I wonder what the spare parts situation is for the F-86's?

I guess because they are experimental they don't have to go through any of the the PMA stuff.

Living in a town of 19,000 you wouldn't think these beasts would be here. The F-4 for less than 10 years and the F-105 maybe 5 years. Story was/is some hot shot Nam pilot who became a successful oil man here said he wanted them so he got them. The B-25 was because there was a WW2 training Base here in the day and another Oil man who trained here and later came back wanted one here. Pretty stinking cool for a little old oil town in the middle of nowhere.

That's is my infamous little Outlaw I have finally decided to name the Black Rat. Never be anything but a Rat but we love each other. We have this great symbiotic thing going on. I know it's weird but my wife lets me.

Hey Les,

Is that Slayton?

For a long time Yeager has borrowed airplanes from various makers to do flights and publicity shots in. As far as I know, he does not own a single airplane now.

If you have proof that he owns an airplane, pls provide. I know people who live in the area where he does these days and they have never seen nor heard of him having a personal airplane of any type.

It is the middle of nowhere nowhere. Speeder one time accused me of voting for Bush because I'm from Texas. I tried to explain I've never had a pickup, cowboy hat, boots, a concealed weapon, but I would square off with him and kick his ass. I don't think he reads aviation threads so I sleep safe at night. I would buy him a beer but that has nothing to do with this thread. I dropped by the airport this morning to bs with some folks there and found out one of my heroes had an F something s
staggerwing one of my all time favorite planes. And there it was 6 miles from my house for 15 years and I never saw it. He also has a p-51D which I did take pics of.

Not a problem, used to live in Texas and know a lot of places like that.

If you are ever in Slayton (East of Lubbock) stop by the Texas Aero Museum there. They have several airplanes of that era plus loads of others. Good people as well...

joe

PS the Staggerwing is a wonderful airplane but a total nightmare if the wing's needs any work. Built out of wood, they are a "made by hand only" issue and you better win the lotto before trying to afford one. The Mustang is a lot easier to keep in the air...

I'm pretty sure the US Airforce breaks the structure of any plane that goes on display and isn't in their hands so that if you flew it, it would fall apart. Its *VERY* difficult to own a US fighter plane, and if you do have one, and try to sell it, kiss it goodbye when the government shows up.

Sorry, but not correct at all.

All it takes once the airplane is in private hands is cubic $$$$. Yes airplanes are almost always "de-mil'ed" by the military or civilian contractors by cutting major parts of the plane but you can usually take it apart, replace damaged portions and re-assemble it again.

The ONLY case of the govt ever showing up that I know of is the US Navy. They are very protective of its former fighters and have been known to show up and sieze airplanes, leading to years of one thing... lawyers getting rich. Sometimes the lawyers win, sometimes they lose and the plane goes back to the Navy, and the plane is then stuck in some museum.

There are 100's of US Air Force fighters and other military aircraft in private hands right now and its easy peasy... just bring lots of $$$$ to pay for it all.

Thornton Aircraft Company

Combat Aircraft for Sale - Used Aircraft Sales at GlobalPlaneSearch.com

ex-Military/Warbird Aircraft for Sale - Used Aircraft Sales at GlobalPlaneSearch.com

Russian military aircraft on sale for general public

I should of clarified to fighter jet. I did not see a flying US built fighter jet design that served combat duty for sale on any of those. Maybe they are out there, but I just haven't seen them. Most of the cases I've read have been legal battle over Navy Jets, so I'd like to be wrong. :)

The reason why you do not see a lot of them is that truthfully once a collector gets their hands on a nice one, they are rarely let go.

The link I provided for Thornton Aircraft (above) has several F-5/T-38 aircraft for sale. The F-5 is one of the most popular fighter jets around the world and still used by many countries.

The T-38 is one that almost every US Air Force fighter pilot has flown in training for the last 50 years and the same airplane as a F-5 except with a second cockpit for the instructor.

If you have $5-10 million bux burning a hole in your pocket, please let me know and I can find you almost any warbird you are looking for. It just takes $$$$$

So I on my flight into Anchorage I was sitting next to a pilot/mechanic/volunteer for the Patriot Jet Team.. pretty cool I pulled up this thread and discussed it for almost an hour.. Turns out most of their jets do have hot ejector seats. Pretty interesting discussion.

Военный самолет пролетает над федеральной трассой - YouTube

I want to this! but naked, in an ultralight over a sheepranch

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I said...

"Originally Posted by tcar
Chuck Yeager HAD one... naturally he put a bigger engine in it!"
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I don't have 'proof', Joe, and I meant to write "had" instead of "has" after Yeager (corrected).

I'm sure he doesn't have one now, if he did.

I read an article, maybe 15 years ago about his 'personal F-104', with a seriously upgraded engine that he used to travel around the country. Assumed it was his, but it's also possible that it was a loaner from Lockheed, or ???


EDIT: Well, I just found an article where Yeager is quoted as having flown 60 years in Air Force cockpits, 208 different kinds of military aircraft and has never owned a plane in his life.