Warbird Information Exchange

Did you read that in a book?

_________________
remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

There's another possibility: a number of the old articles I come across have mistakes due to non-aviation inclined reporters misunderstanding important details. So it's possible that this was a case of a B-17 or something similar being misreported as a B-18.

Alternatively, according to another article, Norman Blake was president of a company called Southwest Aviation, Inc. So maybe the aircraft was registered under the company's name rather than his?

Finally, a different article notes that the company acted as a dealer for surplus aircraft. So a third possibility is that it remained on his books for such a short time before being resold that it was never really noted.

_________________
Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

A quick follow up on the BT-14 alluded to above: According to the North American T-6/Yale section of Warbirds Directory, the aircraft was s/n 40-1147 and it was struck off the USCR in 1971. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is claimed to be the only actual BT-14 ever registered. However, it is interesting to note that two surviving flyable Yales have been converted to BT-14 configuration. (Although also representing a BT-14, the Yale at NMUSAF is not airworthy.) I thought maybe, in a weird twist, it was the existence of LTC-32 that made this possible. Yet, this does not appear to be the case, as the two aircraft, N314BT and N3361, are registered as NA-64s.

_________________
Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

There would be a lot more work involved in converting a Yale to proper BT-14 configuration other than sticking an R-985 on the front. The outer wing panels were different (with the BT-14 having the later style with less leading edge sweep), as were the elevators, cowling, exhaust, instrument panels, etc. It would be akin to someone simply sticking a Merlin on an A-36 and calling it a P-51B. Close, but no cigar.


I believe you're referring to N55903 instead of N314BT. The latter still has an R-975 installed. N64FL in Arizona also has an R-985 installed.

_________________

Good point. The A-36/P-51B analogy is particularly well-taken. Would you say it would be easier to convert a T-6 into a BT-14 then? (I really need to pull out the Hagedorn T-6 book again.)


Sorry, I should have clarified that I was basing those claims on the Warbirds Directory section, which refers to N314BT and N3361 as "BT-14 repl.". It doesn't say anything about N55903 or N64FL being converted. I don't know any more about any of those four airframes outside of what I read there, so you're probably right. Thanks for the correction and please feel free to shed some more light on the subject if you're so inclined.

_________________
Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster