B 23's

[mustangdriver]

The JU-52 is more than likely going to another museum, although there are a few people that think it is going to be displayed in the museum in a special display. We don't have an HE-111, but we do have a JU-88 which has been restored and is on display.

[Pat Carry]

Mustangdriver, Thanks for all the great info about the museum. Its always great to have an "insider" at the museum who can give us all the scoops. Just thinking about having 2 combat veteran B-17's in the same museum gives me goose bumps! As fas as the He 111, the museum has had a Spanish built 111 in the collection (storage) for quite some time. Its known as a CASA-2.111B Werk Nr. 152. Did they get rid of it at some point?

[mustangdriver]

I am not sure. It might be in one of the storage hangars, I usually don't get the chance to get into those unless we are getting something out of one of them. Funny stroy though is that we have almost all of the needed components to make the Belle complete, and most of them were in one of those two hangars.

[Elroy13]

Here is the CAF's B-23.

[Pat Carry]

Mustangdriver, Does the museum have a timetable for the new buildings?

[mustangdriver]

From what I understand, the museum's new buildings are going to cost $33 million. Of that amount, we already have it all except for the last $3 million. The company that does the buildings for us said that they would have no problem just putting up the next build after this one now, and just paying them when we get it. They said it would be cheaper for them to do that then to bring all of the equipment back out again in another two years to do another.

[mustangdriver]

Sorry, I guess I really did not answer the question, I have heard next year around spring.

[Andy Marden]

I can add a little to the B-23 survivors list, taking each aircraft in turn:

39-028 B-23 Miami FL Lorenair Last remaining active B-23 (information is not confirmed).
>> Never heard of this, anyone confirm please?
39-031 B-23 Quito Ecuador Ecuador Aviation Museum Displayed outdoors (information is not confirmed).
>> Current Oct04.
39-033 B-23 Ione CA Private (Willa K. Bogue) Registered as of Sep 19, 2001.
>> Current Dec06.
39-036 B-23 Tacoma WA McChord Air Force Base Base not open to the public since 9/11.
>> Current Nov06.
39-037 B-23 Dayton OH National Museum Of The US Air Force Currently not on display awaiting restoration.
>> Current Nov06.
39-038 B-23 Midland TX Confederate Air Force Displayed outdoors, marked as 40-178 (information is not confirmed).
>> Current Oct05.
39-045 B-23 Atwater CA Castle Air Museum Displayed outdoors.
>> Current Oct06. This is often quoted as 39-045, but I think it is 39-047. It is on the USCAR as N880L, with c/n 2733. C/n 2733 equates to 39-047.
39-051 B-23 Tucson AZ Pima Aerospace Museum Displayed outdoors.
>> Current Oct06.
39-052 B-23 Loon Lake ID Crash site in wilderness area Crashed 29 Jan 43, was relatively intact, USAF recovered parts of the aircraft in 1999 to be used as patterns to restore 39-037.
>> Pass.
39-057 B-23 Polk City FL Fantasy Of Flight Displayed outdoors (information unconfirmed).
>> Stored, current Sep06.
39-063 B-23 Moses Lake WA Private (Robert Schlaeffli) Registered but unknown if plane still exists (information unconfirmed). [/i]
>> Current Jul04 - can anyone update?

Regards,
Andy Marden
USA Military Out of Service