Trip report — Kissimmee Air Museum

Went to the Kissimmee Air Museum a few weekends ago, to visit with the B-17 “The Movie Memphis Belle” and the display of aircraft at the hangar. Kissimmee Air Museum is also the home of Warbird Adventures, where you can do a T-6 flight across Central Florida. Nice surprise on site, was a P-40N that just arrived from North Florida, which is undergoing an engine change and some maintenance for a new owner. This P-40 was rebuilt by Chris Kirchner over the past 10 years from a crashed airframe from the Aleutian Islands back in 1945. New owner of the aircraft is ECHO DELTA AVIATION LLC, according to the FAA database.

Of course, the highlight of the trip was the B-17. This aircraft is owned by the estate of the late David Tallichet and being leased to the National Warplane Museum out of New York. She is named after her role in the 1989 film “Memphis Belle”, depicting the story of an aircrew during the early part of the bombing campaign of World War 2. The paint scheme from the movie has been retained and is in no way the original which just went on display at the National Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. This aircraft never flew combat missions but served post war as a fire bomber for over 20 years.

The B-17 “The Movie Memphis Belle” will be based at the Kissimmee Air Museum until mid-May with visits planned to the Valiant Air Command airshow and to Sun N Fun. Rides are also available to purchase. Visit this link for details.

The museum is also the home of the P-51 “Precious Metal” but that aircraft is being refurbished after an engine fire. This airframe if not on site at this time.

Hours for the museum are Monday through Saturday 09:00 – 17:00. CLOSED SUNDAY. But, with airshow season here for the next couple of weeks, best to call ahead and see what is on site and what isn’t on site.

Here are some photos from the visit.


  
  



    

Kermit Weeks Douglas A-26 restoration — part 1

Part 1 – In January of 2018 I went back to Chino CA to get an update on my Douglas A-26 restoration project. It was 3 months since my last visit and I was going, hoping for the possibility that the plane would be ready for a taxi test . . . well . . . watch and see what came about and see what progress has actually been made. Still, we’re getting closer to see this beautiful bird flying again. Kermit