Strange civilian uses of warbird parts

[mlenoch]

There is a 2 or 3 story building in Sterling IL that uses P-47 armor windshield as windows. These are embedded in concrete. rather than in wood or metal frames. It is right near the center of town and visible from the street.

[retroaviation]

One of the "old time" Warbird parts suppliers that's still around had thousands and thousands of B-25 brake rotors and stators. This was back in the late 60's or early 70's. He figured there was no way he'd ever sell them all and nobody would ever need that many, so he worked out a way to use them.

When pouring the concrete for a new sidewalk and driveway, he used the brake parts as rebar.

The last time I heard someone inquire about that, he said he's thinking about digging them up since he's almost out of B-25 rotors now.

Gary

[Dan K]

I hold to Martin's opinion: I'm thankful for all these odd uses for parts, as in many cases it's probably the only real reason the bits survived.

You can imagine that TBY parts are hens' teeth, and yet I recently became the beneficiary of a large section of canopy that the former owner had used as a cold frame in his garden.

Three cheers for the odd users!!

[Django]

As reported in Warbird Digest, Barbie III's nose was being used as a trash dumpster.

[Dan K]

There is a 2 or 3 story building in Sterling IL that uses P-47 armor windshield as windows.

Probably obtained them from the Libby Owens Ford plant, former makers of fine, P-47 windshield glass just down the road a piece in Ottawa, IL.

[Eric Friedebach]

I had some C-45 seats in my first apartment.

“Hey, don’t lean back in that!”

<crash>

I do recall someone in Maidstone (Kent, England) who had a wheelbarrow with the wheel coming from the Bf-109 which crashed in the backyard in the summer of 1940. I think the 1940 crash-site (and the tailwheel) are pictured in one of the well-known Battle of Britain books.

I have a newspaper clipping showing a fuselage section from a Short Stirling which was used as a garden shed until the 1980s (I think). NB This was not the Chinese Stirling of great reputation.

Rob

[bdk]

Well, the Corsair used as a wind machine to test high rise building components, and the SBDs used as wind machines for fruit orchards. I also posted pictures a few years back of some PT-19 firewall forward units mounted on poles that were used as wind machines.

Last edited by bdk on Tue Aug 29, 2006 11:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Kaman Aircraft in Connecticut had, I believe, two F8F Bearcats for crosswind testing of their helicopters. Elmer Ward restored one of them as "Gulfhawk IV".
BDK, I've actually seen the Corsair wind machine in person. I wish it was mine!
Jerry

[Roger Cain]

I've seen a few wing (T-33?) tanks and drop tanks used along highways for advertising. There's one near Modesto that is made up to look like a fish.........

[RickH]

How about all of the postwar racers made from drop tanks.

I was told that the guys in the 95th BS had an outrigger canoe made from a droptank. They would use it to go fishing off the beach at Pusan during the Korean War.

[Jerry O'Neill]

How aboutthe "Drop Tank" racing cars at Great Salt Lake!
Jerry

[Chris Brame]

Back in '73, Air Classics' Warbird Report made reference to an article in a postwar car magazine (Hot Rod?) about a race car built for dry lakes speed trials built from the fuselage of a P-51; the driver crashed and was killed. I've never seen anything else to corroborate this; any info out there?

[bluethunder28]

Info on belly tanks. http://www.so-calspeedshop.com/history/ ... ester.html

[Tillerman]

Here is a B-24 (42-41182) which was written off after a hard landing in 1944 at Long Airfield, Northern Territory, Australia. When the war was over the nose section was sold to a preacher who converted the nose section into a caravan. He toured the Outback extensively with it to spread the word. It changed ownership a couple of times afterwards, and it ended up at a caravan park near Perth, WA. It was rediscovered in the late 80's and flown to Darwin where it is now on display in the Aviation Heritage Centre.

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=150155
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=150153
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=150147

Tillerman.