OT: New P-40C, P-40K, Helldiver, Mustang Restorations Info

**Bomber_12th** · March 10th, 2011, 09:17

For the warbird-lovers on this forum, here's a little heads-up on some restorations that are taking shape and wrapping up.

Currently at Avspecs in New Zealand, where Jerry Yagen's airworthy Mosquito restoration is also progressing, a P-40C Tomahawk is finishing up its restoration. When completed, it will be shipped to its owner, Rod Lewis, in the U.S. The markings are that of famed Pearl Harbor pilot 2nd LT. George Welch, which actually got airborne on Dec. 7, 1941, shooting down a number of Japanese aircraft that day. This will be the third P-40B/C type aircraft flying in the world, joining the FHC's AVG-marked P-40C (which will eventually sport original Russian markings), and TFC's P-40B which is painted in its original Pearl Harbor scheme.

Most recent photos can be seen on this page:
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi...d=10661&page=3

Also, another warbird restoration heads-up, Warhawks, Inc./Fagen Fighters, in my home-state, just reported on their website that their restoration of what will be an airworthy SB2C Helldiver, is back on, after a bit of a delay for other work. As of right now, there is only one Helldiver flying in the world, but over the coming few years, 3-4 new Helldiver restorations are known to be planned to be taking to the air again.

Also at Warhawks, Inc., another P-40K restoration is taking shape. Many will know this company, owned by Ron Fagen, for the award-winning work on creating some of the most authentic P-40 restorations to date. They still have several more P-40 airframes, including a B model, awaiting future restoration.

Helldiver:
http://www.warhawksinc.com/helldiver.html
P-40K:
http://www.warhawksinc.com/p40.html
Past Restorations:
P-40K: http://www.warhawksinc.com/aleutian.html
P-40E: http://www.warhawksinc.com/desert.html
P-38L: http://www.warhawksinc.com/ruffstuff.html

And finally, Ron Fagen's P-51D 44-63864, the original 78th FG "Twilight Tear", is nearing completion at Tri-State Aviation in North Dakota.

It is my understanding, that this airframe can be seen in this video, from the 3:10 mark, forward (video was made about 7 months ago). Also in this video, you can see the numerous other projects taking shape at TAA, a large lot of which are the 'production-run' of 9-10 P-51A models. The late Gerry Beck's P-51A can also be seen being restored, along with a view of TAA's amazing storage compound of fascinating aircraft, vehicles, and military and P-51 history:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tfzxqHGryM

(Note, early in the video, looking around the machining room, you can see a large supply of tubular seat frames hanging on the walls, for future Mustang projects, as well as a sampling of some original panel/bead type seats from various aircraft.)

I would personally hazard a guess, that this P-51D may be a 'surprise' visitor to Oshkosh this summer, given that Ron has been a constant supporter of Airventure, and you can always expect to see his newest restorations there. I would say the same for Rod Lewis' P-40C - time will tell.

**Bomber_12th** · March 10th, 2011, 09:30

Adding to the previous restoration 'news', the Flying Heritage Collection's B-25J, being restored at Aero Trader, in Chino, CA, is finishing up. Like all restorations for FHC, this B-25J is exactly as it was, in every possible way (of which many cannot understand, unless seen or read about in detail first hand), the day it rolled off the assembly line. With a FHC-funded restoration such as this, no expense is denied to ensure everything is exact, down to the exact type of rivet, screw, bolt, nut, what-have-you, throughout the entire aircraft, even if it were to demand a new manufacturing production run. Every panel and part on the interior, is finished (or not finished) exactly as it originally would have been at the factory, according to specifications as outlined in original factory documents and original blueprints. As a result, the aircraft is considered the most accurately and authentically restored B-25 on the planet.

