Warbird Information Exchange

I was thinking I have been around long enough to see a F9F Panther Jet fly back in the late 80's at the fabulous airshow called High On Kalamazoo. Now none any where in the world flying. I believe that the Cavanaugh Museum has one on Static, but doesn't fly. Another one is the JU88 saw one fly back in 1979 at Harlingen Texas. Again not a single one in flying condition that Im aware of. If there is one being restored I don't have any idea where such an example exist.
Any others along the same lines that as recently as 25 years ago there was at least one example in flying condition, but now none. Just curious as to what you folks think.

It was not a JU-88, but a spanish built He-111, fitted with merlin engines. Cavanaugh has a example that was flyable, and could fly again. Paul Allen has one that is rumored to be refitted with German engines when it is restored.

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Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
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If anyone does a Ju-88 it will be FH&CAM. I don't know if there is airworthy project out thete, but that doesn't seem to stop warbird collectors.
Who knows what they've found in Russia, I can only hope that despite Paul Allen's passing, someone will continue to write large checks for rare axis aircraft.

I would imagine getting a Panther flying would depend on someone having ...and supporting...the engine. The airframe and (lack of) avionics seem simple enough. But the big problem is Korean War era jets don't have the level of interest and support (i.e. money) required for restoration. I've been waiting 30 years for someone to shorten a T-33... Likewise, too bad no one kept the Raytheon F3Ds airworthy.

There aren't many airwothy extinct (types that exist but not flyable) major U.S. types that are likely to be found (unless there is a well hidden B-26 or PBM), so I'd imagine new flying types will be axis aircraft....or perhaps some UK types like the one airworthy Blenheim and the very exciting Typhoon project.

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Yup, the CASA 2.111. Cavanaugh stated a few years back that their 2.111 is too rare to risk flying now. It's a shame that so many were flying in the 60's and none are now. Hopefully, as you mentioned, the Allen bunch will rectify that situation sooner than later powered with DB's!

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F9F Panther - There is only one that may potentially fly and I think there is a good chance that will happen, however it won't be very soon. Planes of Fame at Chino has a potentially flyable example that is currently static. Steve Hinton has stated in the past that it is their intent to one day place it in the air. One of the biggest problems with it however, is the engine. They are very rare and hard to find parts for. There is talk about solving that issue with replacing the original engine with a Mig-15 engine. Apparently, they are close in size and it is feasible, from what I hear. However, I don't think it will happen very soon. With other flyable projects that have been in the works for some 20 to 25 years, i.e. - P-59, O-47, Val, etc., I don't see this happening for a few decades unless some big sponsor shows up. The Panther is not a highly sought after aircraft on the airshow circuit and is tremendously expensive to operate with very little return on investment.

Ju-88 - There are at least 2, maybe 3 restorations underway to airworthy status. All are very "under the radar" and not much info is known about them. The best chance we have is Paul Allen's. He has one under restoration to flying condition. I don't know the status of it, but I talked to one person who was actively buying parts for it. Hopefully, its restoration has already been started. There is another one in either Belgium or France, I can't remember, and possibly one more somewhere else in Europe. From what I know these others are extremely long term projects - like 20 to 30 more years. I don't believe they have a lot of resources behind them either, so it will be a while.

He-111 - Paul Allen has at least 1 maybe 2 CASA's in his collection. Reportedly, he plans on re-engining the Merlins with Junkers engines to make a flyable He-111. The Cavanaugh CASA will never ever fly again, so this is the best hope we ever have of seeing any type of 111 fly again.

Hello,
I could be wrong but I never hear about a JU88 project in France or Belgium.

Regards

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Since seeing the film 'The Bridges of Toko Ri' as a schoolboy in the mid 1950's the Panther was always a favourite.

I was pleased to see just this one at the Madera airshow in 1986.

PeterA

Two types that come to mind would be the C-119 and B-23; firefighting and Alaskan cargo use kept the Flying Boxcars going for a long time but IIRC they're all static now. There were three or four B-23s flying into the Eighties; now two are very long-term (stalled?) projects and one is supposed to have been flyable as of last year (39-63 N777LW) - is it still being flown?

Seems like a Panther would be just as welcome on the airshow circuit as the F-86s are - the F9F is a loud and fast jet, and the classic movie The Bridges at Toko-Ri has given it over 60 years of Technicolor exposure. Powering it with a MiG engine would be a bit ironic...

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I would have thought France, Israel and India might be the place to look for an engine, as the Dassault Mystere IV operated by those 3 airforces until well into the 1970's, used a Hispano-Suiza licence-built version of the exact same engine as in the Panther.

There are concurrent Ju-88 restorations nearing completion, but none to fly. Three static, if I recall. Although I think Allen's museum also has a wreck they could roll out later. The CASA 2.111s will need spar replacements to fly again. Steel and aluminum corroding together.

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There was one in Belgium, but I don't know if it still active or has been sold on. I haven't heard about it in quite some time. An update from that region would be most welcome.

I didn't know that! Thanks for that interesting tidbit of info.

There was a Ju-88A-4 project in Belgium, but there are no current updates. Maybe Eric Vormezeele?

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"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903

Yea, I think that was it. Anybody know the status of that aircraft or if it got sold?

The Belgian Ju 88 example is owned by Chris Vanhee, I stayed with him back in 2000 for several days. He had major sections and almost everything to fit it out, but he will never get it to airworthy, he is one man with limited funds. IIRC he has been looking to sell what he has in recent years, but am not sure how that is progressing.

AFAIK, no examples in Europe are being rebuilt to airworthy, but there are several static museum restorations, mostly in Norway.

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