Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar, 5th Sept 2023
Oct 22, 2023 21:06:13 GMT 1
Beemer, viscount, and 9 more like this
Post by andyh on Oct 22, 2023 21:06:13 GMT 1
Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar, National Air And Space Museum, Dulles
One really nice feature of the National Air and Space Museum is that their work to restore various aircraft to display condition is undertaken in full view of visitors. The Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar runs along the western side of the main museum, to the south of the James S McDonnell Space Hangar. From the first floor of both the Space Hangar and the main hangar, visitors can look down through extensive glazed galleries at the work of the restoration teams.
Some aircraft stay in there for many years as the work is extensive and thorough. At the time of my visit there were around seven main projects underway.
FAB-658 / N8630 North American F-86F Sabre, Bolivian Air Force
Previously assigned to group GAC-32 of the Bolivian Air Force and latterly owned by the Vintage Flying Museum of Fort Worth, Texas.
Messerschmitt BF 109G-6, Luftwaffe
According to the NASM website, for many years, the history of the NASM Bf 109G-6 was mysterious. In 1995, Jim Kitchens, an archivist at Maxwell Air Force Base, discovered a report on the defection of René Darbois on July 25, 1944. Darbois was a native of German-annexed Lorraine who claimed he was forced to fly in the Luftwaffe. He took off in the NASM BF 109G-6 on his first combat mission and proceeded directly to the airfield at Caserta, Italy. He landed and walked into the custody of the U. S. Army Air Forces 72nd Liaison Squadron. In 1989 Museum specialist Tom Dietz discovered the Gustav's Werk-Nummer to be 160756.
The Air Force transferred the Messerschmitt to the National Air Museum (later National Air and Space Museum) in 1948, along with a group of other World War II aircraft, and was stored at the Park Ridge, Illinois, facility. Later, the collection was moved to the museum's storage facility at Silver Hill, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. It was initially restored in April 1974 and displayed at the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall in Central DC, and is now undergoing further work. No information has been found to confirm its original markings.
Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmonvik
The Museum’s Il-2 is a composite aircraft, consisting primarily of parts of at least two separate Il-2 wrecks found in Russia. Significant portions of the Il-2 are from an aircraft that was built late in 1943 and went into combat at the end of 1943 or early 1944. It was shot down (or made an emergency landing) on March 15, 1944 at lake Vole-Stechno near St. Petersburg in northern Russia. The pilot was taken prisoner of war by the Germans, the rear gunner was probably killed in the attack. Sitting on top of the frozen lake, the aircraft slowly sank to the ground once the ice began to melt a few weeks later.
Other significant parts of the Museum’s Il-2 came from an aircraft that was shot down near Murmansk, more than 1,126 kilometers (700 miles) north of St. Petersburg. In the early 1990s, both aircraft were recovered and slowly restored at a facility in St. Petersburg.
As part of its current restoration the museum team is manufacturing a new rear fuselage section.
41-31773 / PN-O Martin B-26B-25-MA Marauder United States Air Force, “Flak-Bait”
This aircraft survived 206 operational missions over Europe, more than any other American aircraft during World War II. Workers at the Baltimore factory completed "Flak-Bait" in April 1943, and a crew flew it to England. The AAF assigned it to the 449th Bombardment Squadron, 322nd Bombardment Group (nicknamed the 'Annihilators'), and gave the bomber the fuselage identification codes "PN-O." Lt. James J. Farrell of Greenwich, Connecticut, flew more missions in "Flak-Bait" than any other pilot. He named the bomber after "Flea Bait," his brother's nickname for the family dog.
N1375, Lincoln Standard H.S. (modified Standard J.1)
One of around 1600 of these bi-plane trainers were built for the US Army Air Service after the First World War. This particular machine was donated to the museum in 1964.
44-74939, North American P.51D Mustang, United States Air Force, “Willit Run”
This aircraft was built in 1945 and never saw combat. It was set aside as a “museum specimen” after less than a year’s service and 211 hours of operational service.When previously on display the aircraft was painted (and still carries) the colours and markings of the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force.
Also visible in this photo is 42-100580 Douglas C-47 nose United States Air Force, “Tow Tired”. According to the USAAF Nose Art Research Project this aircraft was assigned to the 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron tand took part in both D-Day operations. The first, code name "Detroit" released its glider over LZ-O at 0407hrs and later again over LZ-W at 2110hrs, code name "Elmira".
