This Grumman F6F-3....

[Edward M.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

A lot of us are interested in old aircraft, but if you think Corvettes are expensive.....

My branch chief (at NASA) is building a replica of a Sopwith Pup.

If you are really serious about aircraft, there is still a couple of replica ME-262s available. Static display one is about $600K, and the flight worthy one is about $2.5m as I recall.

[Terry M.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

"Hmmmmmmm, I'm surprised anyone here is interested in these old warbirds."

Don't be surprised Bob. You have heard the expression: "Come for the cars, stay for the people?" One of the joys of teaching the Advanced Judging Seminar at Regionals and National is that one gets to meet NCRS members in a little more depth than one can here.

I have repeatedly been amazed at:
1) What some people do for a living. We have a remarkable breath of knowledge among our members. Sometimes I look at some members and think: "There is no way that guy does that for a living."
2) The breath of other hobbies members are involved in knows no bounds. Want to know something about almost anything? Ask the membership, among the 15K members there is someone who knows all about it.

I have had the pleasure of meeting and talking Corvettes with test pilots (I can’t tell you all the details in this venue, but you should hear the story of the development of the stealth anti-radar technology. It does involve Corvettes.), plastic surgeons, Ophthalmologists, teachers from every academic level from pre-school to grad school including deans and department chairs, Cardio Thorax surgeons, Dermatologists, rocket scientists (at least two), a couple of people who have jobs in the shadows of our government and would have to kill me if they told me what they do, and dentists (including my own). And that list just scratches the surface. We have more than one member in the Secret Service, and I know several in the active military including one genuine war hero from the current wars. I am sure there are several from past wars

At the Florida Regional years ago I was Team Leader and one of the car owners came to me during judging and handed me the keys to his car. He had to leave. He briefly explained we had invaded Kuwait and he had to go to his duty post. He was NOT in the military – and I didn’t ask what he did. I just took care of his car per his instructions.

A former president of NCRS, and his wife, are members of the Confederate Air Force and when I last spoke to him around five years ago they were helping to restore a B-29. And the CEO of Bloomington Gold restored a bi-wing (I can't remember the neme of it. I just missed a chance for a ride in it).

Ed: Horses, boats and airplanes make Corvettes look like chump change. And there are NCRS members involved in all of those things.

The Corvette hobby cuts across all kinds of groups, and often brings together people who otherwise might never meet in their lifetimes.

LIFE IS GOOD.

[Steven B.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

It's a Douglas A-26. This is what it will look like when finished. This is (a photoshoped model) in front of our hanger. One of our guys is a wizzard at this sort of stuff (notice he even got the shadow of the plane on the ramp).



Steve,
No, we flew the black A-26 down to a small town airshow south of Shreveport, LA (Natchitoches). This is us there.

Thanks Tom! Really sorry I missed it.

Steve

[Edward M.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

In a perfect world, I would own, in addition to every Corvette that I wanted, perfectly restored flying examples of:

1. P-51D Mustang (one of the best looking planes ever made)
2. Spitfire (don't care what variant, but I don't want the clipped wing tips)
3. Long nose FW-190 (such a cool looking aircraft)

oh yeah, and throw in that flying replica of the ME-262.

In the real world, the closest I will get to this is the conversation I had with Jack Roush at Phoenix Raceway in Nov of 2007 about his P-51B restoration (yet another "Old Crow").

[Robert I.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

"and the flight worthy one is about $2.5m as I recall."

Ooh, that's getting up in D-Type, 250GT SWB territory!

[Tom P.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

Our ORIGINAL first flight test for the A-26 had been projected for Sep 09. Obviously, we kinda missed that date. Because of the downturn in the economy and other contributing factors, that date had now moved 2yrs into the future--------------------and we REALLY believe that is attainable. Until several months ago, we had the major sections in 3 different hangers (wing here, wing there, fuselage somewhere else), none of which were large enough to assemble a whole bomber. Thus, we were back and forth working on the different sections. But several months ago, we obtained our own hanger (although, we share it with one small plane which can be rolled out if needed) and that has allowed the whole crew to work together in harmony in ONE location. Consequently, we have progressed much faster in the past few months. The BIGGEST accomplishment has been getting the wings attached, which will now allow us to work toward getting it back up on the landing gear and putting systems together. The entire plane is being re-wired (on just wire alone, we have spent $27K!!!!!) and the avionics are all being upgraded (although, no glass cockpit). The second engine is now in the overhaul facility, we have acquired BRAND NEW tires (just stole a new nose tire, $900!!!) and an "NOS" nose wheel (I forget the price)! If anyone has some un-used or un-needed .50cal machine guns (or just the barrels), we need five (the nose is configured with 5 gun ports).
Back in the 50s, the plane was converted to a corporate/executive plane. As a result, the bomb doors were permanently closed and sealed and all the hyd cylinders, brackets, actuators, etc, were removed. So, if anyone has any of these components we'd sure accept them so that the bomb doors can once again be fully functional. Oh ya, we'd really love to locate an upper gun turret!

