I don't know how I did it, but I put this in cruiz ins and I'm moving it here.

I went to the Commemorative AF winter staff meeting this weekend and got a chance to thoroughly explore FIFI. Progress on repairs, corrosion removal (which was bad in some areas) and engine replacement is still progressing. Funding for the effort had dried up, but an unexpected $1.3M donation had been made which puts FIFI's restoration back on track. If work continues as planned, she should be returning to some airshows in '09. :hurray:
If you've never seen, or are interested in seeing, a B29 up close, this is the one to see. She has been returned as close as possible to her WWII configuration with all the guns, a full load of bombs (dummy), gunsights, Nordon bomb sight and all the neat little things that are missing on so many planes.
Zac went and this was his first time to see a real B29 in person, not to mention he got to crawl all through her! He was ready for a flight!

Also, the conversion of Diamond Lil (B24), which was converted from a bomber into a transport, is almost finished being converted BACK INTO a B24A model bomber. She is no longer Diamond Lil, she is now Ole 947---------------------and looks MUCH BETTER as a bomber.

The legal struggle between the USAF and CAF still continues on the P82 (a twin Mustang). So that plane just sits on the floor of the big hanger awaiting the final outcome of her fate. It would sure be nice to see a twin Mustang back in the air sometime! A strange, but really neat plane. Two Merlins singing in unison side by side. :thumbsup:

And if anyone is interested in buying a really nice 2 engine transport, Tinker Belle is sitting outside still for sale (a Curtis built C46 sometimes confused with a Douglas C47).

And last, there is a Martin Mauler sitting outside with a 4360, just wasting away, awaiting someone to rescue her (looks very much like a Douglas Skyraider).

I vaguely recall seeing fifi way back at the hamilton airshow up here(where the only flying lancaster in north america resides) im pretty sure it was their but i was only like 4 or 5, i think a couple years ago the CAF brought up their B-17 and HE111 to the london airshow

Anyone else every see the documentary on the KeeBird B-29 up north? Quite sad

Tom (Parsons),
I noticed you are in Mustang. Where are these aircraft at ?

-Kevin

Tom (Parsons),
I noticed you are in Mustang. Where are these aircraft at ?

-Kevin

The CAF headquarters is now in Midland, TX. Midland is in western TX right in the middle of somewhere and nowhere!
You can't get there as the crow flies, because even crows don't fly there!!! (actually, its way west of Dallas/FtW on I-20)
They used to be based in Harlingen, TX, but the dry climate of West TX is much easier on the old airframes.

but the dry climate of West TX is much easier on the old airframes.
Lucky for me, that's where my Chevelle came from, and it shows!

For those that want to hitch a ride on WW II plane, a B-17, B-24 or B-25, here's the 2008 schedule. http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_flightexperiences.htm

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2204/file0001te2.jpg

Cool! I've seen her in action a couple of times years ago at air shows. Glad to hear she'll be back in action soon.

I guess I won't be seeing FiFi at Oshkosh this year. It would be awsome to see a twin mustang fly. I've seen one sitting at Wright Patt.
So far the only warbird I've flown in is the L-19 my dad is partners in. I'd love to fly in a B-17, but I never find out they are in town until the day they leave.

What are they fighting about ,with the P82? I would assume it is over who owns it.

I'd also like to see a p61 in the air instead of on display.

Hey thats pretty cool! Do you know anything about the P-51 association at March ARB in California? I drive by the museum on occasion and those dudes are always wrenching away on some bird.

I guess I won't be seeing FiFi at Oshkosh this year. It would be awsome to see a twin mustang fly. I've seen one sitting at Wright Patt.
So far the only warbird I've flown in is the L-19 my dad is partners in. I'd love to fly in a B-17, but I never find out they are in town until the day they leave.

What are they fighting about ,with the P82? I would assume it is over who owns it.

I'd also like to see a p61 in the air instead of on display.

