB, DE was almost her home. Not to be put on a pole but to join their collective, all be it static. Due to the value of the airframe the museum could not acquire the bird themselves, it had to be accepted by USAF HQ. The paperwork was being processed but then the military budget cuts hit and the museums took the first hits. The AMC museum stopped taking on additional planes including the C-60A. This move would have kept her from being flown but would have preserved her, not only is Dover an AMC base but C-60's were stationed there during WW2.
I know this as I was, at the time, the Operations Officer working the issue as well as one of her crew chiefs. I wish the old gal and her new owner the best of luck. She was a good flying airplane and was a regular on the east coast show circuit until the incident.
Bob
ATCS (AW) Ret.
ODS/CAF

Well how about that, I learned something today! I didn't know it was headed to the Dover museum... I'd say that would have been a much better fate than being on a pole somewhere.

Somebody please give me a contact number for the Dover Museum....see if they are still interested.

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

I remember Lady Lodestar at the Frederick, Maryland airshows during the 90s. It was positioned right in front of the entrance gate, so it would be the first plane you saw.

IIRC, at one of the shows, they developed smoke in the cockpit and the plane had to come in for an emergency landing. I believe it was some electronic componentry (the radios, possibly?) that fried. I don't know the exact nature of the conversations, but I recall hearing a lot of yelling going on in the CAF's pilot tent after the incident.

Lockheed twins are attractive, but unfortunately, frequently overlooked and under appreciated.

Thanks APG85, they contacted me by phone yesterday...lets see if she will get to a museum, or I will be asking Nathan for tips on fundraising for moving the C-60A.

Ok, so I have gotten confused after the last few posts...

I thought it was sold by the CAF and has gone to an unknown or at least undisclosed owner. And now hearing the museum is contacting you about them acquiring it... Have I missed something? Was it not sold or did you (Gary) buy it?

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Tyler Pinkerton
Active Member of Air Heritage Inc. of Beaver Falls, PA.
Aircraft: C47B, C-123K, Fairchild F-24, Funk Model B, L-21B, T-28B, T-34B
Static: F-4C Phantom II, F-15A, T-3 Provost

In answer to the question about smoke in the cockpit of the Lodestar at Fredrick.:
The stand-by hydraulic pump motor shorted out (post landing inspection revealed). C-60 took off as part of the European flight sequence, smoke in the cockpit developed, aircraft commander immediately landed aircraft and rolled up to emergency vehicle, no damage to aircraft except pump motor, not sure what the yelling was about in the pilot tent but it did not involve the crew.

Thanks for the straight dope on that one. That had to have been almost 20 years ago.