P-61B restoration. MAAM (mid atlantic air musuem)

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grumman-cats

Airman 1st Class
215
0
Jan 3, 2006
Michigan
Was wondering if any members were close to the museum and new the exact status. I read in air classics that they got it up on it's gear finally. The pics look great. I can't wait to see this aircraft in the air.
 
Here's a scanned photo from the air classics magazine.
 

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if it is going to be flown ! personally it should sit tight and let the vets comb over that puppy. that have done one bang up job pulling this thing out of the tropical swill and restored it
 
If I read the article correctly, I think they said it would be ready for flight testing in 2008. I hope that is true. Wish it was now but I don't want them to rush anything either.
 
As much as we all enjoy watching these warbirds fly around, sometimes I think the one of a kind ones like the P61 might just as well as stay on the ground so we dont loose it to a crash.
 
I totally agree with this.............the only suriving P-61 why smash it to pieces on a hokey test flight

E
 
It's a mixed bag for me. Being a photographer, there is something more interesting about a plane in the air than one on the ground. I know there is risk with flying it, but it is really something to see these old birds flying. Syscom, could you imagine Chino without those birds flying?
 
If you guys want to see one on the ground, then go to the airforce museum in dayton. They have one parked inside where it is well taken care of and looks really nice. However, I'm with Evan, get that sucker in the air. I've always been curious of it's flight performance. We don't build airplanes to just look at them on the ground, if you want that, get a car.

PS: Evan, I recently saw your pics of chino, very impressive.
 
Thanks Jim. Chino is probably the best show in the US, west of the Mississippi river. Plenty of shooting opportunities.

Although we have talked about it before, I am with Syscom, Jelly Beans on a Mustang just look wrong.
 
I'm the webmaster at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (among other things ;) and have recently posted some new shots of the ongoing restoration. Check them out, and be sure to hit your refresh button... The Widows Web - Restoration

A little clarification - there is no test flight scheduled for 2008 or any other specific date. That's because completion of this incredible effort depends entirely on raising the money needed to fund it. We are still short over a million dollars to make the dream a reality. IF - and it's a big if - we have the money, it is possible that the P-61B will fly as early as 2008.

It has always been our intention to fly this plane. We are a flying museum. That's what we do. As has been said, if you want to see a Black Widow on static display you can do so at the USAF Museum, and as of this year, also at the Udvar-Hazy Center of NASM. Philosophical questions aside, we really need help to bring the Black Widow project to fruition.

We have just opened up a new MAAM On-Line Store. If you would like to help get this wonderful aircraft back in the sky, please stop by the store and drop a tax-deductible donation in the kitty. While you are there, consider doing some shopping - Christmas is around the corner. Unlike other aviation outlets, the profits all go to help restore our planes. So you can get some goodies and give The P-61 Recovery Restoration Team a hand at the same time.

Speaking of Christmas gifts, World War II Weekend tickets are on sale at the On-Line Store for the first time, ever. If you order them now, you will beat any 2007 price increase. You can also pick up Aircraft Ride Gift Certificates for our SNJ-4 Texan or N2S Stearman.

Thanks very much.

Bill Rambow
MAAM Webmaster
WELCOME TO THE MID-ATLANTIC AIR MUSEUM
 
I remember visiting the MAAM when it was very small with few planes, just some Neptunes out side. Had to be 20 yrs ago or so. Well , I had just read about a P-61 being found in the jungle. It was overgrown and still had all the equiptment at the time of the crash. It seems it didn't pull up fast enough and hit the surroundig hillside flat. It was after the war and was left there to rot. At the museum I was walking outside and noticed crates with P-61 and the contents written on them. Seems that those pieces were the P-61 taken off the mountain! I thought it a strange coinsidence. But I'm glad to see that it is finnaly getting restored after all this time. I had a similiar experience with the P-38 "Glacier Girl" in Kentucky, but that's a whole new story.
 
curious if anyone has an update on the widow. Haven't read anything lately so I was wondering if were getting close to being finished or not.
 

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