Want to Google Earth family aircraft collection on the East Coast

[Messy1]

I remember reading about the family on the East coast whose father collected many old fighters and bombers and placed them in the family's backyard. The father was a immigrant, and used a flat bed trailer and a pickup to haul the planes home piece by piece. I remember reading about this collection in either Flight Journal or Aviation History magazine. Anyone know the name of the family, or where they live? I cannot for the life of me remember. I was wanting to use Google Earth and see if anything was left of the collection. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Njaco]

Sure that wasn't in Ohio? there was a thread about a guy who had a bunch of stuff in his backyard including a B-24.

 

[Messy1]

It very well could be Njaco. I could easily be wrong.

 

[Bucksnort101]

Think his name was Walter Soplata, located near Newbury, Ohio?
I vaguely remember reading an article about him a while back, he was either being hounded to sell a FG2 Super Corsair or an F-82 Twin Mustang in the article, don't remember which it was. Seems to me it was the one operated by Odegaard Aviation in the markings of Race 57? I could very well be mistaken though.

 

[Bucksnort101]

Here he is.

The Soplata Airplane Sanctuary | History of Flight | Air Space Magazine

Walter Soplata Collection - Wreckchasing Message Board

 

[Messy1]

That is is Buck, thanks! I'll see what I can find out.

 

[Messy1]

Found another website with good pictures.
Walters Farm by Rodney Williams

 

[Bucksnort101]

I would have to beleive that Mr. Soplata has passed on by now though? Seems to me he was getting up there in age when the article I read was written. He would not part with any of his aircraft at that time, but from what I've read he has done so recently.
Did a little more research and he actually owned The FG2 with race #74 and was approuched to see if he would sell, would not so they found Race 57. Which IMHO is a much nicer scheme for a racer.

 

[Bucksnort101]

Nice site Messy. A B-36, are you kidding me!!!! And a P-47N still in a shipping crate.

 

[Njaco]

Here are some of the forum threads...

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aircraft-pictures/soplata-airplane-sanctuary-16042.html

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aircraft-pictures/old-b-25-sitting-amish-country-ohio-10302.html

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/waiting-found-12093.html

and on a side note, you have to try bing.com and go to their aerial maps. Instead of the straight-down satellite views they actually give a 45 degree angle to such things. Its awesome!

 

[Messy1]

I'll try bing out Njaco! thanks for the tip. Yeah, I cannot imagine how many trips it took to get all of that B-36 all back to his place.

 

[Messy1]

Speaking of Bing and aerial views, can anyone ID this plane sitting at my local airport? Ankeny Regional Airport. There is a camo'd plane sitting by one of the hangars.
http://www.bing.com/maps/Default.as...id.YN231x62338436&style=r&mkt=en-us&FORM=LLDP

 

[Messy1]

I have read about his collection on a couple websites, and there are a few people who are not happy about the way he disassembled the items, and transported the planes in his collection, or the state they may be in today. Although his methods may not have been necessarily the best, but my feeling is at least the birds are preserved and around. Who knows what would have happened to the planes in his collection had he not purchased them, most would have been turned ino scrap years ago.

 

[kgambit]

Speaking of Bing and aerial views, can anyone ID this plane sitting at my local airport? Ankeny Regional Airport. There is a camo'd plane sitting by one of the hangars.
Your web browser and the Maps site are incompatible

It's an F-84 Thunderstreak. Here's a larger pic. Pixs are from this site:

http://iowaaviationheritagemuseum.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=6212665

 

[Messy1]

Thanks for the info kg!