The May 2011 edition of the Florida Wing, Commemorative Air Force’s Newsletter is available online. Coverage of the restoration of their TBF Avenger is the main news to include the engine and propeller being mounted along with continued work on the fuselage, wings and bomb bay.
As a continuation of the restoration photos that JohnK from the WIX forum, here are some of photos iof the F6F-3 restoration taking place at the Naval Aviation Museum.
This aircraft crashed in Lake Michigan in 1945 and was recovered in late 2009. The recovery of this aircraft was sponsored by Enterprise Rent A Car CEO Andy Taylor and he requested that this aircraft be displayed as the one his father flew during the Second World War.
More pictures can be found here.
The DeLand Naval Air Station Museum has announced that the TBF Avenger they are restore will be gaining its engine soon. The engine is a static one having been damaged years ago. End of June is the anticipated date for this.
JohnK from the WIX forums has been kind enough to share with us three different sets of photos of restorations currently happening at the National Naval Aviation Museum. The first set is of the restoration of a Dauntless SBD-5 36291, which was crashed during carrier qualification flights in November 1944 on Lake Michigan.
It is estimated that it will take 2-3 years to make the restoration complete so that it can be displayed at the museum. For more information about this aircraft, visit the National Naval Aviation Museum website.
More pictures can be found here.
The Lockheed Constellation located at the Fantasy of Flight Museum has been sold to Kermit Weeks. The Constellation sale is reported here and confirmed on the FAA Database. This aircraft was airworthy for a ferry flight from Sanford to Polk County back in 2001. Having seen this aircraft, I don’t think it will be airworthy in the future.
Florida Warbirds 