Warbirds being rebuilt (2 Viewers)

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

jimh

Senior Airman
385
378
Feb 6, 2009
Ohio
community.webshots.com
In light of recent events there is some positive news on the warbird front. I spent some time on Facebook going through all the shops that I know are active. Air Corps Aviation recently test ran their P-47 Razorback and they have 2 P-51B/C Mustangs being rebuilt. One is a combat veteran that was flown by Ken Dahlberg named Shillelagh, using bits of the wreckage dug up in Europe. The other is the Jimmy Stewart cobalt blue racing Mustang named Thunderbird.

Legend Flyers in Seattle recently finished an AM63 Zero project that is owned by Jerry Yagen and should be close to, if not already test flown.

Chuck Wahl is making huge strides in his shop with 8 Corsairs under various stages of rebuild, including Birdcage variants and Cook Cleland's racer "Lucky Gallon". He can be found on Facebook under Vultures Row Aviation. He is constantly updated his Facebook page.

There are numerous Mustangs going together in Salinas at the Teeter's facility, including work on Kermit's A model and around 6-7 D models.

Ray Moore is plugging away on the rebuild of the B-17 Liberty Bell tail section and his own B-17 build "Lucky 13".

Fagen Fighters is quickly moving ahead with it's Helldiver restoration and recently took delivery of a P-51D that is incorporating parts from the original Jane VI, both are probably less than a year from flyable.

There are extensive pages on Facebook of guys building P-40's and 109's. Alot is happening on this front to manufacture all new components using CAD, including critical engine components for the DB series of engines.

Brent Hisey, who owns P-51D Miss America, has a P-51B going together and is pretty far along, probably another year or two to completion.

The next Classic Wings magazine will have a full report on the P-47 and hopefully P-38 projects going together in Australia, they let out a teaser photo post below.

The other two photos are from Air Corps Aviation and I'm not sure who took them.

Trying to find something positive to spread around, there are lots of exciting airframes coming back to life.

Jim

IMG_9706.JPG

P-51B Shillelagh

IMG_9705.JPG

Jimmy Stewart's P-51 Thunderbird

IMG_9769.JPG


Razorback going together down under
 
In 1999 near Disney, I photoed several piles of parts in Florida and some restos in rebuild. There appeared to be enough B-17 sections for three aircraft, and an F4U inside being reskinned. Then, there was a hurricane. Does anyone know what happened to these parts?
 
In 1999 near Disney, I photoed several piles of parts in Florida and some restos in rebuild. There appeared to be enough B-17 sections for three aircraft, and an F4U inside being reskinned. Then, there was a hurricane. Does anyone know what happened to these parts?
Yep! The B-17 project went to Urbana Ohio and is now Champagne Lady, it's coming along quickly. The fuselage is mostly complete and they are going full steam on the wings. The F4U ended going to Aerotrader at Chino and was slated to go to the Pacific Museum but I lost track of it a couple years ago. The Hurricane that was damaged in the landing accident in Houston with Bill Greenwoods Spitfire is flying again with the Dakota Air Museum, and Greenwood's Spit is active giving rides in the UK.
 
Great thread, Jim!

There's other warbirds in then pipeline, like Lincolnshire Heritage Aviation's Bristol Bolingbrook, Mike Kellner's B-17E (Desert Rat) and how about Vintage Aviation Museum's B-17C project!
Thanks! Mike's team has been really going at the wing parts, it won't be long before he needs a bigger facility. I was at Chino back in May Clay Lacy's old Purple Mustang was stripped bare as well as Pete McManus' old Petie 3rd...restoration on the POF B-17 seemed pretty dormant but it's really been cleaned up. I also saw that Shoo Shoo Baby at the USAFM is ready to go to Udvar Hazy, the QEC's have already been delivered. Would be fun to keep this thread going!
 
Thanks! Mike's team has been really going at the wing parts, it won't be long before he needs a bigger facility. I was at Chino back in May Clay Lacy's old Purple Mustang was stripped bare as well as Pete McManus' old Petie 3rd...restoration on the POF B-17 seemed pretty dormant but it's really been cleaned up. I also saw that Shoo Shoo Baby at the USAFM is ready to go to Udvar Hazy, the QEC's have already been delivered. Would be fun to keep this thread going!
That would be nice indeed.
 
Cowtown Aerocrafters always has at least one L-5 in progress. Right now they are preparing to paint YF-16 #2 for the Fort Worth Aviation Museum.
Can't forget Ezell Aviation too. No clue as to what they have going right now, as the customers have asked for no release of any info for now.
 
What happened to the B-26s that were at Hill AFB? They were up for sale a few years ago, but I haven't seen anything since.
 
The ex Stan Smith collection P-51 is rapidly coming along. This shared a shed with the Mosquito that is in the museum here, along with a P-40 (neither of which will be returned to flight for various reasons).
The aircraft is now owned by Brendan Deere, whose father was a Spitfire pilot.
 
For something more unique, these guys are making good headway on what will be the only flying Typhoon with a Napier Sabre engine.


View attachment 694847
View attachment 694848


There's a reason none survive.
They were so lethal to the pilots, the RAF grounded them on VE Day and they had all gone by VJ Day.
Its a very flawed aircraft with very nasty habits and best confined to a museum static display.
 
Glad this is evolving!! I'll have more soon. For now, a friend sent me photos from American Aero of the former P-51C Betty Jane, she is now complete and refinished as Stars Look Down. They really went through the entire airframe, made the cockpit stock, put the guns back in the wings and it looks like they hand brushed the D-Day stripes. Can't wait to see her in person. She has yet to be test flown, pending other circumstances, but it's ready.

Jim
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9299.jpg
    IMG_9299.jpg
    348.5 KB · Views: 32
  • IMG_9298.jpg
    IMG_9298.jpg
    353.6 KB · Views: 31
  • IMG_9294.jpg
    IMG_9294.jpg
    251.5 KB · Views: 32
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back