To change gears from DLand to that other subject that dominates my being...oh what is it...aviation! I was amazed to see a project that started many, many years ago is finally standing on 'her' own legs. I'm talking about MAAM's restoration of what will be the only flying Northrop P-61 Black Widow. Talk about a monumental task. The project started from a crashed Widow found in the jungles of the Pacific. The Widow still has a ways to go before she's airworthy but her present state is a major improvement to the 'jungle wreck'. Why the fuss over some old plane? This bird is unique in that it was the State's first purpose-built nightfighter, not a conversion of a existing aircraft like the P-38 Lightning. Pilots said for as big and heavy as it was it handled like a little fighter with a excellent roll rate. P-61s entered World War II near the end of the war and saw little action in both Europe and the Pacific. As far as I know there hasn't been any flying since (I'm guessing)the 1970s. It will be a BIG day for the warbird community when she flies, I may even plan to be there (fingers crossed). You can find out more about The Widow and MAAM at: www.maam.org
"Keep'em Flying!"
2 comments:
Wow, that'll put here in the same league with the only airworthy B-24 when she flies! And a Widow isn't one of the more "popular" birds, most people on the street probably haven't heard of it. So that makes it all the more special.
Just last night I was watching a WWII aviation episode of Antiques Roadshow. I couldn't believe the costs some of those aircraft incur. B-17s, P-51s, and Corsairs can run 1.5-2 million and higher! I knew it would be high but I was thinking more in the tens to hundreds of thousands. That'll really make me appreciate them even more when I see them at a show (flying or not).
Oh ya.Popularity and history has a lot to do with prices.A Skyraider is in the hundreds while Mustangs are millions.
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