Planes of Fame Ki-84 and Others

[GregP]

There were some earlier threads where we discussed the Planes of Fame Museum and the fact that we had a Ki-84 that could fly. We never got to really evaluate it because the prop was very slightly bent, but there was no possibility of a new prop from anywhere, so we just flew it as it was, at reduced rpm. Unfortunately, there was almost zero interest in a Japanese warbirds during the early 1960s and, as stated earlier, it got sold and is still in Japan today. The museum used to be called the California Air Museum ... and then just "The Air Museum," since it was the only one west of the Mississippi River at the time.

I found an old video of some of the planes we used to fly, some of which we STILL fly, and thought it might be of interest. Without further ado:

 

[Jeffrey Ethell Collection]

Worth watching for the P-51 which almost belly landed.

The undercarriage locks must have failed but fortunately only partially retracted. Saved damage to the prop, air scoop and under fuselage with a very hefty repair bill.

If the pilot was Air Museum founder Ed Maloney he certainly has the luck of the Irish!

If you go Flickr.com and search with "air museum ki-84" there are many good pics. Ed sold the Frank to a Japanese industrialist in the 1970s. Now on static display in a museum. Would love to see it fly but after seeing the P-51 landing perhaps not. It's the only Ki-84 anywhere in the world.

JEC

 

[SaparotRob]

The Mustang's gear fails but the Ki-84's doesn't. How about that.

 

[GregP]

Ed Maloney was a great guy but, rather surprisingly, was not a pilot. He rode in MANY fighters and bombers, though, and worked on more than a few ,too. We miss Ed a lot. He was a driving force in aircraft preservation, and is responsible for more than a few warbirds being flown and/or displayed today. The P-26 Peashooter in Washington came back to the U.S.A. from Guatemala via Ed along with ours that flies occasionally. That is just one of many. Ed even commissioned wood replicas of non-existing airframes. We have a full-scale replica of an He 100, an Me 163, and an He 178, too.

Foreign warbirds fly just fine and the only thing preventing more foreign WWII warbirds from flitting about is the general lack of airframes and spare parts. Today, if you are flying ... a Zero, for instance, you MAKE any spare parts you need, they aren't lying about in a pile of parts in some aviation scrap yard.

In the flick above, I don't think the undercarriage locks failed. The gear was only partly extended when the aircraft touched down ... it got stuck in transit, and apparently didn't retract further even with weight on it, which tells me it wasn't gear locks ... or it would have collapsed when weight was applied as the P-51 came to a stop. Seems like a mechanical failure that both stopped and locked the gear in position ... but that's just my observation. Perhaps I can ask next time I'm there.

 

[nuuumannn]

Great to see, guys and excellent information.

Now on static display in a museum.

Its at the Chiran Peace Museum near Kagoshima, who have a strictly no photos policy inside the shrine, sadly. The shrine, dedicated to Special Attack Units is located on the former Chiran airfield, where many Kamikaze attacks were launched from.

 

[contrails16]

There were some earlier threads where we discussed the Planes of Fame Museum and the fact that we had a Ki-84 that could fly. We never got to really evaluate it because the prop was very slightly bent, but there was no possibility of a new prop from anywhere, so we just flew it as it was, at reduced rpm. Unfortunately, there was almost zero interest in a Japanese warbirds during the early 1960s and, as stated earlier, it got sold and is still in Japan today. The museum used to be called the California Air Museum ... and then just "The Air Museum," since it was the only one west of the Mississippi River at the time.

I found an old video of some of the planes we used to fly, some of which we STILL fly, and thought it might be of interest. Without further ado:

Thanks for sharing Greg

 

[chris mcmillin]

Thanks for the video link, Greg.
I think Tom Mooney was piloting Spam Can when it was landed partially gear down. Hayate was flown by Mr. Lykins, I think.
The Hayate was overhauled to flying condition by AirResearch at LAX. NAA guys and AirResearch guys restored the P-26 there too. Pratt&Whitney rebuilt the pre-war Wasp, (grease rockers, no prop governor provisions, small oil sump, etc) and it's still running today.
Chris...

 

[GregP]

Don Lykins was one of the main early pilots at the Air Museum.

Actually, we have a spare P-26 main spar! It is VERY hard wood and would fit right into a new-build P-26, should any ever BE built. And, there are several rare aircraft that can be restored at some later date that are "in storage." It would likely not be in the museum's best interest to state them publicly in a forum such as this one, but everyone would like to see them fly again, I'm sure, or at LEAST restored and displayed. There is room for only so many projects, and we have a full plate as is. Funding is likely lower than normal due to Covid, and I'm reasonably sure existing projects will be delayed as a result.

