Lockheed - T33 Trainer Field Trip

Continued...

Horinzontal Stabilizer?

At first I thought this was I don’t the vertical stabilizer... but it’s looks more like the horinzontal.

also it’s must have been parts they picked up.

Not sure?

Sorry, I thought I could post a video I took... but CR4 only excepts off the web.

This is simply too cool for words.

What a GREAT way to spend a day.

I talk with her for hours... She was laughing with tears in her eyes when I was talking to her. Because I kept bringing the conversation back to the plane. She said I sounded like her late husband. I told actually, its not me, it’s a guy thing, when one comes across something like this... this thing right here, it’s nothing but a guy magnet. She busted out laughing, and said her husband said the same exact thing.

it was absolutely enjoyable day, talked about the plane, her husband, our dogs, military life. It seemed like I known her for years with the exception of careers, that between myself and her and her late husband had a lot of similar interests. Where we were finishing each other sentences.

but the plane itself, this was the first I got to take a good look on the inside of what makes up the inside and really poke around.

didn't quite realize how excited I was, until I played the video... I could hear that I was really breathing heavy on the video.

An absolute guy magnet thing. I’ve already found a parts breakout and general service manual (eBay) for the Canadian Nene Mk10 engine.

Haynes might have a manual for the plane, haven’t checked yet...

AND I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE PLANE IS AT!

Great thread, thanks for sharing. 5 Stars.

She was told me she has all the manuals and was going down the list what she has... including the actual assembling instructions ... I could tell, she was helping her husband when she could.

You DID rent the place, right?

Looking to buy it.

What a great project!

Agree, but it’s a career of a project.

Since her husband passed, she’s decided to liquidated this building and a few other properties they accumulated as well as the plane. Because of the medical expenses that occurred from her husband, it’s like a fire sale.

she did mentioned this plane of just the parts they purchased she’s selling it for a fraction of what they paid for it. But she would like it to go to a person that will rebuild it to fly, and not go into a museum.

Yeah I suspect there aren't many people that can afford and have the time and motivation to restore and fly this thing, that's a needle in a haystack to be sure....probably better suited to a group or an organization that specializes in this sort of thing...

Still looks like a nice space, big enough to do anything...looks to be out in the country...what are you looking to do here if you are able to acquire it....

Actually the property itself just on the outskirts of a town of 10,000-15,000. Next to the Humane Society to the right, Farm Fields to the left and right directly across the road from the municipal airport.

Preparing for retirement. I have multiple storage units as well as storing some tools at my brothers farm for him to use, also storing some of the wood and metal working tools I’ve come across. 18”x108” LeBlond Lathe, milling machines, drill presses, welders, etc... while currently looking to buy a smaller lathe, 14x40 maybe a little larger and a break. Also full complete work working shop. I’ve been shuffling the woodworking tools in and out of my garage. And in my garage, I can only keep so much in there, if I need a bandsaw from the storage unit... some thing has to go back to the storage unit to make room. And Sheila said, this winter, I want to put her car in for the winter. Say no more... I’m on it. Lol

anyways, Cathy realizes about the expensive hobby, but it was her husbands, she mentioned parts are rare especially for the T33, if you can’t find them, then it has to be made. But was is even more rare is a solid buyer. She mention what they had into it, and what she’s asking for it, and it sounds like she wants it gone more then making or getting their money out of it.

Can you tell us her resistance to a museum display?

Considering the enormous time and cash outlay to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts, a collective or conservancy may be the only hope of that happening at all.

We actually talked about that... she had a little nostalgia... since they were both qualified, with her being an inspector for the airlines after she retire from being a pilot, and her husband having been a airline mechanic, her husband was building it to fly and not as a museum piece.

I can understand her husband... and I felt the same way with my ‘53 Chev Belair 2 door coup (only to drive not fly, had trouble enough chasing the hubcaps coming off and passing me on the road .

I mention to her what she already knew, because of the rareity of the crowd that would be interested, her choice would be limited.

And Cathy said the Oshkosh Air Museum (Home of the EAA fly in) already contacted her to donate it to them.

Most of us, I believe, can understand the desire for something we care about to continue on past our time, and if they have no family interested in carrying it forward, then a ‘that has to be good enough’ compromise is usually the next step.

Wiki tells me there are about 150 T-33 on display around the globe, most are static. With all the parts that seem to be in the kit, perhaps someone like The Collings Foundation can be investigated.

Not an endorsement of Collings Foundation, just a group of which I am aware that makes every reasonable attempt to keep historical and airworthy birds in the air.

So might the Commemorative Air Force - Wikipedia.

For Christmas, we gave our 14 YO a ride in their B-17, which is based here in Mesa.

He was the only kid to fly in it that day. Most of the rest were much older. The staff was VERY nice to him, let him go on the plane, first, so I could take pictures of him.

What a memory for him, good job...

