Waiting to be found

[MONDARIZ]

Here is the info on Morotai:

"After the war, the island was one of the largest 5th Air Force boneyard in the Pacific. A smelting operation was established, and USAAF planes from all over the region were flown here to be scrapped. Despite scrapping the island was crammed full of aircraft and vehicles until 1988 when it was cleared in a final scrap drive. The scrap was taken to Krakatau Steel Mill in Java"

I will look for recent pics.

 

[kool kitty89]

The YP-49 and 35 were still amazing a/c though, considdering they were built with WWII technology. Hell, the program ended before the start of the Korean War!

Bombload and range for the YB 49 were decent with nearly 10,000 mi max and a 490+ mph top speed. The bombload may have been good but the craft couldn't carry the bulky first generation H-bombs due to their girth. (somhing only the B-36 could do at this time, though the B-52 could when it came on the scene)

And contrary to what many may think the stabillity of these a/c was not their main failing (the N9M and YB-35's actually having realitively few problems though the faster YB-49 had some) the lack of H-bomb capacity and the structural problems encountered in maneuvering at high speed with the YB-49 (causing the fatal acedents) were the biggest shortcomings. In fact fly-by-wire may not have been a necessity as many think, though she would have been a handfull to maneuver. And the YB-35 was simply too slow (though much faster than the B-36 w/out jet boost)


Almost complete YB-49's being lined up for destruction

 

[Heinz]

A lot of work on that Cat, but great someone is doing it.

Pretty cool houseboat too. At least somebody looked after it a bit.

Will it fly again, or is it for static use?

I did minor structural work on a Cat once and would jump at the chance to help. Unfortunatly I'm in Denmark......

Good luck with it, i will make sure to browse the site now and again, to see the progress.

BTW I will post some more Kingman air field pics soon.

Static display is the plan from what I can tell. Unfortunately the museum really needs a government grant so the whole collection can be put inside. There was a hangar donated many years ago which houses a Wirraway and Beautfighter and parts of a Beaufort among other things.

THe museum has also recently taken in an Avro Lincoln but that is a LONG way away from being started.


cheers Heinz

 

[MONDARIZ]

Heniz, why don't you go and help them?

I have recently joined a group like them and I'm waiting for the work to start. We should get hangar space in april (BIG ex Air Force hangars), so the planes can be moved from their storage and made ready for display.

 

[Heinz]

Like I said I intend to. However right now Im just getting my own life set up but within the next 2 months I'll be putting my name down for help.

 

[MONDARIZ]

Glad to hear it Heinz.

Next time im down under, I will stop by the Cat and see what been happening.

 

[MONDARIZ]

Just came across this picture. Trying to find more info, but the pic is NOT THAT OLD.

 

[Haztoys]

Thats the planes from BoB movie there in Texas..

 

[A4K]

Well, they're Hispano Ha.112's (Bf 109G-5 airframes exported without motors to Spain, the original german designation being 'Bf 109J' -which is why that mark dosen't appear under Luftwaffe variants). So these are either stored in Spain somewhere, or someone's been buying them up and collecting them - I know CASA 111s (Spanish He 111s) have been auctioned in England in the past, so that's another possibility.

 

[A4K]

Clashed with Haztoys- that solves that one then - where in Texas mate?

 

[Haztoys]

Clashed with Haztoys- that solves that one then - where in Texas mate?

Some were on here is info on it ...It is "said" that he was a pilot in the movie and got the plane from the movie theres other he has too...I could be wrong ...

 

[MONDARIZ]

I knew what planes they were, the info i was looking for is WHY AND WHERE?

and I found it:

A Warbirds Resource Group Site :: View topic - What's in the middle of nowhere? (Big Spring, TX)

Thats just amazing!

 

[wilbur1]

HOLY CRAP !!!!! that guy has stuff that ive.....dont even know how to say it but oh my gosh i could spend days in just one of his hangers, a brand new mercedes in the crate wow

 

[MONDARIZ]

Its just GREAT that there are crazy people like that out there.

If you read the WIX post, it says he once had 15 Mustangs and 13 Buchons.
He could have made a nice little war game for himself.

As I understand it, everything is for sale, but he wants to sell ALL, not a plane here and a plane there.

BTW he not only have a huge collection of Merlins, he has all the tools too, and parts, and......

Simply amazing

 

[Njaco]

must be nice to have money.

 

[timshatz]

That was a 601! He make on of those Buchons back into a 109E.

 

[MONDARIZ]

Better to sell a few Buchons and buy a proper Me109 project.

As far as I know, the lack of proper engines have halted a few Me109 projects.

 

[pbfoot]

Better to sell a few Buchons and buy a proper Me109 project.

As far as I know, the lack of proper engines have halted a few Me109 projects.

from personal expieriance its tough to get 109 parts , many things are virtually unavailable

 

[ghilt]

Most people recognise Kingman, AZ. ....The most aircraft at any disposal site was at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas....There were a lot of other sites across the States....Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, Fl....Ok...Stilwater, where Paul Mantz purchased at that time , the worlds second largest airforce....He did good there...made his money back, and then some, by draining all the fuel from the planes and reselling it...After picking out the ones he wanted, he sold the rest to salvage dealers...Altus, OK....where they found the Memphis Belle, and Art Laceys famous B-17...it's in Milwaulke, Or. the gas station bomber

The agriculture industry saved a lot of the smaller aircraft ...mostly the trainers..BT-13...PT-17 etc...The ag pilots bought them for their engines, cheaper than overhauling them..plus throw on a larger engine...better payload..more earning potential..

When I grew up in the early 60s, there wasn't a podunk airport around the mid-west that didn't have at least one old trainer lurking in the weeds..a bunch of us kids karted off an old Stearman fuselage, still on its gear to provide us years of being the P-51 ace, or the bomber crew...Wish I had it now!

The air tanker industry is what kept the big iron around...there wouldn't be near as many B-17s around if it weren't for them..and my bird wouldn't either!

 

[ghilt]

Holy Cow! I didn't realise that there were 6 pages to this thread when I posted the previous.....Now I have read thru them!

I bought my PV-2 last year...this bird was the bastard of a group of 4 Harpoons auctioned off in 2005 in Wyoming...

I was called by Bill Duff, who had bought my PV at the auction. He bought it for one purpose..to make money...It was Jan. 07 when he told me that he was getting ready to sell this PV to a guy in California, that was going to cut the wings off, and turn her into a hotdog stand...I just couldn't see that happening to her, so I paid the price...

Now comes the reason why most of these larger aircraft are usually scrapped on the spot...It's a monumental task to move them without having a money tree....

I've cought a lot of flak about buying her...what are you going to do with it? Are you going to fly it? How are you going to afford to fly it? Why don't you give it up to somebody that can afford it? Why don't you donate it? How in the world are you going to move it?

Well, ya know, I get a little sick of some of these butt heads..(including my wife sometimes). No, I don't have a money tree...but I'll try my best to get her moved and restored to static condition...at my place...at my leasure...My best reply is that it seems to me that nobody wanted her, But I do. So now I climb off my soap box......

I am glad I bought her...call her "Harpoon Annie"......I realise that I am just the custodian of her..and will try my best to ensure that she long outlives me. Since stepping off the cliff, I have met the most incredible group of people in the last year, and for what it's worth, the whole ordeal the past year has been worth every penny!

Anyway, I have a grandson that thinks Papa's airplane is cool...and that too makes it worthwhile....My attitude is, that all comments, suggestions, and help is welcome...All are welcome to come visit Annie, spend a little quiet time sitting in her cockpit....well, maybe not that quiet...I'll be making the engine noise...