Nice to know there is yet work for another generation or more of volunteers.

 

[skyskooter]

Yes, Ed Maloney was a great guy. I discovered him in the late 1960's when he began to publish a series of books called the Aero series featuring aircraft in the museum. It was the first time anyone had photographed aircraft close up which was a joy to modellers. They still come up on eBay.

 

[SaparotRob]

Is the Planes of Fame Zero an intact aircraft or was it rebuilt from several airframes?

 

[GregP]

Intact aircraft. It was the one flown in the 1944 Fighter Conference. It is largely original, but there are several modifications:

1) The original rudder pedals were on a bar that pivoted in the center, making it tough to use brakes when the rudder was hard over. A rudder pedal setup from a Bearcat was fitted so the pedals move fore and aft only, making braking MUCH easier.
2) WWII Japanese pilots were physically smaller than many people today. So, the pilot seat was moved some 4 inches aft to accommodate physically larger pilots.
3) Some U.S. instruments were installed. Most were painted like the original Japanese instruments, and the people who fly it know where the needles are supposed to be.
4) There is a modern radio setup, likely as well as ADSB since that became a requirement in 2020.
5) The main gear doors are not original. They work, but the original gear doors are quite complicated shapes and faithful replicas have not yet been made. Perhaps in the future.

About 3 - 4 years back, the Zero went through a complete disassembly down to bare aluminum overhaul, and everything is in very good shape. The control cables and pulleys, the primer / paint are new, and there were a few permanent repairs of things that had gotten some "hangar rash" over the years. The only things that weren't overhauled were the engine and prop because overhaul was not needed at that time. This Zero is in absolutely great shape.

At the time, I was working for Fighter Rebuilders and stripped off the fabric from the elevators, rudder, and ailerons and prepped the surfaces for paint and new fabric. I can tell you the workmanship inside the Zero is generally quite good. Light, but good. Anyone who thinks the Zero was poorly built is just wrong. It isn't the absolute best workmanship I ever saw, but it was solidly made with decent skill. This particular Zero was built by Nakajima, the engine was Nakajima, and the propeller is a Sumitomo (which is a license-built Hamilton-Standard).

The Planes of Fame website says our Zero was completed in May 1943. From the available monthly Nakajima production data I can find, I think it was completed in Oct 1943, especially since the prototype A6M5 Model 52 supposedly first flew in Jun 1943. Zero No. 61-120 was the 2,357th aircraft of its type to come off the Nakajima production line and was first assigned to the Japanese Naval Air Corps on the home island of Honshu. In a few months, it moved to Iwo Jima, then in March 1944, was reassigned to Asilito Airfield on Saipan. Not too sure where these dates came from. Alternately, the dates shown on the museum website may be correct and the production data I have seen leading me to think it was built in Oct 1943 might be wrong. Since I have no primary reference production data, that well might be the case.

On June 18, 1944, U.S. Marines captured Asilito Airfield with a number of intact Zero fighters. A dozen of these intact Zeros were shipped to NAS North Island, San Diego, California, USA for evaluation. Four Zeros were restored to flight, two went to the Army Air Force and two were retained by the Navy.

The Museum's Zero No. 61-120 was ferried to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland on August 23, 1944 and subsequently flown by about 25 different USN, USMC, Royal Navy and civilian fighter and test pilots, including Charles A. Lindbergh (1944 Fighter Conference). The aircraft was ferried back to San Diego on January 11, 1945, where frontline combat pilots were also given a chance to check out the Zero. Altogether, Zero No. 61-120 logged over 190 hr of flight time in the USA before being declared surplus after the war.

Zero No. 61-120 wound up being sold for scrap, but Mr. Ed Maloney obtained it in 1951 for his Air Museum in Claremont, CA, which opened in 1957.

The Museum began restoring the Zero to flying condition in 1973 and after 4½ years it flew again on June 28, 1978.

 

[SaparotRob]

That was a great read. Thanks for the reply.
BTW is the Planes of Fame Museum now open?

 

[GregP]

Open for tours and viewing from the front area of the hangars. It's a "social distancing" type thing, but you can get in and see the aircraft.They are in good shape and we usually have a flying display the first Saturday of the month. This month (1 Aug) we flew our F4U-1a Corsair. It is the oldest flying Corsair.

Looks like the Skyraider event on 5 Sep will be postponed due to COVID.

Sure hope we can beat this and get somewhat back to normal soon, but it sort of looks like we'll be "distancing" for at least another 5 months if not more. A great Christmas present would be to see the decline of Covid!

 

[Snautzer01]

Captured Japanese airplanes.

Hayate en mentioned Zero Frank Malony Air Museum Clairmont California