The Unofficial Oshkosh 2018 Thread

[mazdaP5]

There was at least one more Beaver on floats down in vintage, as well as a really pretty Chipper up by the ford pavilion.

[Lynn Allen]

The Bearcat at Oshkosh this year is the Tom Wood Aviation example (it came to Oshkosh last year too).

Thank you

[Dan K]

Friday point n' click:
























Just being silly...Left main of a certain Tigercat...

[mazdaP5]

Is Yankee Doodle Dandy now Hairless Joe?

[JohnTerrell]

Yes, and it depicts a C-47 that Doolittle Raider Dick Cole flew in the CBI.

[mazdaP5]

Good luck selling Hairless Joe caps!

[Blackbirdfan]

What an awesome experience. I managed to get a couple pics in the papers toward the end of the week.



this wasn't printed, but I dig it.


Will

[mazdaP5]

Beautiful!

[AG pilot]

"I managed to get a couple pics in the papers toward the end of the week."

As well you should! Great photos.

[ZRX61]

Friday point n' click:

Just being silly...Left main of a certain Tigercat...

I want to see pics of the one they took off..

[JohnTerrell]

Equally stunning in my unqualified opinion - all the more so because it flew. Would be interesting to know what the point difference was. I heard an interesting suggestion from another Wixer - what if, in addition to the difficulty points, they added a few "activity" points for any plane that actually took part in the Warbird airshows?

Regarding "Lope's Hope 3rd", it's all about the details, most of which people will never see or care to notice. Everything about it is on-par to the remarkable "Sierra Sue II" restoration also done by AirCorps Aviation. In both cases, it is about going to the absolute furthest limit of period-correct accuracy/time-capsule like quality, while still ensuring the aircraft will be able to fly today and fly regularly and safely. It is accuracy down to using the original primers and paints (among the very select few restorations that have actually used original zinc chromate and original wartime-era type paints - and all of the period-correct type imperfections and qualities that goes with using the original stuff and not modern alternatives), the correct un-polished clad finishes on the metal, the period-correct wartime manufacturer's logos embossed on every bolt (dozens of different types and all correct per-type), the period-correct wartime-spec rivets and finishes of those rivets, period-correct looking wiring (wrapped in cotton string, with all original logos and text, with correct fonts and font sizes, accurately reproduced using a period Kingsley wire stamping machine), every last production stamp/marking throughout the entire aircraft present, working wartime radios (in the case of "Lope's Hope 3rd", it has an extremely rare and complete set of communications and navigation radios, which all work, that is unique only to Mustangs sent to the C.B.I.), fuselage fuel tank, working gun sight - even the glass side-panels of the windscreen and canopy were made to the original wartime laminated bullet-resistant spec, and aren't just run-of-the-mill plexiglass as you would expect to find. All of the detailed markings/text around the airframe were applied with original stamps, stencils or water transfers, whatever method was used originally for that specific marking. And on, and on... I've already posted dissertations on these restorations here and on the Key forum in the past.

I will say it was a delight to see "Sierra Sue II" fly in the Oshkosh airshow in 2015 when it debuted and won its Grand Champion award.

Last edited by JohnTerrell on Mon Jul 30, 2018 2:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[The Ripper]

I have severe Oshkosh blues because I couldn't get there this year but rest assured I will most definitely be there in 2019. I know it's a little too early in the game to know but what do we think could be the themes for next year? D-Day 75?

[MKD1966]

Equally stunning in my unqualified opinion - all the more so because it flew. Would be interesting to know what the point difference was. I heard an interesting suggestion from another Wixer - what if, in addition to the difficulty points, they added a few "activity" points for any plane that actually took part in the Warbird airshows?

