Bomber_12th
September 23rd, 2012, 16:38
Vultures Row Aviation have posted some recent updates on the restoration/rebuild of the SB2C-1A Helldiver and SBD-4 Dauntless, both to flying condition, that they have had underway:
http://vulturesrowaviation.com/currentprojects.html
The work that they are doing is nothing short of spectacular!
For some background information, the Helldiver was recovered from Lake Washington in 1984, and the Dauntless was recovered from Lake Michigan in 1994. (In the early-mid 90's, a large number of Wildcats and Dauntlesses were recovered from Lake Michigan, by A&T Recovery Services, for the U.S. Navy. In return, the Navy released several of the aircraft to A&T to sell into private hands (and thus get a profit for the work done). One of these aircraft is this Dauntless, now under restoration). Both aircraft are being restored to the highest quality and level of authenticty (for instance, the Helldiver, when finished, will be complete with spinner and all landing gear doors - items that are as rare as hen's teeth), with all of the original equipment/hardware and factory details.
Both of these aircraft are owned by Jim Slattery, who also has an extremely rare Brewster-built F3A-1 Corsair under restoration at Ezell Aviation to the same standard. When finished, all three aircraft will be painted in the same mid-WWII tri-color schemes, with matching squadron markings. (With already a growing collection of flying vintage and warbird aircraft, Jim Slattery also has two F7F Tigercats, a Pacific Theatre combat vet P-38F "White 33", a B-23 Dragon, and others, also under restoration to airworthy condition at this time. The P-38F "White 33" will be even more complete than "Glacier Girl", when finished, with working turbos (which "GG" doesn't have).)
(And speaking of Helldiver restorations, there is another project that has been underway at Fagen Fighters/Warhawks Inc. in Granite Falls, MN, that will also be flying when completed. This company is known around the world for producing the most accurate and authentic Curtiss P-40 restorations (they have another P-40K, which was recovered from Russia years ago, nearing completion - possibly by this spring.)
http://vulturesrowaviation.com/currentprojects.html
The work that they are doing is nothing short of spectacular!
For some background information, the Helldiver was recovered from Lake Washington in 1984, and the Dauntless was recovered from Lake Michigan in 1994. (In the early-mid 90's, a large number of Wildcats and Dauntlesses were recovered from Lake Michigan, by A&T Recovery Services, for the U.S. Navy. In return, the Navy released several of the aircraft to A&T to sell into private hands (and thus get a profit for the work done). One of these aircraft is this Dauntless, now under restoration). Both aircraft are being restored to the highest quality and level of authenticty (for instance, the Helldiver, when finished, will be complete with spinner and all landing gear doors - items that are as rare as hen's teeth), with all of the original equipment/hardware and factory details.
Both of these aircraft are owned by Jim Slattery, who also has an extremely rare Brewster-built F3A-1 Corsair under restoration at Ezell Aviation to the same standard. When finished, all three aircraft will be painted in the same mid-WWII tri-color schemes, with matching squadron markings. (With already a growing collection of flying vintage and warbird aircraft, Jim Slattery also has two F7F Tigercats, a Pacific Theatre combat vet P-38F "White 33", a B-23 Dragon, and others, also under restoration to airworthy condition at this time. The P-38F "White 33" will be even more complete than "Glacier Girl", when finished, with working turbos (which "GG" doesn't have).)
(And speaking of Helldiver restorations, there is another project that has been underway at Fagen Fighters/Warhawks Inc. in Granite Falls, MN, that will also be flying when completed. This company is known around the world for producing the most accurate and authentic Curtiss P-40 restorations (they have another P-40K, which was recovered from Russia years ago, nearing completion - possibly by this spring.)