List of Notable Warbird People

[Randy Haskin]

No David Lindsay?

Arguably the man responsible for a hundred or so Mustang airframes that survived the 1960s, having bought up many wrecks to feed the TFA/Cavalier parts stock. Airframes and parts that likely would have been scrapped at the time due to their low value.

The lists seem to be heavily focused on warbird world movers- and-shakers of the 1990s until now.

There's a whole world of people who bought, owned, maintained, flew, and preserved warbirds in the 1960s to 1990s that enthusiasts today don't know about, and whom this thread is only barely touching.

[Chris Brame]

John Ortseifen, from the Chicago area - managed to save a couple AT-11s, a T-28A, and a Hellcat (BuNo 79863).

[Xrayist]

Unless I missed him, how about Mr. Soplata?

[JohnTerrell]

I'd like to add, not yet mentioned:

Mike Coutches
Erik Hokuf, Eric Trueblood, Mark Tisler (and the rest of the talented, industry-changing team at AirCorps Aviation)
Paul Ehlen
Rod Lewis
Guy Black
Tom and Dan Friedkin
Jack Roush
Jack Erickson
Peter Monk

[JohnB]

Years ago in FLYING, they mentioned a guy whose "hands most Canadian Mustangs passed".

I don't think it was Lindsay, it was a name I recognized....but don't recall.


Is any specific person named as the guy who saw the B-29s at China Lake and a light bulb went off in his head to save one?

I can't think of a single act which can be credited with saving so many airframes.

And let's have a toast to honor the bureaucrat/admiral/general who okayed the recovery.

Also, the guy who thought of looking for the warbirds in Lake Michigan.

Last edited by JohnB on Fri May 05, 2017 8:25 am, edited 2 times in total.

[JohnTerrell]

Years ago in FLYING, they mentioned a guy whose "hands most Canadian Mustangs passed".

I don't think it was Lindsay, it was a name I recognized....but don't recall.

James Defuria, I would say.

[Noha307]

First off, you guys are amazing! I expected some response, but not this much. So many I have never heard of (and more of which I knew, but forgot ). On that note, the short bios are greatly appreciated.

I'm just going to make a short list of all the additional suggestions here:

Further Mentions

• Scott Rose
• Jack Cook
• Scott Dennison
• Chuck Wahl
• Gary Austin
• Dr. William "Doc" Hospers
• Gary Larkins
• Ernest Gann
• Rinker Buck
• David Billings
• Bob Pond
• William T. Larkins
• Joe Baugher
• Stoney Stonich
• Jimmy Leeward
• Supe Hoisington
• Clay Lacy
• E.D Weiner
• Chuck Lyford
• Bob Hoover
• Dave Zeuschel
• Bruce Boland
• John Sandberg
• Randy Sohn
• Tony LeVier
• Leon Cleaver
• Jack Cook
• Jack Fesko
• Charlie Fox
• Walt Powell
• Bill Anders
• Greg Anders
• Brian Reynolds
• Pete Regina
• Mike Nixon
• Joe Clark
• John Romain
• Darrell Skurich
• David Lindsay
• John Ortseifen
• Mike Coutches
• Erik Hokuf
• Eric Trueblood
• Mark Tisler
• Paul Ehlen
• Rod Lewis
• Guy Black
• Tom Friedkin
• Dan Friedkin
• Jack Roush
• Jack Erickson
• Peter Monk
• James Defuria
• Barko family

For those of you keeping score at home, that's 54 (or more, if you count the family) additional people!

Rick Gillespie? The guy who's made a career out of not finding AE?

Hence,

a person does not have to be well regarded, or even liked to be on this list, simply “important”.

You might be able to argue the "important" part, but I think the whole P-38 business counts. Plus he's certainly gotten enough publicity...

The lists seem to be heavily focused on warbird world movers- and-shakers of the 1990s until now.

There's a whole world of people who bought, owned, maintained, flew, and preserved warbirds in the 1960s to 1990s that enthusiasts today don't know about, and whom this thread is only barely touching.

Yeah, well knowing them's a problem when you were born three years after the 90's started.

In all seriousness, these are just the ones I had thought of over time. I mean no disrespect by failing to include someone.

So if you think I'm missing some, by all means, please go ahead and educate me!

Unless I missed him, how about Mr. Soplata?

Yep, he's already in there.

Other repeat suggestions include Taigh Ramey, Earl Reinert, Paul Poberezny, and Daryl Greenamyer.

Joe Baugher

That's an interesting suggestion. Even though I'm well aware of him - and love his lists - I had never even considered someone who was notable entirely for their presence on the Internet.

Tony LeVier

Huh. All I ever knew him as was a Lockheed test pilot. Involvement with warbirds would make sense though.

Trans Florida Aviation

I'm going to stick with individual people and not organizations for this list. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Once again, thanks for the suggestion!

