Sharing Warbird News and Veterans Stories Since 2013
Here are some Warbirds flown by Irishmen in World War II. Thank you for your sacrifice and for protecting our freedom.
2nd Lt. Gerald Devine, 350th FS 353rd FG, P-51D Mustang 44-14673 LH-I “Mad Irishman”
Lockheed P-38J 42-67842 “Irish Lassie”
1st Lt. Gilbert O’Brien, 357th FG, P-51B “Shanty Irish”
Restoration work being preformed on B-17E “Desert Rat”
There is a new Warbird museum on the block. The Vintage Aviation Museum may be young in age but not in ambition. Sean O’Brien is the founder and president of the Vintage Aviation Museum. Mr. O’Brien has worked in multiple museums, including flying on tour with a B-17. These experiences have not only prepared him to start his own museum but have also been the driving force behind the new opening. “I got to a point where I realized that in order to fulfill my passion and vision for vintage aircraft, warbirds, and all of the history that surrounds them I needed to start my own museum” says Mr. O’Brien. He began planning the Vintage Aviation Museum in 2014, and launched it in January 2016. Since opening the doors, Mr. O’Brien says, “…the response has been overwhelming”.
The Vintage Aviation Museum is busy at work. The museum will plans to move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah hopefully in 2017 when its museum facilities are completed. The new facility will include state-of -art restoration facilities and museum spaces to be used for educational purposes.
B-17E 41-2595 “Desert Rat”
The Vintage Aviation Museum joined forces with the Desert Rat B-17E Restoration Team, that has been working to restore B-17E 41-2595 since it was discovered in Maine decaying in a scrapyard in the 1980’s. Mr. O’Brien has been following the B-17Es progress for a number of years and when he was in a position to help, decided to join forces with the Desert Rat team to complete the restoration sooner. The time table for the B-17E Desert Rat’s completion is 3 to 5 years, however it is dependent on funding. When the VAM facilities are completed in 2017, part of Desert Rat will be moved to Salt Lake City, Utah for restoration, while the remainder of the plane will stay in Marengo, Illinois to be completed. Once Desert Rat’s restoration is completed, the entire airframe will be transported to Salt Lake City for final assembly. After completion “Desert Rat” will be on tour across the United States as a flying museum and will be based out of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Boeing B-17C Flying Fortress
In addition, the Vintage Aviation Museum and Desert Rat teams are joining forces to build an airworthy B-17C. The B-17C build is in its early stages, parts are beginning to be collected. The pace will not increase on the B-17C build until either the museum’s volunteer force increases or Desert Rat is returned back to flying condition. Although building a B-17 can be done more quickly than restoring one, the thousands of rivets incorporated into the airframe make construction time consuming. Once the B-17C is completed it will join B-17E “Desert Rat” on tour.
Mr. O’Brien thinks that flying these aircraft is necessary, “…so that people can see them operate in their natural element”. VAM restoration and museum facilities will be open to the public to be used as an educational tool and share the stories behind their planes. Mr. O’Brien believes, “It’s not just about the planes, it is also about the factory workers, the people that gave up their time to help out…” with the war effort. The Vintage Aviation Museum wants to give people the opportunity to learn history first hand from the veterans that experienced it.
Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress
“We try to do things where we are a little outside of the box, we don’t want to be like everyone else…we want to create our own path… and be able to reach people not just local to the museum but across the country”, says museum president Mr. O’Brien. An example of this being the “Night With Dick Cole” event that the museum hosted. Unlike other events, VAM kept the event to a group of 100 people in order to allow people to personally interact with Mr. Cole, the last surviving Dolittle Raider and have their questions answered from a man who is walking and talking history.
Keep your eyes open for the Vintage Aviation Museum’s future projects, which include:
| PV2 Harpoon | D-Day C-47 | F9F Panther |
| BT-13 Valiant | A-26 Invader | B-25D Mitchell |
| TBF Avenger |
Interested in donating to or volunteering to restore the B-17C and B-17E “Desert Rat” to flying condition? Contact the Vintage Aviation Museum and check out their Facebook Page
Photo Credit:
-Vintage Aviation Museum
-Desert Rat Restoration Team
-B17bomber.de
Hurricane 501 is a British organization that is working to restore Hurricane V7497 a Battle of Britain veteran of 501 Squadron to airworthy condition.