"Tow Tired" survived hostilities and continued service after it was given the civil registration number F-RAZM.
One really nice feature of the National Air and Space Museum is that their work to restore various aircraft to display condition is undertaken in full view of visitors. The Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar runs along the western side of the main museum, to the south of the James S McDonnell Space Hangar. From the first floor of both the Space Hangar and the main hangar, visitors can look down through extensive glazed galleries at the work of the restoration teams.
Some aircraft stay in there for many years as the work is extensive and thorough. At the time of my visit there were around seven main projects underway.
FAB-658 / N8630 North American F-86F Sabre, Bolivian Air Force
Previously assigned to group GAC-32 of the Bolivian Air Force and latterly owned by the Vintage Flying Museum of Fort Worth, Texas.
Messerschmitt BF 109G-6, Luftwaffe
According to the NASM website, for many years, the history of the NASM Bf 109G-6 was mysterious. In 1995, Jim Kitchens, an archivist at Maxwell Air Force Base, discovered a report on the defection of René Darbois on July 25, 1944. Darbois was a native of German-annexed Lorraine who claimed he was forced to fly in the Luftwaffe. He took off in the NASM BF 109G-6 on his first combat mission and proceeded directly to the airfield at Caserta, Italy. He landed and walked into the custody of the U. S. Army Air Forces 72nd Liaison Squadron. In 1989 Museum specialist Tom Dietz discovered the Gustav's Werk-Nummer to be 160756.
The Air Force transferred the Messerschmitt to the National Air Museum (later National Air and Space Museum) in 1948, along with a group of other World War II aircraft, and was stored at the Park Ridge, Illinois, facility. Later, the collection was moved to the museum's storage facility at Silver Hill, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. It was initially restored in April 1974 and displayed at the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall in Central DC, and is now undergoing further work. No information has been found to confirm its original markings.
Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmonvik
The Museum’s Il-2 is a composite aircraft, consisting primarily of parts of at least two separate Il-2 wrecks found in Russia. Significant portions of the Il-2 are from an aircraft that was built late in 1943 and went into combat at the end of 1943 or early 1944. It was shot down (or made an emergency landing) on March 15, 1944 at lake Vole-Stechno near St. Petersburg in northern Russia. The pilot was taken prisoner of war by the Germans, the rear gunner was probably killed in the attack. Sitting on top of the frozen lake, the aircraft slowly sank to the ground once the ice began to melt a few weeks later.
Other significant parts of the Museum’s Il-2 came from an aircraft that was shot down near Murmansk, more than 1,126 kilometers (700 miles) north of St. Petersburg. In the early 1990s, both aircraft were recovered and slowly restored at a facility in St. Petersburg.
As part of its current restoration the museum team is manufacturing a new rear fuselage section.
41-31773 / PN-O Martin B-26B-25-MA Marauder United States Air Force, “Flak-Bait”
This aircraft survived 206 operational missions over Europe, more than any other American aircraft during World War II. Workers at the Baltimore factory completed "Flak-Bait" in April 1943, and a crew flew it to England. The AAF assigned it to the 449th Bombardment Squadron, 322nd Bombardment Group (nicknamed the 'Annihilators'), and gave the bomber the fuselage identification codes "PN-O." Lt. James J. Farrell of Greenwich, Connecticut, flew more missions in "Flak-Bait" than any other pilot. He named the bomber after "Flea Bait," his brother's nickname for the family dog.
N1375, Lincoln Standard H.S. (modified Standard J.1)
One of around 1600 of these bi-plane trainers were built for the US Army Air Service after the First World War. This particular machine was donated to the museum in 1964.
44-74939, North American P.51D Mustang, United States Air Force, “Willit Run”
This aircraft was built in 1945 and never saw combat. It was set aside as a “museum specimen” after less than a year’s service and 211 hours of operational service.When previously on display the aircraft was painted (and still carries) the colours and markings of the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force.
Also visible in this photo is 42-100580 Douglas C-47 nose United States Air Force, “Tow Tired”. According to the USAAF Nose Art Research Project this aircraft was assigned to the 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron tand took part in both D-Day operations. The first, code name "Detroit" released its glider over LZ-O at 0407hrs and later again over LZ-W at 2110hrs, code name "Elmira".
"Tow Tired" survived hostilities and continued service after it was given the civil registration number F-RAZM.
