Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 18, 2010 7:36:26 GMT 9
The wings are in the museum's maintenance hanger. The photo shows the wings being overhauled. That PBY was doing some maping work I believe in Canada when it lost and engine. It was not able to stay in the air. Thats when the co-pilot likely asked, "How far can we go on one engine?" The pilot likely said, "All the way to the scean of the crash!" They crash landed in a logged area, hit a big stump, and suffered major damage. Busted up the nose and turret, ripped a long hole in the fusaledge, and broke the keal. I got a contract passed for a proffessionl aircraft restorer to come in and rebuild the keal, nose, and belly using photos and old blueprints. The turret was very damaged and all the glass was broken out. I found a servicable turret at Buckley Field, CO and one of our C-141's dropped in and picked it up for us. The problem with the wings is that they were cut off instead of removing them. Zillions of bolts and nuts hold on the outer wings.The wing spars and the mounting arears have to be reconstructed and strengthened to hold the wings during heavy snows. Thousands of volunteer man-hours and dollars have went into this project. My kids have even worked on this PBY and the F-86D that is out in the air park, as well as the B-23. :-XIt's all well worth it.
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Post by dude on Jan 18, 2010 10:47:56 GMT 9
Bull, Next time you go to McChord's museum tell them that Ellsworth's museum has one of the old F-106 cockpit simulators just sitting in a corner collecting dust. I don't think Ellsworth ever had the Six, so I don't know how they ended up with it. But I'll bet a museum like McChord that knows how to treat a Six right, might be interested.
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 18, 2010 13:31:35 GMT 9
McChord has a nice simulator and here is a picture of it. I'll be sure to tell them but I'm sure that the Museum HQ at Wright-Pat AFB will not let them have 2 simulators. I bet there is a museum some place that would love to have one.
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Post by dude on Jan 19, 2010 5:01:02 GMT 9
Yep that be it and McChord's is in a lot better shape. Maybe if they need some spare parts...
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19791989klegin
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Post by 19791989klegin on Feb 26, 2010 9:52:43 GMT 9
Pat, Wasn't there talk about getting 459 flyable again. I could've sworn most of the airframe was in tact as we put it up on display. Couldn't remember the motor being complete, though since we still had flying "sixes" in the USAF inventory. Did we just install the AB liner? It's been so long...
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19791989klegin
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Post by 19791989klegin on Feb 26, 2010 9:55:31 GMT 9
The black and white drawing was authoured by Lt John Harris. I had one, but unfortunately, it got mis-placed during the numerous moves, lost track of it...
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 2, 2011 16:32:58 GMT 9
New addition to the Air Park. Mt. Rainer in the distance. Taken New Years day 2011.
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 2, 2011 16:34:29 GMT 9
The F-106A with some snow nearby. New Years day 2011
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 3, 2011 10:06:10 GMT 9
:2thumbsup
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Post by Mark O on Jan 3, 2011 15:09:17 GMT 9
Love the photos Bull! I sure wish I could get one more trip up there before I retire. Actually, a very good friend of mine (we've known each other since 1972) from Moses Lake just bugged me again about moving back to WA when I retire. Well....
(job, money, job, money...!)
Love the pics!!
Mark
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 3, 2011 16:17:31 GMT 9
Moses Lake,,,,Burrrrrrr,,,if your thinking about relocating there you better like cold weather.
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 3, 2011 16:19:21 GMT 9
The F-101 RCAF
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 3, 2011 16:21:26 GMT 9
C-17 from Museum's hill.
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Post by Jim on Jan 4, 2011 0:57:01 GMT 9
Mark, we use to call it Moses' Hole when C-124s were based there..... Had a 3 day layover there waiting for an engine for our C-119......... Great fishing everywhere..................... Mosquitoes were called Skytrains after the C-47 - they were that big.......................
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Post by Mark O on Jan 4, 2011 7:37:14 GMT 9
Mark, we use to call it Moses' Hole when C-124s were based there..... Had a 3 day layover there waiting for an engine for our C-119......... Great fishing everywhere..................... Mosquitoes were called Skytrains after the C-47 - they were that big....................... Yep, I did too! I grew up there! MLHS Class of 1982! My dad and his buddy Harvey - my future uncle - met my mom and her sister when he was stationed there in the '50s. Dad was in the comm squadron. When they closed Larson down, and opened the base housing up for leases, we moved back there in 1970 since Mom's family was not far away up in Chelan. I still have relatives there - mostly in Chelan County. Good old Moses lake. I remember when there was no limit on crappie or perch in that lake. We used to fish for hours, and fill up the freezer almost every time. Mark (Just scanned my wallet size souvenier copy! Don't know why I still carry that thing around!)
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Post by Gene on Feb 3, 2017 6:10:57 GMT 9
visited the museum at mcchord again today... the visits shop... a couple of my prints on the back wall. they really need to get some funding...
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Feb 3, 2017 10:32:12 GMT 9
Gene, when I was the Administrator/Director from 1991-1995 all the museum received from the DOD was $1,200 a year and that had to cover towels, toilet, paper, computer ink, paper, etc, etc. I don't think much has changed. Most money is donations into the museum Foundation to work and maintain the aircraft. One year there was a USAF Ball and I set up some Museum Displays in the Ball Room with my wife's help. A 3 or 4 star general was there and we talked a bit as he was impressed with the museum's display. Then he mentioned the birds on the ramp, he wanted to know if they would be restored before the Air Lift Rodeo. I mention a lack of funds and he asked how much would it take? I had no idea and said $50,000 maybe. He thanked my wife and I for the Museum Display and we said our good-byes. Two days later I got a call to report to commanders office. The wing commander asked me if I had asked the General for money. I informed him I did not, that he asked how much it would take to finish the restoring of the museum aircraft for the Airlift Rodeo. I told him, I took a guess and said $50,000 The commander said that $50,000 had arrived for the museum and I should have asked for more. The museum was able to finish off the restorations before the Airlift Rodeo thanks to the Museum Foundation Members and volunteers. I was able to get a contract through with a civilian aircraft technician to finish restoring the extensive damage on the PBY. The Shops in the 62FMS where of great help also in making it all happen.
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Post by Gene on Feb 3, 2017 12:35:37 GMT 9
there were several people there talking about money matters while i checked the place out again..
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Post by pat perry on Feb 4, 2017 2:00:01 GMT 9
Great story! Indeed, it takes a lot of money to run a air museum and a lot of great volunteers. And fund raising never stops, especially if your looking to add to the display collection.
Great job!
Pat P.
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on May 17, 2018 1:43:42 GMT 9
An internet friend passed through Washington and he also was stationed at McChord AFB. So we met at the base and I hosted Mike & his wife Peggy onto the base. He was shocked that the base had changed so much. Here is a pick his wife took of us at the F-106A. I'm on the left.
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