The new Michigan Flight Museum

[JimH]

Somers

[LegendaryWings]

Somers

Do you mean Charles Somers, the owner of Mosquito PZ474, P-47G Thunderbolt Snafu, Spitfire TB252, FG-1D Corsair 92436 (N72NW), P-38 Lightning Thoughts Of Midnight, and two P-51D Mustangs (Daddy's Girl and Live Bait)?

[JohnH]

Somers

Do you mean Charles Somers, the owner of Mosquito PZ474, P-47G Thunderbolt Snafu, Spitfire TB252, FG-1D Corsair 92436 (N72NW), P-38 Lightning Thoughts Of Midnight, and two P-51D Mustangs (Daddy's Girl and Live Bait)?

At this point , saying Somers is like saying Weeks, Friedkin or Tallichet . There's not multiple people in warbirds with that name.

https://www.google.com/search?q=somers+ ... ent=safari

[kalamazookid]

A museum parting with their flagship is difficult to understand, even given the financial challenges of operating a B-17. I imagine that most people have only heard of Yankee Air Museum/Michigan Flight Museum because of "Yankee Lady." I would hope that selling a B-17 would give the museum some immediate financial security, but those in charge of the direction of the museum will have to use those funds wisely if they are going to create something sustainable. Perhaps they will finally get their entire collection under one roof and/or get the Trimotor flying. I will reserve final judgment on the sale until we see how all of this plays out, but this doesn't inspire confidence - especially given some of the museum's decision-making and struggles in other endeavors.

I hope Somers has a plan to regularly display the B-17 publicly and those on the West coast will cherish this aircraft as much as I have. It was the first B-17 I ever saw, back when I was about four years old and it came to Kalamazoo. I saw it fly at dozens of events over the years, ranging from major airshows to small airport events in the middle nowhere that made you question how the event managed to bring in a B-17. Those experiences never got old. It's weird to think that we are probably more likely to see "Doc" in the Midwest than any B-17 moving forward.

[bmoran]

I'm perplexed at the crazy airshow arrangements of recent, the parting of the flagship B-17, the scrapping of the Argosy and whatnot... it just doesn't make sense to me and seems like they lost their charm and their way...

[Pogo]

It's sad, but things change. Here in the Clear Lake area southeast of Houston it was once no terribly unusual thing to see - excuse me, hear and then see! - a B-17 flying over. And there for a while, we'd have to scramble to tell which B-17 it was, as it could be either CAF TR or LSFM TB. Now we have none. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted, and I shall always cherish the memories.

[JohnB]

In terms of airworthy B-17s, we had it good for a long time.
We just didn't know it!

With losses and groundings, reality has intervened.

Today, the warbird world is very healthy in terms of fighters, but getting more difficult for large types.
That's understandable, they're too big, labor intensive, thirsty and expensive for someone to keep as a toy, and museums have a hard time making a go of it.

My favorite example...in the UK there still isn't a flying Mosquito, years after the NZ rebuilds first took to the skies. Plenty of Spitfires (and more on the way) though.

But good news...we have two B-29s, a third flying Lancaster will be in the air in a few years, and C-47s are finally being appreciated as warbirds.

[Nathan]

If a business is doing good then decides to move or drastically change things, it usually ends in disaster and going out of business. it's simple business 101.

[JohnB]

If a business is doing good then decides to move or drastically change things, it usually ends in disaster and going out of business. it's simple business 101.

Yes, it does seem that way. Change for change sake is made by a new executive who wants to put his/her mark on something.
But sometimes the reason why they changed things is because have have issues unseen to the casual viewer or they see trouble coming.
The museum being a museum and not a big money making enterprise, I suspect the latter.

[bdk]

If a business is doing good then decides to move or drastically change things, it usually ends in disaster and going out of business. it's simple business 101.

Yes, it does seem that way. Change for change sake is made by a new executive who wants to put his/her mark on something.
But sometimes the reason why they changed things is because have have issues unseen to the casual viewer or they see trouble coming.
The museum being a museum and not a big money making enterprise, I suspect the latter.

Funny that their press release says that a great deal of their income was derived from the B-17 but that they were too reliant on that income so they are selling it???? The explanation seems nonsensical.

[ricusa]

Wasn't there something about the spar attachment groundings they could not afford? But I also read inspection panels were removed (I personaly saw them off) and a FAA inspection was done and it was cleared to continue flying??

[kalamazookid]

Wasn't there something about the spar attachment groundings they could not afford? But I also read inspection panels were removed (I personaly saw them off) and a FAA inspection was done and it was cleared to continue flying??

Yankee Lady passed the FAA inspection last spring and was flown extensively last summer.

[blurrkup]

My favorite example...in the UK there still isn't a flying Mosquito, years after the NZ rebuilds first took to the skies. Plenty of Spitfires (and more on the way) though.

Hopefully going to change in the next few years, with one destined for BHHH at Biggin Hill being done in New Zealand and The People's Mosquito being built in the UK with help from Retrotec (though this one is likely way off in the future).

[Thomas_Mac]

If a business is doing good then decides to move or drastically change things, it usually ends in disaster and going out of business. it's simple business 101.

Yes, it does seem that way. Change for change sake is made by a new executive who wants to put his/her mark on something.
But sometimes the reason why they changed things is because have have issues unseen to the casual viewer or they see trouble coming.
The museum being a museum and not a big money making enterprise, I suspect the latter.

Funny that their press release says that a great deal of their income was derived from the B-17 but that they were too reliant on that income so they are selling it???? The explanation seems nonsensical.

This was the press release for anyone who hasn't seen it.
https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbird ... -home.html

Sad to see her leaving this part of the continent, would be nice if the new owner had plans to publicly display his collection beyond airshow appearances and visits to Planes of Fame but I guess we'll see what the future holds.

[JohnH]

In terms of airworthy B-17s, we had it good for a long time.
We just didn't know it!

a third flying Lancaster will be in the air in a few years, and C-47s are finally being appreciated as warbirds.

The one in BC Canada that is being worked on by the same team that built Bob Jens’ Mossie, this museum now states it’s not to fly. There seemed to be media hype when the project started it was going to fly, but this is now not the case. Is there another Lancaster you are referring to? I just checked in on this one a few months ago.