First Post-Restoration Startup of Ha.1112

[GregP]

Here is a short clip of last night when we (Fighter Rebuliders) started up the Hispano for the first time since the year 2000 when it was damaged filming Pearl Harbor.


View: https://www.facebook.com/peter.blood.98/videos/1344987128850952/


Yes, it was late last night. It is supposed to fly in our airshow on April 29, 30 / May 1. Hope it makes it!

 

[Old Wizard]

 

[GregP]

You can probably tell those are not original wheels. Some years back I managed to break a magnesium wheel while trying to change a tire and we had to make a new set out of aluminum. We still have the one original and the brloken wheel.

They were wiring it until after dark last night, the last day of several weeks of wiring.

 

[nuuumannn]

Very cool Greg! The Buchon is a great machine. Good luck with the airshow.

 

[Wildcat]

Great news and thanks for the post!

 

[vikingBerserker]

NICE!

 

[Airframes]

Great stuff !
I liked how the camera shutter speed showed the exhaust flames virtually in the firing sequence.
Always liked the Buchon, ever since first seeing the 'BoB' movie back in 1969. It'll be good to see another one in the air again.

 

[Wurger]

 

[GregP]

That was about 11pm at night, I'll get some shots tomorrow when I'm at the museum. Out A6M5 Model 52 Zero is just about ready for reassembly, too. I think both planes are likely to fly within a week and a half. Both are supposed to fly in our airshow on April 29, 30 / May 1. I hope they both make it. When I dropped in this afternoon, they had put the windscreen on the Hispano and the spinner.

They'll have to test fly the Hispano and then get to work painting it pretty fast. They painted the Zero center section and aft fuselage already, but have yet to paint the cowling. It is coming along just fine and I can get pics of that, too.

 

[Airframes]

Interested in seeing what colour scheme the Buchon will have. Certain schemes, such as a mottle with the yellow lower cowling panel, detract from the bulged lower cowling which gave the Hispano it's 'Buchon' nick-name, and make it look more like a 'real' Bf109, especially with a three-blade prop.
I hope they get her finished, painted, and flying in time for the air show.

 

[GregP]

Thanks Nuuumannn, I appreciate it. The Planes of Fame Airshow is usually a very good one. Takes some 300 volunteers to make it work. We have commitments from some 40 WWII warbirds, so I'm sure it will be another good show. Tom Friedkin already has his immaculate Curtiss P-40M at Chino. It is easily the best-looking P-40 I have ever seen. The M is basically a P-40N with the long rear fuselage, so it looks a bit sleeker than the short fuselage units do, at least to me. There isn't a single flaw on the plane.


They are changing the lower cowling on the Buchon to make it look a lot more like a Bf 109. They cannot change the location of the propeller, but I believe the result will look better than a standard Buchon looks. The entire reason this plane is getting attention is that it is needed for a motion picture, so the intent was never to make it into a Buchon ... the intent was to make it as close to a Messerschmitt as reasonably possible. We put the wingtips from our German Bf 109G-6 on it and it will make a good impression on-screen, I'm sure. The lower cowling needs to be completed quickly, but tomorrow they will retract the landing gear and trim the new gear doors to fit. I'm sure there will be frantic work until the airshow as they need to make sure all the annuals on the flying warbirds are current, plus they need to get our A6M5 Zero finished, assembled, test flown and signed off along with completing the Buchon.

It should not be a dull time for anyone. There's lots to be done. Fortunately, Fighter Rebuilders has a really great crew that KNOWS what they are doing. If I were a betting, I'd bet they'll finish both planes on time. They rarely miss a deadline. When they do, it is usually due to parts not being available when needed. As a final finishing touch, they are nearing completion of a beautiful F-86 Sabre that should, coincidentally, ALSO be ready for the airshow.

Again, I'll try for some pics, but I'm only there on Saturdays most of the time.

 

[Airframes]

Sounds like an interesting 'vismod' on the Buchon. Any idea what the movie is, or is it 'hush hush' ?
Love to see some pics of the finished project if you're able to get any.

 

[GregP]

Hi Airframes,

We have been asked not to mention the movie. I'll get some shots before the Hispano is disassembled and crated up. At least that way you'll know it when you see it in a movie.

They always ask us not to mention the movie name until after release. After that, the cat's out of the bag anyway. But it's pretty safe to say it is a new movie about WWII ... Otherwise they wouldn't need a Messerschmitt. Or at least that makes sense to me. Nice they haven't forgotten WWII.

 

[nuuumannn]

Great stuff, Greg, yes, definitely post more pictures, particularly of the Zero, but also of the Buchon. It'll be interesting to see how they factor in the upright engine to make it look a Bf 109. I've seen the results on other surviving Buchons and they don't look particularly pretty, so it'll be intriguing to find out what it looks like.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Greg, and I understand about not divulging the movie info.
If I was to take a guess, maybe it's the forthcoming HBO mini-series on the Mighty 8th - but we'll have to wait and see.
And if it isn't that, then we can look forward to another WW2 movie !
I agree with Grant re the shape changes on the Buchon nose. I've seen pics of one conversion which was almost right, and probably as near as could be achieved considering the engine configuration. It wasn't perfect close up, but could easily pass for movie work.