Spitfire from Texas
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fubar57
General
Thanks for the link V2...counting my money...dang £1.5 million short.
Geo
Geo
GregP
Major
Well, the "guy in Texas with all the WWII planes in a barn" has been publically identified.
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GregP
Major
If he is starting to sell them all off, there's quite a choice from what I hear.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Man, I would be one of those guys if I won the lottery.
GregP
Major
Probably half of the people in here would be ... and the other half wished they could be.
I'd LOVE to fly a Spitfire and a stock warbird, but I'd also love to make an XP-40Q from parts ... not a complete airframe.
I'd LOVE to fly a Spitfire and a stock warbird, but I'd also love to make an XP-40Q from parts ... not a complete airframe.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
I actually think I would recover and rebuild an aircraft that does not exist today like the He 177, Me 323, Martin 166 etc etc.
GregP
Major
It'd have to be a good size lottery to fly an He 177! I'm wondering if you could find enough engines to fly even one of them.
Are you able to share anything?
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
GregP
Major
He has a couple of hangars full of warbirds that have never before been for sale or showed publically. There's more than just the Ha.1112's and the Spitfire around that area, but since he let almost nobody INTO the hangars, there's no telling WHAT is there. I've heard he has about as many spare engines as anyone around, but only have spoken to people who said thay couldn't elaborate in good faith. They DID allow as how he has a pretty good stash if he ever decides to move the items.
It isn't just Buchons ... but that is only the rumor mill talking. If he's starting to sell, he's only interested in serious buyers ... really.
People who want to look will likely not be welcome unless you are already a friend of the family.
I CAN say that that assumption that these are in decent shape is correct. Decent as far as correct storage goes. There's probably no water or dirt in the engines and the airframes, though flown in service, are probably as straight as a serviceable plane needs to be. There is a lot of effort there to go fly again, but less than a recovered unit that has sat outdoors for years on a ramp or in the desert or jungle uncared for.
It isn't just Buchons ... but that is only the rumor mill talking. If he's starting to sell, he's only interested in serious buyers ... really.
People who want to look will likely not be welcome unless you are already a friend of the family.
I CAN say that that assumption that these are in decent shape is correct. Decent as far as correct storage goes. There's probably no water or dirt in the engines and the airframes, though flown in service, are probably as straight as a serviceable plane needs to be. There is a lot of effort there to go fly again, but less than a recovered unit that has sat outdoors for years on a ramp or in the desert or jungle uncared for.
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Crimea_River
Marshal
Maybe I'll sell my 12 Ferraris and buy it.
GregP
Major
Can I have one? Please!
Well, my first problem is winning the lottery
But if you start buying the ticket, then.....
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evangilder
"Shooter"
Man, that would be something. All original with the log books going back to the RAF.
GregP
Major
It's a Hispano Ha.1112 Buchon, not a Bf 109.
It was made in Spain after WWII and had a Merlin instead of a DB engine. The earlier version was the Ha.1109 Tripala with the Hispano-Suiza engine.
It was made in Spain after WWII and had a Merlin instead of a DB engine. The earlier version was the Ha.1109 Tripala with the Hispano-Suiza engine.
Thorlifter
Captain
I know somewhere on this site the full article about the planes this guy had in his barn was posted, but I just couldn't find it, so I thought I'd update it here. All of the expensive planes have been sold. For the original BoB Spitfire, the 6 Buchons, and the P-51, he got over $15 million. He did not sell the 2 PBY's, the Albatross, or the Mallard. The Spitfire is going back to England, the Buchons will be rebuild in Europe, and the Mustang will be restored in the U.S.
What the article didn't say is what he did with all the parts and scores of engines. Anyone know?
What the article didn't say is what he did with all the parts and scores of engines. Anyone know?
GregP
Major
The guy is Connie Edwards, one of the founding members of the Confederate Air Force that became the Commerative Air Force. Had the original guys known, they would have stipulated the bame never be changed or the planes would have goine back to the families ... but they didn't know.
I DO believe he has a Hurricane or two in there somewhere, and I wouldn't be surprised to fins out he had another German type or two on his ranch, along with some Allied types that have been sitting for 3 - 4 decades.
I DO believe he has a Hurricane or two in there somewhere, and I wouldn't be surprised to fins out he had another German type or two on his ranch, along with some Allied types that have been sitting for 3 - 4 decades.
