Surplus Warplane Transfers to Schools 1945-1948

[ZRX61]

Back in the day Napier had their apprentices section a bunch of H24 Saber's, apparently they did this to *dozens*, but only a handful exist today.
I looked a bit too closely at the one on display at Duxford & had an almost overwhelming urge to weld my toolbox shut.

[Chris Brame]

Don't forget to add the Canadian, Texas FM-2 !

[aerovin]

I think all pertinent ones were added and list updated. It stands at 141 aircraft including several that were direct AAF transfers before 1945 and three civil 'sales' for display purposes.

[Mark Allen M]

Burgard Vocational High School Aviation Department

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 997&type=3

[Mark Allen M]

Milton Hershey School

https://www.mhskids.org/blog/airplane-mechanics-at-mhs/

[Jollygreenslugg]

Looks like a Douglas Dolphin in the background.

[Stoney]

there was a T-6F in the prison at Tracy, CA in 1981. it got out and was restored.

[T J Johansen]

there was a T-6F in the prison at Tracy, CA in 1981. it got out and was restored.

Got its sentence reduced for good behavior?

https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/insidecdcr/2022 ... n-history/



AT-6F 42-82300

T J

[Chris Brame]

One more for the list, maybe, from the Registry:
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f4fregis ... 74512.html

Delivered to U.S. Navy as Bu. 74512.
Edison Technical School, Seattle, WA, 1950-1960.
park playground, White Centre, Seattle, WA, 1965-1969.
Pacific Northwest Aviation History Museum, Boeing Field, WA, 1969-1983.
Restored for static display, Fairchild AFB, WA, 1983.
Museum Of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle, WA, 1983-2019.
Restoration completed 2010, displayed in the markings of VC-94, USS Shamrock Bay.

A little late perhaps - but where was it between 1945 and 1950? A great photo showed up on Facebook today of 74512 at the park playground; I've asked for permission to post it here and to pass it along to Scott.

[aerovin]

FM-2 74512 was added to the list and the record card requested from the Navy. That will at least tell when it went to RFC or otherwise.

[Noha307]

Does this count, or is it too late? The Central Vocational High School in Cincinnati received a YH-6 in 1949 as part of the Air Force School Aid program:

(Source: Newspapers.com)

It wasn't the last time a military helicopter went to an institution of higher learning in Cincinnati.

The school also received a P-39 at some point prior to the start of the official program:

School Gets
P-39, Beats
New Plane Plan

Announcement from Washing-
ton that schools may buy sur-
plus Army and Navy aircraft at
"give-away" prices does'nt [sic] faze
Central Vocational High here.
They are ahead of the program
with what seems a better deal.

A trim P-39 fighter plane now
nestles on their roof, the prod-
uct of an arrangement with the
Fifth Army Corps Areat [sic] at Ft.
Hayes[,] whereby the school is
furished aviation equipment for
shop work at freight costs only[.]

The new government pro-
gram, announced Saturday, per-
mits the Reconstruction Corpo. to
sell P-40 fighter planes to public
schools for $100 and Flying
Fortresses for $350.

(Source: Newspapers.com)

"Grease Monkeys" Overhaul P-39 on Roof

Norman Henderson, instructor in the aviation division of Central Vocational High School, watches
his senior class "grease-monkey's["] overhaul a P-39 Airacobra on the school's roof. Under the
wing is Norbert Reinstatler. Left to right above, Robert Williams, Joe George, in cockpit, Paul
Dion and Paul Tolle. The school bought the plane from the Army for instruction purposes.

(Source: Newspapers.com)

[aerovin]

The list only has combat aircraft (fighters, bombers, attack types) so the helicopter would not be included, though that is an interesting transfer.

The P=39 transfer was pre-RFC educational transfers, and was a direct military transfer to the school. It will be added to the list, though, as were several other pre-May 1945 transfers.

These continue to surface, so it's good to see them.

[Noha307]

The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library has digitized the yearbooks for the Central Vocational High School and last night I took a look through them and found one more picture each of the P-39 and YH-6:

ANOTHER OF MAN’S DREAMS HAS COME TRUE

For centuries man has watched the birds and wished that he, too, might
fly. Tennyson in his poem, Locksley Hall, written in 1842 when the poet him-
self was only 33 years of age, typifies man’s desire to fly in the famous couplets
foretelling aerial commerce and warfare.

It remained for two Dayton, Ohio, men, Wilbur and Orville Wright,
to demonstrate in 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, that man could fly.

The above photo is that of a real plane mounted on the roof of Central
which gives the students a chance to become acquainted with the construction
and working parts of a modern plane.

(Source: Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library)

A SIKORSKY HELICOPTER

This helicopter was a gift to the school from the United States Air Force at
Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. Students of the Aviation Department now receive
training on this latest type rotary wing aircraft.

(Source: Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library)

The school also acquired an unknown PT-26 at some point before 1951:

AVIATION SHOP SCENE

Travis Holmes, a senior in the Aviation Department, repairs the sliding hatch
or "Green-House" on a PT-26. This is a flyable Fairchild aircraft powered with
a 200 H.P. Ranger engine.

(Source: Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library)

Lastly, while not a transfer from the military, a private individual named Slim Purdy donated a BT-13, N74578, to the school:

SCHOOL OWNS PLANE

This BT-13 was donated by Mr. 'Slim' Purdy, a former Central student. It is
in flight condition and is based at Lunken Airport.

(Source: Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library)

On that note, my guess is that many of the yearbooks for these schools have been digitized for genealogical reasons. Given that these airframes would have been rather prominent at the schools, it seems reasonable that, like the examples above or FM-2, BuNo 46867, they would be featured in them. Therefore, if anyone could find these scans, the results would be rather fruitful.

Mark also had a photo thread about aircraft in technical schools a few years ago. The links no longer work, but an archived version still has the pictures.

Scott, may I suggest directly linking to this thread on the list page rather than just a generic link to WIX overall?

[aerovin]

Scott, may I suggest directly linking to this thread on the list page rather than just a generic link to WIX overall?

Good idea.

[Mark Allen M]

Proctor Academy, Andover, NH