First photos of the completed airframe (minus paint) can be seen here. Note that you can even see the tail gunner's armor plating inside the tail gunner glazing, as well as the original exhaust setup, original carb setup (very rare!) and exterior armor plating below the cockpit. It was reported that the aircraft first flew this past Monday, and once painted, it will be flying this summer at FHC's base at Paine Field, WA.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.or...9905&hilit=FHC

Also, FHC's original Fw 190A-5 has been undergoing more test flights recently, now painted, in preparation for being sent to Paine Field shortly. Some great recent photos of this aircraft can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37585658@N00/5477495870/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37585658@N00/5476896621/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37585658@N00/5477548936/
You can see a camera-plane in this photo, likely that of "Challenge Publications"...note the missing panel of glass where the photographer is.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37585658@N00/5509394472/

**stiz** · March 10th, 2011, 09:49

Currently at Avspecs in New Zealand, where Jerry Yagen's airworthy Mosquito restoration is also progressing

you got any pics/info on that there mossie?

**Bomber_12th** · March 10th, 2011, 10:05

Hi Stiz,

It's rather hard finding some good, up-to-date, over all photos of the Mossie, but there are a few photos in this thread from late 2010, along with a few of the P-40C, before it was recently painted:
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi...d=12548&page=1

And an article about the aircraft from last November, with the tentative plans for it this year, if it becomes airworthy in time:
http://www.key.aero/view_news.asp?ID...ction=historic

If you are on Facebook, Avspec ltd. has their own page, and they update it with photos every time they update their main website.

Progress updates through the Avspecs website are available here, by simply clicking on "Monthly Mosquito Progress Report"...though unfortunately the most current updates are from November 2010:
http://www.warbirdrestoration.co.nz/current.html

I know the crew were hoping to have it flying by April, but that doesn't seem to be a possible achievement - especially to ensure every last thing is done right.

**stiz** · March 10th, 2011, 13:40

Well even if they dont make april just getting flying will be fantastic, hopefully it'll make it up this end of the world someday for a season

**DaveQ** · March 11th, 2011, 00:49

Originally Posted by Bomber_12th

........And finally, Ron Fagen's P-51D 44-63864, the original 78th FG "Twilight Tear", is nearing completion at Tri-State Aviation in North Dakota.

Thanks for this post Bomber_12th; I remember seeing "Twilight Tear" at Duxford in 2007 and thinking that this was how she must have looked in 1945 on the same airfield. I must say I prefer to see warbirds looking slightly weathered as opposed to the beautifully restored and polished appearance of so many.

Attachment 33021

DaveQ

**mike_cyul** · March 11th, 2011, 03:19

Nice! Thanks, John.

Mike

**Bomber_12th** · March 11th, 2011, 09:25

Originally Posted by DaveQ

Thanks for this post Bomber_12th; I remember seeing "Twilight Tear" at Duxford in 2007 and thinking that this was how she must have looked in 1945 on the same airfield. I must say I prefer to see warbirds looking slightly weathered as opposed to the beautifully restored and polished appearance of so many.

Attachment 33021

DaveQ

Dave, the aircraft that TFC once owned, painted as Twilight Tear, has been found to actually have been a completely different aircraft. Through its paper-history, it seemed to have been the original Twilight Tear, but in fact the papers/data available didn't paint the true history of that actual airframe. Shortly after the aircraft was stripped to be painted as Twilight Tear, in the UK, original kill-markings and a pilot's name were found scratched into the metal below the canopy, where these items were once painted. However, they did not match anything close to that of Twilight Tear, especially as the kill markings were Japanese flags!! Despite this, the Twilight Tear markings were applied, but there remained some confusion amongst those operating/wrenching on the airplane, as to its true original identity.

Jump forward a few years, when it was brought into the U.S. for restoration in 2007, the markings that were still visible in the metal, were finally confirmed to be that of the P-51K, "Fragile But Agile", which was a Pacific-war vet! This was done by actually tracing down the pilot's name, and finding photos of the original aircraft, with the exact same markings evident. At the same time, an active restoration up in Minnesota/North Dakota, of P-51D remains owned by Ron Fagen, thought also to have been the original Twilight Tear, were confirmed to really be the original Twilight Tear!

So today, TFC's former "Twilight Tear" now sports her original, actual scheme, "Fragile But Agile", owned by Dan Friedkin, and the actual original "Twilight Tear", is nearing completion of restoration, and will be painted in its original colors - now setting everything straight.

(In Warbirdsim's P-51D Restored Part 1 release, the restored "Fragile But Agile" is included.)

If you look up the pilot, Lt. Bert Lee, there's quite the story to be read!