Regarding "Lope's Hope 3rd", it's all about the details, most of which people will never see or care to notice. Everything about it is on-par to the remarkable "Sierra Sue II" restoration also done by AirCorps Aviation. In both cases, it is about going to the absolute furthest limit of period-correct accuracy/time-capsule like quality, while still ensuring the aircraft will be able to fly today and fly regularly and safely. It is accuracy down to using the original primers and paints (among the very select few restorations that have actually used original zinc chromate and original wartime-era type paints - and all of the period-correct type imperfections and qualities that goes with using the original stuff and not modern alternatives), the correct un-polished clad finishes on the metal, the period-correct wartime manufacturer's logos embossed on every bolt (dozens of different types and all correct per-type), the period-correct wartime-spec rivets and finishes of those rivets, period-correct looking wiring (wrapped in cotton string, with all original logos and text, with correct fonts and font sizes, accurately reproduced using a period Kingsley wire stamping machine), every last production stamp/marking throughout the entire aircraft present, working wartime radios (in the case of "Lope's Hope 3rd", it has an extremely rare and complete set of communications and navigation radios, which all work, that is unique only to Mustangs sent to the C.B.I.), fuselage fuel tank, working gun sight - even the glass side-panels of the windscreen and canopy were made to the original wartime laminated bullet-resistant spec, and aren't just run-of-the-mill plexiglass as you would expect to find. All of the detailed markings/text around the airframe were applied with original stamps, stencils or water transfers, whatever method was used originally for that specific marking. And on, and on... I've already posted dissertations on these restorations here and on the Key forum in the past.

I will say it was a delight to see "Sierra Sue II" fly in the Oshkosh airshow in 2015 when it debuted and won its Grand Champion award.

Hey John - how would you like to be a judge in a duel between Sierra Sue II and Lope's Hope ?

[JohnTerrell]

It's like thinking about what they would do, perhaps another two or three years from now, when if two or more of Roy Rehm's Boeing 100/P-12/F4B aircraft show up to be judged at Oshkosh at the same time. I know with "Sierra Sue II", it continues to look more and more the part with every passing year - more patina, Alclad watermarks wearing off, etc., it is just phenomenal (even though the B/C is my favorite make/model of the Mustang, "Sierra Sue II" is still my favorite Mustang today - you can't get any more authentic, you can only match it, which is the case with "Lope's Hope 3rd" - and of course "SSII" has the edge of being so vastly original and a true combat-vet).

[Pogmusic]

Equally stunning in my unqualified opinion - all the more so because it flew. Would be interesting to know what the point difference was. I heard an interesting suggestion from another Wixer - what if, in addition to the difficulty points, they added a few "activity" points for any plane that actually took part in the Warbird airshows?

Regarding "Lope's Hope 3rd", it's all about the details, most of which people will never see or care to notice. Everything about it is on-par to the remarkable "Sierra Sue II" restoration also done by AirCorps Aviation. In both cases, it is about going to the absolute furthest limit of period-correct accuracy/time-capsule like quality, while still ensuring the aircraft will be able to fly today and fly regularly and safely. It is accuracy down to using the original primers and paints (among the very select few restorations that have actually used original zinc chromate and original wartime-era type paints - and all of the period-correct type imperfections and qualities that goes with using the original stuff and not modern alternatives), the correct un-polished clad finishes on the metal, the period-correct wartime manufacturer's logos embossed on every bolt (dozens of different types and all correct per-type), the period-correct wartime-spec rivets and finishes of those rivets, period-correct looking wiring (wrapped in cotton string, with all original logos and text, with correct fonts and font sizes, accurately reproduced using a period Kingsley wire stamping machine), every last production stamp/marking throughout the entire aircraft present, working wartime radios (in the case of "Lope's Hope 3rd", it has an extremely rare and complete set of communications and navigation radios, which all work, that is unique only to Mustangs sent to the C.B.I.), fuselage fuel tank, working gun sight - even the glass side-panels of the windscreen and canopy were made to the original wartime laminated bullet-resistant spec, and aren't just run-of-the-mill plexiglass as you would expect to find. All of the detailed markings/text around the airframe were applied with original stamps, stencils or water transfers, whatever method was used originally for that specific marking. And on, and on... I've already posted dissertations on these restorations here and on the Key forum in the past.

I will say it was a delight to see "Sierra Sue II" fly in the Oshkosh airshow in 2015 when it debuted and won its Grand Champion award.

Great analysis. My question/comment is with all of these awesome restorations, wouldn't the cost of, at least producing logos and stamps, drop as the methodology or even semi mass produced stamps become available to the average restoration project?