Hurricane “V7497 is a Hurricane Mk 1, manufactured in mid 1940 by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. Flown operationally at the very height of the Battle of Britain from the famous fighter station, RAF Kenley, East London, the aircraft was lost during an operational patrol on 28th September over Sutton in Kent”. In fact V7497 had only flown seven sorties before being shot down over Kent, England on September 28, 1940. 
Hurricane V7497 was discovered during an aviation archaeology expedition, the remains were recovered, and the decision was made to begin restoration to airworthy condition. When completed V7497 will be made up of only period correct parts, including those that are hard to find.
Currently Hurricane V7497 is being restored by Hawker Restorations in the U.K., and its Rolls Royce Merlin Mk.III is being overhauled by Eye Tech Engineering based in Suffolk. Hurricane 501 hopes to have V7497’s first engine run and flight in 2016. When completed Hurricane V7497 will serve as a memorial to the members of 501 Squadron and that gave their lives in the skies over Britain.
Photo and Information Credit: Hurricane 501
The Collings Foundation welcomed this TF-51D named “Toulouse Nuts” back to the skies over Florida with the the help of American Aero Services in New Symrna Beach. “Toulouse Nuts” will be joining the Wings of Freedom Tour and will be available for rides across the U.S. For more information about the restoration process check out: “Whats new at the Collings Foundation”
Photo Credit: Mike Ligosh
Mosquito TV959 nearing completion at Avspecs in New Zealand
The Flying Heritage Collection, owned by Paul Allen-of Microsoft fame-is preparing to welcome a new aircraft to the collection. The aircraft is a De Havilland Mosquito TV959. TV959 was built at the Leavesden De Havilland factory in the U.K. and delivered to the RAF in 1945. After fifty year of absence, this Mosquito is getting ready to take back to the skies.
Mosquito TV959 was built in August 1945, too late to see combat. From 1945 to 1963 this
Mosquito TV959 prior to restoration.
aircraft was transferred through 12 squadrons in the RAF. At the completion of its military service it appeared in the film Squadron 633 before being placed on display at the Imperial War Museum. In 1992 TV959 was purchased by The Fighter Collection in Duxford and a restoration to airworthy condition commenced. Almost 25 years later, TV959 is now owned by Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Washington and its restoration is nearing completion at Avspecs Ltd. in New Zealand.
Jerry Yagen’s Mosquito KA114 at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum’s WWII Weekend 2016.
Avspecs Ltd. restored Jerry Yagen’s Mosquito KA114, which was completed in April 2013. TV959 will be the second Mosquito restoration to roll out of the Avspecs shop. . The Warbird Watcher will be standing by with updates on Mosquito TV959’s first flight following its completion.
Photo Credit:
-Avspecs Ltd.
-The Reilly Collection
History courtesy of Warbird Registry
The Erickson Aircraft Collection’s new Grumman TBM Avenger is currently nearing completion at Pacific Fighters in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Pacific Fighters has returned this TBM back to its original condition. It wears the markings if a VT-40 Avenger based off the USS Suwannee in 1945. Also notice the paint is flat. Drab paint is period correct for this TBM. We look forward to seeing this TBM back in the skies with the Erickson Aircraft Collection!
Photo Credit: Pacific Fighters
The Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s newly acquired Douglas AD-6 Skyraider
The Cavanaugh Flight Museum located in Addison, Texas recently announced that they have added a second Douglas Skyraider to their collection. The museum already owns an AD-5W Skyraider Bureau No. 135152, which they give rides in. The recent addition is an AD-6 (A-1H) Skyraider s/n 139606.
This AD-6 is one of only two -6 Skyraiders currently airworthy in the world, an unlike the museum’s AD-5 this Skyraider is a single seat model. This AD-6 Skyraider served with the South Vietnamese Air Force and was recovered from Thailand by Yesterday’s Airforce in 1980. After passing through a
Photo Credit: Courtesy Aircraft
few owners it was rebuild to fly by Steve Hinton’s Fighter Rebuilders in Chino, CA in 1989. This AD-6 was recently sold through Courtesy Aircraft Sales to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in early 2016. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum said, it is “…look(ing) forward to having two Skyraider’s in the air at Warbirds Over Addison, May 21-22.” If you are in the area, check it out!
“This is not simply the story of the B-24 Liberator, but the story of the men and women who designed, built, maintained and flew it. If is the story of a Nation united, allies focused and determined. It is the story of thousands of individuals who played their parts in defeating an enemy. Its story is but one powerful symbol that illustrates the story of victory”
“The Collings Foundation, a non-profit, Educational Foundation (501c-3) has recovered and restored many of the true landmark aircraft that built the world aviation history, in order to meet its mission of organizing and supporting living history events that enable Americans to learn more about their heritage through direct participation.
