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From: mikes@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Mike Sheumaker)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Warbirds
Summary: Restoration, costs
Message-ID: <1990Nov21.213602.16566@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 21 Nov 90 21:36:02 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Followup-To: sci.military
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
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From: mikes@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Mike Sheumaker)
I read an interesting letter to the editor in a magazine called "Warbirds" the
other day. A gentleman was asking for help in persuading the proper authorities
(FAA, Air Force ?) to allow his group to fly several old planes out of Chanute
AFB for placement in a museum. (BTW, Chanute AFB has quitw a few planes on 
static display, and is supposed to be closed down in the near future.) The 
specific plane that he mentioned is a B-36. He states in the letter that it is 
cheaper to get the B-36 airworthy and flown out than to dissassemble it for
ground transport. Oh.. the runways have been closed for several years.  

This immediately raised several questions in my mind:
1. What is usually done to an aircraft on static display? Remove engines, 
electronics, etc? Plate over access panels, air intakes?
2. Since the runways have been closed for several years, what kind of 
maintenance would need to be done to them in order to support a semi-fully
loaded B-36 for takeoff?
3. Would all six turboprops and all four jet engines be needed for takeoff?
(Sorry if I am wrong about engine types). 
4. I know that this particular A/C has been there for at least 20 years (Boy
Scout field trip in 1970 :-). What would need to be done to an average A/C on
static display for 20 + years to make it airworthy?

General Warbird Questions:
1. If a person had the money, how much would it take to buy a WWII fighter?
(restored, airworthy). Bomber? For fighters, lets say, P-51, F8 Bearcat,
P-40, Corsair. Bombers, B-25, B-17, A-20, B-26.
2. If you could buy a fighter, how would you learn to fly it?
3. What does it cost to maintain an ex military A/C for private use?
4. What is the availability of military jets? Is it legal to own an old
military jet?
5. Any warbird owners out there that need a good passenger? :-)

Oh, at the end of his letter, this guy asked for "any financial assistance"
you can send. He also said that his group purchased five A/C from the AF 
at Chanute, and would like to fly them ALL out. Sounds like a snow job to
me. I'll post a list of Chanute A/C if anybody is interested. The base is 
accessible by the public, and is not closed yet.

-- 
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