Robert,
I don't know the exact reason for the disagreement, but what I DO know is that the USAF wants the P82, and the CAF says, NO, we OWN the plane FREE AND CLEAR, and the USAF says, NO, you DON'T. So, the lawyers are going back and forth (that's how lawyers make money, they keep the litigation going so they can keep collecting your money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
As a result, the P82 just sits in the hanger, because the CAF is not going to spend a dime on restoration until the matter is resolved. They don't want to restore it and then the USAF end up with a plane that was restored on someone else's dime!
All (or at least MOST) of the CAF planes are totally owned completely by the CAF and the USAF has no claim to them at all. But somehow, there is some kind of conflict over the P82.
I would also like to see a P61 fly someday, but I don't think that is ever going to happen.
I don't think there are any available to be put into flying condition.

For those that want to hitch a ride on WW II plane, a B-17, B-24 or B-25, here's the 2008 schedule. http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_flightexperiences.htm
A ride in a flying fortress and all those great planes to look over ? I gotta check that out :yes:
This is a close as it gets over here
http://www.dc3.com.au/main.php?do=home&action=home
Thanks for the link

the B29 is about the coolest plane ever built- well, maybe the SR71 is cooler looking and faster, but they didn't have any bombs.
there's just something about a B29 that is simply awe inspiring- maybe it has something to do with the fact that the last thing a lot of people in Nagasaki and Hiroshima heard before they got vaporized was the sound of a B29 making a u turn 35,000 feet over their heads....

the B29 is about the coolest plane ever built- well, maybe the SR71 is cooler looking and faster, but they didn't have any bombs.
there's just something about a B29 that is simply awe inspiring- maybe it has something to do with the fact that the last thing a lot of people in Nagasaki and Hiroshima heard before they got vaporized was the sound of a B29 making a u turn 35,000 feet over their heads....

B-17's purtier, though! :D :cool:

I have seen the Lancaster bomber mentioned and at 6'5" tall I would never be able to fit in one of those planes, let alone crawl to the rear gunner position. Can't say about the B-29 as I have never seen the inside of one. As for the ownership of the Mustang the government may have never put that particular plane up for sale. It would be interesting to know where it came from. I have heard in the past that restorers of these planes would inquire about purchase before the recovery, in the hopes that the cost of the recovery would be higher than the value of the plane in the eyes of the government. If the plane is still the property of the US government I think the government would still need to pay the recovery and storage costs to claim the plane. I hope the CAF can hold on to it.
Paul

BTW, at 5'5" and 135 lbs I would have been a tail or turret gunner, When I saw the B29 and B17 at Winston Salem Airport, that was the first thing they said to me!!! LOL Except that i was born 20yrs too late!!! LOL

Anyone know about the P38 they pulled from the ice and rebuilt it???? Are they any others around???

Thanks

I've had the pleasure of seeing both the Enola Gay (Air & Space, Dulles) and the Boxcar (Wright Patterson AFB) in person. What a great experience. I remember when the new Air & Space museum opened up at Dulles, a few protesters threw paint all over the nose section of the Enola Gay.

Anyone know about the P38 they pulled from the ice and rebuilt it???? Are they any others around???

Thanks

Last I heard her owners were going to try to fly her to england - thsi was last summer... Her name is "Glacier Girl". I also heard somebody was going back to pull some of the others from the ice.

Last I heard her owners were going to try to fly her to england - thsi was last summer... Her name is "Glacier Girl". I also heard somebody was going back to pull some of the others from the ice.

I remember hearing something happened during the trip and turned around. She still hasn't finished her original mission.

They have had Glacier Girl at Oshkosh the past two years. I hope they make it a third, as I will be there this year.

I would also like to see a P61 fly someday, but I don't think that is ever going to happen.
I don't think there are any available to be put into flying condition.

A few years ago, I read an article in my dad Warbirds Magazine about a P61, that somebody found and removed from the side of a mountain. They were restoring it, but I don't remeber if it was going to be flyable. I may have to dig up the article and re-read it.


My dad just told me that the hangar they keep the L-19 in, also has a ME 108 parked in it. Not the coolest plane, but I bet it has some history to it.