Next year, we will be looking for EXPERIENCED A-26 pilots (training flights will be done on the black A-26, Lady Liberty). Anyone interested? If so, NO, repeat, NO premadonna "I'm a pilot, all I do is fly, nothing else" types. ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL crew members will be WORKERS----------------that includes maintenance chores (sit your fanny down and READ the maintenance manual!!!), sweeping the hanger floor, fixing broken parts, bustin' knuckles, getting hands greasy, tearing your jeans, dropping your wallet in the sink full of dirty mop water, etc, etc.

[David D.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

These things are all mechanical and we all love PARTS! There is something magic about the sound of a great motor, radial or v-8. My first ride was around A Mountain in Tucson, many years ago. Dave Burroughs has restored a Boeing Stearman, an old 106 pilot owns #52 1962 Corvette, my dad flew B-17's, C-47's, B-25's, B-50's, etc. I flew until a few years ago, my medical certifcate just expired, my wife prefers that I stay in the garage. Terry, I believe you mean Commemorative Air Force, the name change several years back. Airplane guys are a big part of this hobby. Can you imagine how those old mechanics kept those 27 cylinders purring, armed with the tools of the time, no modern diagnostic magicians! Imagine heading across the ocean armed with basically a compass and an ADF. Took lots of guts and a big dose of youth.

[Terry M.]

[Stephen R.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

Ed you could throw the Japanese Zero into your list of great fighters.
I fly single engine Cessnas and Pipers. Would really like to do a turn in a fighter, any fighter.
To think that the WWII pilots were 19 to 20 year old kids with maybe a total of 100 hours in the air, flying combat missions in planes that weren't computer controlled, (LOTS of hand flying), is mind boggling.

[Cecil L.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

Our ORIGINAL first flight test for the A-26 had been projected for Sep 09. Obviously, we kinda missed that date. Because of the downturn in the economy and other contributing factors, that date had now moved 2yrs into the future--------------------and we REALLY believe that is attainable. Until several months ago, we had the major sections in 3 different hangers (wing here, wing there, fuselage somewhere else), none of which were large enough to assemble a whole bomber. Thus, we were back and forth working on the different sections. But several months ago, we obtained our own hanger (although, we share it with one small plane which can be rolled out if needed) and that has allowed the whole crew to work together in harmony in ONE location. Consequently, we have progressed much faster in the past few months. The BIGGEST accomplishment has been getting the wings attached, which will now allow us to work toward getting it back up on the landing gear and putting systems together. The entire plane is being re-wired (on just wire alone, we have spent $27K!!!!!) and the avionics are all being upgraded (although, no glass cockpit). The second engine is now in the overhaul facility, we have acquired BRAND NEW tires (just stole a new nose tire, $900!!!) and an "NOS" nose wheel (I forget the price)! If anyone has some un-used or un-needed .50cal machine guns (or just the barrels), we need five (the nose is configured with 5 gun ports).
Back in the 50s, the plane was converted to a corporate/executive plane. As a result, the bomb doors were permanently closed and sealed and all the hyd cylinders, brackets, actuators, etc, were removed. So, if anyone has any of these components we'd sure accept them so that the bomb doors can once again be fully functional. Oh ya, we'd really love to locate an upper gun turret!

Next year, we will be looking for EXPERIENCED A-26 pilots (training flights will be done on the black A-26, Lady Liberty). Anyone interested? If so, NO, repeat, NO premadonna "I'm a pilot, all I do is fly, nothing else" types. ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL crew members will be WORKERS----------------that includes maintenance chores (sit your fanny down and READ the maintenance manual!!!), sweeping the hanger floor, fixing broken parts, bustin' knuckles, getting hands greasy, tearing your jeans, dropping your wallet in the sink full of dirty mop water, etc, etc.

Tom,
I just hope we still have fuel for these warbirds by the time you get ready to fly. It's not looking good for the future of 100LL and no viable replacement yet. Swiftfuels is still a ways off.
I'm afraid I will end up having to donate my T-28 to a museum at a big loss.

[Paul B.]

Re: This Grumman F6F-3....

Hmmmmmmm, I'm surprised anyone here is interested in these old warbirds.

Like a bear to honey Tom... I knew you couldn't be too far when I saw the title of this post!

Paul