Kermit's B-24 and B-26

[Pat Carry]

When is the last time either of them flew?

[Boeing666]

quite a while I believe. The B-24 has never been restored according to what they said at Fantasy of Flight a few years back so that would probably have to go through a full restoration before it would go up regularly again. The B-26 was restored some time back but also probably not flown for 15 years at least. The same could probably be said about his B-25.

Problem is both are a 2 crew plane and Kermit hasn't had a second pilot on his staff for years (back when FOF was still open). His restoration projects are all smaller aircraft for the most part now. I really wish he'd get the B-26 up, since I think his is the only one left that is flyable

[JohnB]

In late 2000, I spent week at Chino doing some warbird flying. The B-26 was on the ramp getting some work done, in fact, I'm not sure it had flown yet following its (pre-Weeks) restoration.

[JohnTerrell]

In late 2000, I spent week at Chino doing some warbird flying. The B-26 was on the ramp getting some work done, in fact, I'm not sure it had flown yet following its (pre-Weeks) restoration.

Kermit Weeks flew the Marauder from Chino to Florida in March 1999, following work by Aero Trader, and had it at Sun-N-Fun that April, but perhaps it went back to Chino for some more work? According to Weeks, the last time it flew was in 2004. According to Weeks, to get it flying again, in addition to a complete inspection, it needs at least one new engine.

The B-24 hasn't been flown since '95, when it was flown into the then-new Fantasy of Flight location (same year I think it did the formation flight with the Collings B-24).

Back between 2010 and 2012, Weeks' B-25 was getting a lot of attention to return it to the air again (which included a complete annual, engine work, and installing and plumbing-in a new fuel cell). The aircraft was ground-run a number of times, as well as taxi runs, but then it was dropped from the priority list again. I'm pretty sure the last time it flew must have been around 2004 as well (as I recall, the restoration was completed in 2000).

Speaking of Weeks' bombers, he mentioned on Facebook at the beginning of this year that he was going to finally put forth to have his A-26 Invader restoration finished-up at Aero Trader by the end of 2016 (a restoration which has only been on a back burner for a number of years), though there hasn't been any more mentioned since then with regard to that.

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnH]

I just googled it because 1999 felt like a year off. The 1464 was doing final test flights in Feb 1998- I was there . The part I googled says arrived at Fantasy of Flight March 11, 1998. It's never come back to Chino since 1998. Kermit bought this in 1994, three and a half plus years was enough to fix what was wrong . Article here about April 98 Florida show appearance .

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1998-04-25/news/9804250079_1_b-26-marauder-flight-engineer

[JohnTerrell]

Thank you for the correction, John (although it was at Sun-N-Fun '99). I had seen a collection of photos that I thought were from its delivery flight from California to Florida, dated 1999, which threw me. I've seen elsewhere now too that it was at Oshkosh in '98 (wish I had been there that year!).

[Boeing666]

I haven't seen Kermit mention anything about his A-26 for a long time. I am afraid it is on the backburner again. A lot of his projects end up on the backburner unfortunately. Plus he has been busy writing books as of recently.

[Boeing666]

What Martin B-26 would have been at Dayton Ohio Airshow in 1995 when they did a huge fly by of WWII aircraft for the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII? I remember a B-26 there.

[Dan K]

Thank you for the correction, John (although it was at Sun-N-Fun '99). I had seen a collection of photos that I thought were from its delivery flight from California to Florida, dated 1999, which threw me. I've seen elsewhere now too that it was at Oshkosh in '98 (wish I had been there that year!).

In the summer of 1998, I'm pretty confident Kermit Weeks flew her first to the show at Selfridge, from there to Warbirds Over Kalamazoo (Get the DVD here:
https://www.amazon.com/Warbirds-Over-Ka ... B008RN3XTC ), and from Kalamazoo off to OSH.

What I don't recall is exactly how long the Marauder remained on the Weeks Hangar ramp at Oshkosh after engine trouble during the fly in. It was at least several months, as I recall seeing her covered in about 5 inches of snow that winter. So she either made the trek back to FL very late '98 or early '99.

Yeah...would really like to see her fly one more time...that and the XP-51...aren't memories great?

[JohnH]

What Martin B-26 would have been at Dayton Ohio Airshow in 1995 when they did a huge fly by of WWII aircraft for the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII? I remember a B-26 there.

The CAF Marauder Carolyn, destroyed shortly after on 9/28/95.

[Nathan]

The B-26 is pretty rare. I'd like to see it preserved for future restorations. The aircraft was always tricky to fly. I hope it stays static.

There is a healthy number of B-24s, and since this one seems closer to flying I wouldn't mind seeing this one back in the air. But on the other hand Weeks doesn't really doesn't much with is warbirds, so even if these aircraft flew, you'd probably would have to travel to Florida to see them fly.

[Warbird Kid]

There is a healthy number of B-24s.

I wouldn't necessarily say that. There are roughly 10 to 12 airframes out there. Not including the 6 or so Privateer airframes. We have more B-17s still surviving. If anything.

[menards]

The B-26 is pretty rare. I'd like to see it preserved for future restorations. The aircraft was always tricky to fly. I hope it stays static.

There is a healthy number of B-24s, and since this one seems closer to flying I wouldn't mind seeing this one back in the air. But on the other hand Weeks doesn't really doesn't much with is warbirds, so even if these aircraft flew, you'd probably would have to travel to Florida to see them fly.

Are u counting the LB-30 as a B-24? Really there is one "true" b-24 that flies, the Collings bird. It does tour extensively and is extremely visible... But reality is if that bird stops touring for whichever reason, b-24s would be hard to come by.

[marine air]

Several years ago a P-47 owner here in Tennessee really liked the B-24 and mentioned he would like to buy one. There simply weren't any available 15 years ago so he bought a Skyraider to add to his collection. Excluding national museums, they aren't out there.

[JohnTerrell]

Are u counting the LB-30 as a B-24? Really there is one "true" b-24 that flies, the Collings bird. It does tour extensively and is extremely visible... But reality is if that bird stops touring for whichever reason, b-24s would be hard to come by.

Given the fact that the designation "LB-30B", is only a term applied to the fully armed/combat-ready bomber export versions of the early B-24A's, brimming with machine guns and bomb bays, as the CAF's example was when produced and during initial State-side duties, I consider it a B-24 (it was/can also be referred to as a RAF Liberator I, just as the Collings' example can be referred to as a RAF Liberator V, as it was when in service).

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Wed Aug 10, 2016 10:07 am, edited 2 times in total.