[Noha307]

Thinking about controversial individuals just reminded me of another one: Robert L. Rasmussen [1]

[JohnB]

I'm still puzzled by RG.
What exactly has he done to preserve the P-38?
Despite the name of his group, they have seemingly done nothing to preserve the P-38. It still lies covered in beach sand...not the ideal environment for a historic 70 year-old piece of aluminum.
I understand that the group itself has said it's no longer an active project.
If I'm mistaken, please inform me.

However, any mention of the group's involvement with the Lockheed brings howls of derision on the locally-based Key Publishing forum....the historic aviation guys who are "boots on the ground" in the UK.

If doing nothing gets one on your list, I'm afraid your list will be a long one....

So if unaming something and sending out a news release warrant inclusion to the list, than I belong there thanks to my writings, volunteer work, time as a warbird pilot and various donations.

Last edited by JohnB on Fri May 05, 2017 1:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Dave Homewood]

Some important New Zealanders:

I see that Charles Darby, Don Subritzky and John Chambers have been mentions, and all rightly so. I'd add:

Trevor Bland - the founder of New Zealand Warbirds Association

Sir Tim Wallis - the founder and owner of the Alpine Fighter Collection and Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow, and founder of Hawker Restorations in the UK, plus initiated the rebuild of at least ten extinct Russian fighters to fly, etc

Ray Hanna - owner of the Old Flying Machine Company

Sir Peter Jackson - owner of The Vintage Aviator Collection, involved with WWI Trust, Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre and more

Neville 'Shorty' Mines - recovered warbird wrecks from the PNG jungles, and around NZ, here more here
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WON ... rty-mines/

Monty Armstrong - recovered warbird wrecks from the PNG jungles

Brendon Deere - owner of The Biggin Hill Collection at Ohakea

Warren Denholm - owner of Avspecs Ltd

Paul McSweeny and Steve Cox - current owners of Pioneer Aero Restorations and Garth Hogan who is the former owner of Pioneer Aero Restorations. This company has done amazing work in the warbird scene worldwide, particularly with P-40's

Jay McIntyre - owner of JEM Aviation at Omaka

Colin Smith - owner of the Croydon Aircraft Company at Mandeville restoring classics and light warbirds

Gene deMarco - (American-Kiwi) Manager at The Vintage Aviator Collection

Tony Wytenburg - has put the Gnome rotary engine back into production. Hear more here
http://www.warbirdradio.com/2015/06/the ... episode-5/

Graham Orphan - (Australian-New Zealander) founder of Classic Fighters airshow, Classic Wings Magazine and very involved with the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre

John Smith - New Zealand's equivalent of Walter Soplata

Bill and Robyn Reid, and Martin Reid - they returned the Avro Anson Mk. 1 to the air, a significant restoration

John Barry and Sandy Currie - the officers who oversaw the establishment of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Andrew Gormley - Manager of the Classic Flyers Museum at Tauranga that has brought several warbirds back to life

Al Marshall and Marty Nicholl - for restoring a Bristol Freighter back to taxiing condition, the only one in the world

Frank Parker and Liz Needham - husband and wife team who are President and Committee member of NZ Warbirds Assoc., respectively; team members of the Roaring Forties Harvard display team, both airline pilots, each own flying schools, and they own and both display a P-40N. They also fly Spitfires and a Mustang, among other things. Liz is the only lady in the world currently rated to fly the P-40, Spitfire and Mustang. She recently also got a rating on the Griffon engined Spitfire Mk. 14. And together they are the only husband and wife due in the world who have publicly displayed together in two P-40's, and more recently this past Easter in two Spitfires, as "Mr and Mrs Spitfire". Plus they're great people.

Keith Skilling - the most respected display pilot of the Chance Vought/Goodyear Corsair in the world, also a masterful Spitfire display pilot and one of the Mosquito test pilots, among much more

Dave Phillips - one of the world's greatest display pilots, and warbird test pilots. His Tiger Moth displays are world renowned, as are his testing and displaying the Mosquito, Anson and other warbirds.

An Australian of note:
Ian Whitney - recovered warbird wrecks from the PNG and other crash sites. Hear more here
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WON ... n-whitney/

Last edited by Dave Homewood on Fri May 05, 2017 12:41 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Dave Homewood]

Why the heck does it say "redacted" where I typed Mont-y Armstrong (obviously without the dash in the original text).

Is that a swear word in America????

[Dave Homewood]

I would also add Judy Pay who brought the P-40F back to life among her collection of other warbirds, and David Lowy (of the Temora Aviation Museum) over in Aussie too.

[Christer]

It seems like Ray and Mark Hanna are missing from the list.

Still missing from your updated list!

[Courier Sportster]

Jackie Cochran

[Dave Hadfield]

The biggest private collection of Warbirds in Canada is owned by Michael Potter.

He also flies them -- last weekend he flew the Mustang in the airshow at Gatineau, part of a 3-ship formation flight.