BeechTalk - BT - Five Bf-109's in a Texas Barn

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Jul 2014, 18:52

Okay; not real Bf-109's, they are Hispano Aviacion HA-1112 M1Ls and were last flown in the Battle Of Britain movie in 1968. Afterwards they were disassembled and shipped to Texas where they have been stored for the last 45 years.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/five-b ... 1602622678

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Jul 2014, 19:19

it's true. I've been in the barn with them.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Jul 2014, 20:24

Isn't a $1M each a bit steep?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 10 Jul 2014, 01:54

Username Protected wrote:

it's true. I've been in the barn with them.

Yup. Connie also has a Spitfire a a few P51s laying around the same barn.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 10 Jul 2014, 08:48

Username Protected wrote:

Isn't a $1M each a bit steep?

it does, but I bet someone will cough up soon.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 10 Jul 2014, 09:30

Username Protected wrote:

Isn't a $1M each a bit steep?

Depends.....how bad you want one? Don't think Connie is anxious to sell any of them.

Local legend is that (more than a decade ago), Connie had a guy trying to buy one of the Mustangs (in the same collection of "barns"). Connie priced it at $750K. The guy went back to the motel to think about it. The next morning, at breakfast, he offered $725K. Connie said "nope, the price just went up to 800K". Allegedly, the guy paid the 800K before it went up further....

Username Protected · **Posted:** 11 Jul 2014, 11:50

I guess my thought was "these planes have been in storage for 45 years". I would think there is a lot of work to do before they are airworthy. Stan how much would you estimate it to cost to refurbish one of these? $250,000-$500,000?

One thing is for sure, we lose 1-2 P51 Mustangs every year to crashes (at least it seem like that many). WWII warbirds are getting scarce. How many airworthy Corsairs exists today? P51 Mustangs?

I think the folks that own them and refurbish them certainly have a right to fly them. It just hurts everytime one of them is totally destroyed in a crash. :sad:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 11 Jul 2014, 14:56

> How many airworthy Corsairs exists today? P51 Mustangs?

I believe that there are ~122 airworthy P-51's.

Corsairs? Dunno. At one time, the fleet was increasing because Tom Reilly was building them around data plates. When he was @ FL, I got a private tour after asking, "why does that Corsair have rivets where it should have spot welds?" <g>

Username Protected · **Posted:** 11 Jul 2014, 20:16

http://vimeo.com/99991680

Enjoy.

LL

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jul 2014, 00:25

According to folks who used to fly them, they could be really exciting to land.

So a mil for the 45 year old hulk, another mil and you are ready to go flying

.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Jul 2014, 07:47

Glenn, I don't know exactly. I do know that a few of the Mustangs that were sitting out there were basically serviced, and flown out. (then ultimately underwent full restorations). I flew one of the Mustangs that came out of there (after it had been "gone through").

The climate is incredibly dry, and with protection from the sun, they just don't seem to deteriorate as fast as you'd think.

But yes, I'd guess to go through it, replace all the rubber components, go through the engine, etc, would be in the 250-500K range. A v-12 overhaul runs anywhere from 100-175K these days. there would be the inevitable "while we're in there" stuff, and depending on how close to original you wanted to get the plane (the guys who win at OSH with this kind of stuff make the most obsessive Bonanza guy look lazy) you could really put some cash into it.