Curtiss Condor restoration

[Don Parsons]

<<<This looks like a great project for Glen Peck!?>>>

He's gonna need a big hangar Albert!

[astixjr]

I spoke with the folks who were working on this project a few years ago. I was researching a Condor that was abandonded on the ice after an early South Pole expedition and managed to stumble onto the group you are talking about. They recovered the remains of a Condor off the side of a mountain in the New England I think. If I can find the contact info in my notes, I'll send you a PM. I'd enjoy hearing an update also. The Condor is another one of those "Ghost airplanes" that was built here in town. It sure would be nice to see one flying!

Albert, what ever happened to the abandoned Condor? Was it ever recovered? I remember it was part of an inovative expedition that had a lot of advanced transportation for the time....

I doubt it was ever recovered but the fellow I spoke with, Mr. Austin or Mr. Neumann (I can't recall) sure knew all about it. If anyone could find it, he would be the one to do it.

[Jack Carlin]

I would like to jump into the conversation about the AA Curtiss Condor that crashed on Dec 28th 1934 in the Adirondacks in Wilber Vly in the town of Morehouse in Hamilton County, NY. The crew was rescued , I am told, by the Firemen from the Town of Salisbury in Herkimer County. My interest in the crash is that we have a small museum in Salisbury called the Frisbie House and we try to have an interesting exhibit every summer. There are no longer any artifacts that have anything to do with the plane in the area. As a matter of fact the plane was abandoned in Wilber Vly in '34 until Dick Neumann came in and got it out in 1964, it laid up there in the Vly (swamp) for 30 years. Dick still has the parts to the plane and I understand it is stored in Moab Utah. I have been corresponding with Dick by email. The engines were packed in snowand removed in 1934 and taken to Utica where it was determined that that the carbs iced up.
Anyway our exhibit will have to be pictures and maybe some old movies. Incidentally the pilots were Ernie Dryer and his brother Dale.
If anyone is able to help me with any information on the plane or pictures I would appreciate it......Jack Carlin

[John Dupre]

I remember a few years ago a military Condor crash site was discovered in Central America, Honduras I think. Was it actually recovered?

[Project Condor]

Curtiss Condor project update. We are moving along with the Condor restoration. With the help of Curtiss Wright Corporation we have been able to acquire the drawings for the fuselage. The last eight feet of Dick Neumann’s airplane were torn off in the crash. When he recovered the airplane in 1964 he wasn't able to get all the pieces to the rear of the fuselage and the tail. Although he has a fine collection of drawings and photos of the airplane components we didn't feel what he had was adequate to build a fuselage. So it has taken the better part of three years to dig out the correct drawings for the construction of new fuselages. During that time we have located some Condor parts. And the we discovered that the "William Horlick' Adm. Byrd’s Antarctic Condor was not as reported scrapped in New Jersey in 1935 on its return to the US. Instead it was sent to Texas where it was the center of the "Little America Exhibit" at the 1936 "Texas Centennial".

Ryan Pemberton’s statement that the airplane could be built a lot cheaper than my five million dollar estimate is correct. If you have seen the job his family did on their Boeing 40B you know he knows about building vintage airplanes. Their Boeing is absolutely perfect a beautiful restoration. The thing is that the Condor is a pretty large airplane. I asked Steven Wolf in Oregon what he thought it would take man hour wise to build the airplane I forget at the moment how many hours it was but at sixty five dollars an hour it came to roughly three million dollars just for the labor. I would like to build two airplanes in three years to do that it will take a good sized crew of skilled mechanics. If I can figure out how to do it I will post some CW factory photos of the airplanes in different stages of assembly so you can see the work involved.

So where are we today? We are waiting on some paperwork and we have a meeting set up at the end of March with the man we have picked to assemble the basic fuselage structure. And of course we are always looking for someone that would like to own a Condor to sponsor part of the project.

I'll keep you posted on new developments.

Fred Austin
Golden Age Aeroplanes
360-457-6174
goldenageaeroplanes@gmail.com

[JohnB]

I'd hope some owner/team could do a "Pemberton" (family labor and a team of volunteers) to get the plane flying again.
I did some (very minor) work on the Boeing 40, and even with thousands of hours of volunteer labor, I'm sure it was an expensive job for the Pemberton family.
I really doubt someone would pony up the dollars needed to pay to have the plane built at $65 an hour PLUS materials...engines, fabric, wood, paint, intruments, etc, etc....

Outside of a Paul Allen coming along, the only way we'll ever see some of the great interwar civil aircraft will be by family/team efforts.
People will spend huge bucks for (relatively) common warbirds, but not for civil aircraft. Pity.

Last edited by JohnB on Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[The Inspector]

Hey, JohnB, when did you move to the dry side?

[JohnB]

Hey, JohnB, when did you move to the dry side?

Late 2004. The highlight of my time here has been getting to know the Pembertons and their friends.

[Marauderman26]

I remember a few years ago a military Condor crash site was discovered in Central America, Honduras I think. Was it actually recovered?

Nothing on this thread since 2011.
Anyone have any additional information on just where this recovered wreckage is now?

And the Golden Age Aeroplane restoration?

[zorro9]

Marauderman26:

Good day!

Nice info/data on the ongoing restoration of the USA Condor! It's indeed a big task!

The Honduras AF Condor CT-32 FAH #7, C/N 33 was discovered after the effects of Hurricane "Mitch" c. 1998-1999 when some parts were discovered by peasants at the bottom side of a mountain. There were some engine parts, fuselage parts, some bent props & a steel tail wheel assy among other small parts. There are some plans for a second archaeological trip to poss recover the remains of the crew that went down tragically c. Feb 1942 due to poss cargo overload during its last mission trip. Some 35-40NM SSW of La Ceiba. Pictured below are some of the exploded engine cylinders /prop remains.c. 1999 via AEC.




p.s We also had a Martin B-26 Marauder c/n 8904 that made a flew flights S. of the border. It's last Reg was XH-100! We are still digging for those pictures/data also.

[tom d. friedman]

I have nothing to add to this post, but i'm only replying to stay in the loop of info. 1st I've heard of this endeavor!!

[old iron]

Any late news on the Curtiss Condor that, the last I heard, was at the Airline History Museum in Kansas City. That museum appear s to be in the process of being divested of their hanger by the City.

The museum has some rare aircraft, including a Northup Delta.