I realize how special it was for him and what you must of went through. I was at the EAA years back, they did what I believe giving rides on a fly fortress... the line was long for me to even consider it. Even the line for a ground tour.

chances would probably been better if I was at a less popular (actually populous) event such as the EAA

i was at the Air Force Acedemy a couple of time... even though I drove past the B52 they had on display. My goal is to visit that. War Birds send a chill down me.

This would have so many emotions... for the younger generations, it’s the experience... for the old, what adds to the experiences is it’s what many 19, 20 year olds had for protection was only a 50 caliber machine gun and a small gauge sheet of aluminum.

Most of the members are WWII vets.

The pilots were both B-17 pilots during the war.

Wowza!

From 1945 to X-Mas 2017 is 72 years, guys were probably 20 years old or so.

Just sayin... Nonagenarian flight crew.

When I was about 18, I played pool with a neighbor (his name was Orville) that lived down the road who was a ball turret gunner... he flew 16 missions. He was 5 foot nothing, he was pushing maybe 70. I think he was around 65... maybe a little younger. At 18 years old at the time,... everyone over 35 was old.

And even then could handle himself. Saw him put 4 smart talking 35-40 year old fishermen in their place. With Orville showing one fisherman out of the bar via the window... that’s when as a 18 year old, I realize at 18 I was in a bar having a good time... while when Orville was 18, he was curled up in a ball turret manning a twin 50 caliber. Orville passed away about 5 years ago.

As a smart ass 18 year old... I told Orville, you could be on my kick ball team anytime... Orville looked me, laughed, said he be honored and slapped me on the back... hard, I mean really hard.

At 5 foot nothing... He had a set of pipes for arms on him.

He always wanted me as a partner... or if we played against each other... he wanted to play for a fin...

Dam I missed that guy.

These projects are undertaken not by monetary gains, but by passion... just like rebuilding cars.

for myself, I just happy that there are people out their that has the passion to preserve history.

Thanks for the tip about The Collins Foundation. I’ll pass it along to Cathy. From the exchanges I had with her, she may already be pursuing that.

What a great story and thanks for posting.

I get a kick out of hearing about barn finds in connection with old cars and motor cycles but this beats them all.

Have her contact Karl Stoltzfus, the owner of Dynamic Aviation in Bridgewater, Virginia. He would probably be interested in the T-33. He already has a legacy collection of aircraft including a T-6 Texan and a DC-3/C-47 widely known as Miss Virginia. His most recent acquisition was Columbine II, Dwight Eisenhower's Air Force 1. The first two are maintained in flyable condition and Columbine II, a VC-121 Super Constellation, is being fully restored at this time.

Dynamic Aviation contact info is at this link.

Hooker

Thanks, I'll pass that along.

Here is an interesting story about a Canadian T-33...

Many years ago, almost in another life, I was a Canadian reserve drill instructor at Canadian Forces Base Bagotville in central Quebec, teaching young cadets. At the time, the CAF flew the Voodoo (awesome aircraft), the T-33 and the Canadian version of the F-5 (very pretty trainer and good ground support bird) out of the base.

My parents drove up to visit (a 250 mile drive from Montreal). My Mom was navigating for my Dad, she told him to quickly turn left onto a particular road. Next thing they new, they were on an old abandoned paved air strip. When my Dad checked his rear view mirror, in the mirror was a T-33 coming in to do a touch and go. Needless to say, they beat a hasty retreat...

They never did get to see me as they had decided to come visit without letting me know and I was off base on a survival weekend with 35 teenagers.

Phoenix911,

Thanks for the story and the pictures.

My Uncle worked for Lockheed for 35 years. He started out in Skunkworks and was a U2 Specialist for most of his remaining career. The stories he is able to tell are amazing and the ones he cannot tell are almost unbelievable!

I learned a few days ago that the U-2 is still active. I would have thought these old birds would have been nested up years ago.

However, Satellite won’t be overtarget for 29 hours, images from 200 miles up ain’t all that great anyway, send up a Dragonlady, let’s see what we can see.

It does feel good that sometimes, old age and treachery will overcome youth, exuberance, and technology.

I just checked, the U-2 has been in service longer than I have.

When I left NASA in 1978 we had a short wing U-2 at Wallops Island and a long wing stationed at Dryden. Both were used for high altitude atmospheric research. Last I heard, a couple years ago, they were both still in the fleet and flying. There were a couple of times I went out on the Wallops runway after the U-2 lifted off to pick up the wing tip wheels. Unfortunately, they never let me be the wing tip chaser/catcher on landing.

But, then, NASA has all kinds of legacy aircraft that no one else can afford to keep up.

Hooker

Been a while since I was on here,... like most, I was #MAGA busy.

Anyways, I just got a text message from the lady who had the T33 trainer, Here a little update of the T33 trainer new home.

enjoy,...