Backyard Buchons ...

[Mark Allen M]

Editing this thread with something more interesting and more relevant to WIX.

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Sat Jan 30, 2016 11:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

[PropsRule]

Thanks for the information. I think I know what I'll be doing for many evenings to come...

While we're on the subject of the LIFE archives, can anyone offer some advice on what search criteria to use for the photo archive? Sometimes I'll see a photo posted here, and then go the the Google archives to see if there are any others in the set. Most of the time, I can't find them! I understand entering specific search criteria such as "A-1 Skyraider" probably won't come up with anything, because the person entering the description on the photos can't be expected to be an expert on every subject. So Vietnam A-1 photos might come up under "Navy Plane" or perhaps "Search and Rescue".

If there's any hints anyone could offer I'd appreciate it!

[Mark Allen M]

Saw this photo on ebay and found it interesting. Looks to be in the States somewhere, but not sure. The date of the photo is April 1971 and states only
"Spanish Buchons Fighter Planes RAF Markings Junk Yard Original 1971". Anyone have the story here? If you were a kid back then (grown up too), how cool a backyard playground this would have been.

[levier]

Looks suspiciously like Mundelein, Illinois... Victory Air Museum, Earl Reinert et al.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/fun_flyin ... 275929618/

[groundpounder]

Like your gonna find that somewhere twice...

[Sopwith]

Wonder what became of them.Amazing looking back what was around then.

[JohnTerrell]

Yes, these are the Buchons that were owned by Earl Reinert. They received the RAF markings for the filming of the movie "Eagles Over London" (1969). I believe they were meant to portray Hawker Hurricanes (in the movie, some Texans serve as German fighters, and RAF Spitfires and German Bf-109's are portrayed using models).

One of the former Reinert Buchons is in Belgium as OO-MAF.
One of Reinert's Buchons became the "converted-into-Bf-109G" D-FMBB.
Another of Reinert's Buchons became G-BOML, the one that Mark Hanna was killed in.








Of course similar sights still have happened even in 2015/2016 (some of the number of Buchons formerly owned by Connie Edwards, now sold/spread-out across the world since last year):

[Chris Brame]

Thank goodness there were folks who did take pictures at the VAM - I still kick myself for not taking more (And if anyone has a shot of Earl's Cutlass cockpit...).

IIRC, the house on the left was the neighbor who complained the time somebody (Bill Ross?) buzzed the field with his P-38.

Last edited by Chris Brame on Mon Feb 01, 2016 3:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[John Dupre]

I was thinking about Reinert's Buchons the other day. What is their story? Did he buy them from Connie Edwards or did he buy them separately? If they were used in a film after B o B then probably he didn't buy them from Edwards? Did he buy them from Hamish Mahaddie?

[redvanner]

IIRC these four Buchons were non-fliers in the BoB film, nor did they fly in the mentioned "Eagles over London" movie (Italian wanna-be air war film, best described as IMHO). In "BoB" as well as "Eagles over London" they were only taxiing. Interestingly D-FMBB (1. one, the one that crashed), OO-MAF as well as (reportedly) G-BOML had the correct fin for the Hispano-Suiza engines, but wrong for RR Merlin and DB-engined ones. It would be interesting to find out what became of the 4. and 5. one. Might one of them be the one formerly owned by Harold Kindsvater? His had the same fin. Could it be one reason why they have not flown in the films??

Michael

[JohnTerrell]

According to Geoff Goodall's directory, the Buchons were purchased from Hamish Mahaddie. As you mention Michael, none of these aircraft were considered airworthy at the time, and at the time of the filming of "Battle of Britain", are said to have only been available as a possible source for spare parts. These being:

C.4K-107 - Became G-BOML.
C.4K-121 - Today with Malcolm Laing, being converted to a Bf-109F (using Bf-109F parts, identity, and a DB601 engine).
C.4K-131 - Today with the Vormezeele warbird family in Belgium, registered OO-MAF (recently refitted with a K-model tail (i.e., correct direction for the Merlin/DB engines)).
C.4K-134 - Today converted to a Bf-109G "Black 12" on static display at Wittmundhafen Airbase.
C.4K-135 - Became the first D-FMBB (Bf-109G conversion).
C.4K-172 - Today with the Cavanaugh Flight Museum (registered N109GU, but doesn't fly).

[quemerford]

According to Geoff Goodall's directory, the Buchons were purchased from Hamish Mahaddie. As you mention Michael, none of these aircraft were considered airworthy at the time, and at the time of the filming of "Battle of Britain", are said to have only been available as a possible source for spare parts. These being:

C.4K-107 - Became G-BOML.
C.4K-121 - Today with Malcolm Laing, being converted to a Bf-109F (using Bf-109F parts, identity, and a DB601 engine).
C.4K-131 - Today with the Vormezeele warbird family in Belgium, registered OO-MAF (recently refitted with a K-model tail (i.e., correct direction for the Merlin/DB engines)).
C.4K-134 - Today converted to a Bf-109G "Black 12" on static display at Wittmundhafen Airbase.
C.4K-135 - Became the first D-FMBB (Bf-109G conversion).
C.4K-172 - Today with the Cavanaugh Flight Museum (registered N109GU, but doesn't fly).

Sad to see most/all not being restored as Buchons. One day we will see our folly I hope.

[DH82EH]

For John Terrell

Can you tell us any more about the 109F project John?
This is the first I've heard of it.
I always appreciate your extensive knowledge.

Thanks in advance.

Andy Scott

[Jerry O'Neill]

Sad to see most/all not being restored as Buchons. One day we will see our folly I hope.

Agreed, and I hope we'll see one fly in the Spanish colors someday, but there are a lot of TBM's out there that spent most of their lives in Fire Bombing colors, which would be nice to see, but it doesn't pay the bills nor have the demand at displays. A Spanish painted Hispano would make us s get excited, 90% out there would say, "eh?" While an Hispano in German markings gets more people excited, becomes a draw, and can make the marketing of the aircraft much easier. Understandable. You can see a few restored as Hispanos in several museums including the Kalamazoo Air Zoo.

[JohnTerrell]

Andy, the Bf-109F project is being done at the Texas Air Museum (Malcolm Laing). It is said to use Buchon C.4K-121 as the foundation of the build but with parts/identity from the Bf-109F-4 WkNr.8461 (which last served with 5/JG.27). Supposedly everything has been rebuilt or restored to Bf-109F-4 spec/configuration, and will be using a DB601 engine. I've only ever seen photos of the aircraft in a rebuilt but disassembled state (tail/fuselage/wings).