Included in their collection is the world’s only flying B-24J , which continues soaring through its native skies as part of the annual Wings of Freedom Tour with its sister ship, the B-17 Flying Fortress.
Now, with a mission of capturing the recollections of the real people behind the machines, the Collings Foundation, in conjunction with Inversion Films and Inland Sea Productions is proud to present The Last Liberator a one-of-a-kind story of World War II as told through the eyes of veterans who were responsible for building and flying the Liberator. The foundation and the producers are determined to capture their story in their own words and marry those memories to the most powerful medium on the planet, the giant screen theater, creating a legacy that will engage all Americans in remembering, learning and honoring. It will indelibly sear their lessons in the archives of American heroism.
When executed properly, with accuracy and authenticity as the overriding mission, the marriage of the highest caliber information with the state-of the art tools of entertainment deliver a powerful and relevant tool in education. The Last Liberator is an edutainment program, designed to reach today’s audiences on multiple levels, many times, in an accurate and lasting manner. It will be a catalyst for ongoing learning and leave an indelible mark on the viewer.”
To help the make this project successful, make a tax deductible donation to the Collings Foundation and for more information visit The Last Liberator.
Photo Credit: Collings Foundation
Information Credit: Collings Foundation/ The Last Liberator
The Collings Foundation’s TF-51D “Toulouse Nuts” while in service with the West Virginia Air Guard, 167th Fighter Squadron.
The Collings Foundation is continuing to expand it’s collection of WWII aircraft since it recently acquired second B-17G for their collection “Shady Lady”, a P-38L Lightning, a Bf-109 G-10, and a second P-40 Warhawk in August 2015. (See article here) The Foundation’s North American TF-51D is nearing completion and also they recently acquired a very rare Pt-17 Stearman operated by the Tuskegee Airmen during WWII.
The Collings Foundation’s TF-51D “Toulouse Nuts” under restoration at American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
The Collings Foundation’s North American TF-51D ‘Toulouse Nuts’, will be joining the National Wings of Freedom Tour in 2016. The Collings Foundation says that their TF-51D is one of the finest restored to date, “…tens of thousands of hours went into rebuilding this fighter to ‘brand new’ condition. Every surface, rivet, wire and instrument is perfect. The 1450 hp Merlin engine looks like it just came off the factory floor”. The Foundation’s example of the TF-51D is one of three original survivors in the world, and will be painted in its original colors, “…as a West Virginia Air Guard, 167th Fighter Squadron P-51 called ‘Toulouse Nuts’ “. “The TF-51D model is a unique Mustang variant with a full dual cockpit and bubble canopy. Following in the footsteps of the Foundation’s beloved P-51C Mustang “Betty Jane,” the new TF-51D “Toulouse Nuts” will be available for flight training during the national Wings of Freedom Tour. Imagine flying the legendary P-51 Mustang as it had just rolled out of TEMCO / North American Aviation!”
The Collings Foundation’s newly acquired PT-17 Stearman, operated by the Tuskegee Airmen during WWII.
The Collings Foundation’s Stearman was flown by Tuskegee Institute Field Instructor James J. Hyett on several training flights during WWII.
The Foundation, also recently acquired the only flyable PT-17 Stearman operated by the Tuskegee Airmen s/n 41-25454. The only other example is on static display in the Smithsonian. According to the Collings Foundation, “the U.S. Army accepted the aircraft from Boeing’s Wichita Division in 1942. It was transferred to Tuskegee Institute Field, Alabama in 1943…In November, 1944 this Stearman was sent to Bush Field, Augusta where it was stricken from U.S. Army records and moved to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for sale”. This Stearman was transferred to the Collings Foundation in 2015, after undergoing a meticulous restoration by Joseph Armstrong of Towanda, Pennsylvania to brand new condition. The Collings Foundation plans to operate this Stearman to honor the Tuskegee Airmen and, “… to those who overcame racial discrimination and persevered against adversaries to become one of the greatest fighter pilot groups in United States history. The Tuskegee are credited with some 15,500 combat sorties and earned over 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses for their achievements during WWII”.
Information Credit: Collings Foundation
Photo Credit: Collings Foundation
Article Written By: Thomas Reilly
The Warbird Watcher 
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