Aircraft Boneyard?

[Da Judge]

How long do planes stay in the boneyard before being sent to the crusher?

[Ivan]

depends on type, state and year of manufacture.

Most L1011 short range are being cut-up, while the long-range ones are flying as long as they haven't rusted too much.

B742 and B741 are used for parts, same goes for B727s and old 737s.

The connies are either flying or acting as parts donor

[Da Judge]

What about the WWII warbirds? Do any exist in the bone yard or are most of them made into coca cola cans by now?

[C]

What about the WWII warbirds? Do any exist in the bone yard or are most of them made into coca cola cans by now?

Very few if any - I think the last would have been the B-29s at China Lake range. Most hulks have been snapped up by restorers/dealers by now. There are probably quite a few still undiscovered in the far east though...

Charlie

[Ivan]

What about the WWII warbirds? Do any exist in the bone yard or are most of them made into coca cola cans by now?

most are cannibalized for spares by firebomber companies, flying museums and Reno racers (Seafury with B-29 engine and more of these weird mods)

[Jared]

hmm.. for 5 years I have driven past an old retired firestation which is now abandoned and owned by a private owner...

an din this fenced in area leaning up against the building is a set of wings that look like they came from an Avenger..  :o

I would love to see if the rest of it is inside the building or find out where it is... :-) Would be a joy to even just look at it let alone be able to buy it someday.. :-)

Would def. be a restore job for many years...

[yig]

I'm pretty sure finding a warbird bone yard in North Amreica or Europe is a lost cause.
But
And it a big But,i know for a fact there are Warbirds still sitting at the old WW2 airfields in the South Pacific.
Try looking at Lae, Fighter,1 and 2 NE of Lae,Bouganainville,Wake island and the Guadalcanal fields. Look for the srcap and damage aircraft areas.

Long shot i know but probably your best one.

[Ivan]

russian tundra... some guys from NZ got themselves some I-16's from there and there probably is more...

[C]

russian tundra... some guys from NZ got themselves some I-16's from there and there probably is more...

Several aircraft have been recovered from there, and a few are now airworthy. All the time new aircraft and engines are resurfacing. Lakes are another good place.

Charlie

[Hagar]

This reminds me. My old friend Jim Pearce specialises in recovering warbirds from Russia. These are mainly Luftwaffe types like his pet project the Fw 189. http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com/fw189society/sponsorship.htm

Jim's private airstrip is only a few miles from here & I have an open invitation to visit. I last saw him at the the Shoreham RAFA display in August this year & he was full of beans. He's now regained his licence after major heart surgery. He showed me some photos of his latest project but I'm sworn to secrecy. I must give him a ring sometime soon to find out what he's up to. It's possible he will allow me to take photos.

[C]

This reminds me. My old friend Jim Pearce specialises in recovering warbirds from Russia. These are mainly Luftwaffe types like his pet project the Fw 189. http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com/fw189society/sponsorship.htm

He was just one of the people I was thinking of. Am I right in thinking he also has substantial (ie restorable) remains of one or more Il-2s? Remember seeing a few pieces of the FW 189 at an airshow some time in the late 90s. May have been Biggin Hill when I was a wee Air Cadet...

Charlie

[Hagar]

He was just one of the people I was thinking of. Am I right in thinking he also has substantial (ie restorable) remains of one or more Il-2s?

Not sure about the Il-2 in particular but nothing would surprise me where Jim's concerned.

Remember seeing a few pieces of the FW 189 at an airshow some time in the late 90s. May have been Biggin Hill when I was a wee Air Cadet...

Charlie

That's quite possible. He has a stand at all the big air displays selling memorabilia & looking for sponsors. He also displays his beautifully restored L-4 Grasshopper. He recently purchased a Beagle/SA Bulldog to buzz around in.

PS. It's quite likely that Jim has enough parts to restore an Il-2. He doesn't do all the restoration work himself. He retrieves the aircraft & sells them to other restorers to fund his long-term projects like the Fw 189.

[C]

PS. It's quite likely that Jim has enough parts to restore an Il-2. He doesn't do all the restoration work himself. He retrieves the aircraft & sells them to other restorers to fund his long-term projects like the Fw 189.

This is on the occasions that I wish I had an index for all my Flypast and Aeroplane Monthly's. I think I've got every one since '96 or so, therefore searching becomes difficult!

Charlie