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[Gatordev]

My understanding is that many of them belong to the Naval Aviation Museum. Basic upkeep is done by volunteer groups (ie, squadron groups getting volunteer service hours).

I know when people have needed spare parts in the past, they've reached out to the NAM to get permission.

 

[Mos]

Basic upkeep is done by volunteer groups (ie, squadron groups getting volunteer service hours).

This would've been my guess. I helped a volunteer group wash an outdoor plane at an Air Force museum once. The group was mostly service members, contractors, and their families from a squadron that my dad supported as a contractor. It was an F-100, IIRC, and when we were done, you could barely see much improvement because of the widespread paint oxidation under the dirt and grime we had washed off.

 

[sevenhelmet]

This would've been my guess. I helped a volunteer group wash an outdoor plane at an Air Force museum once. The group was mostly service members, contractors, and their families from a squadron that my dad supported as a contractor. It was an F-100, IIRC, and when we were done, you could barely see much improvement because of the widespread paint oxidation under the dirt and grime we had washed off.

It turns out, airplanes don't age well when they're just left outside. That's why indoor petting zoos are always so much nicer.

Also makes me wonder about the boneyard- how much of that material could be recycled into something else?

 

[Seawolf42]

Looks like 157807? (hard to make out the last digit)…. Which lines up with TH-1 BUNOs

I flew 806,808,& 809, instructing in 1971

 

[wink]

It turns out, airplanes don't age well when they're just left outside.

Well this is what a helicopter looks like when left outside in the desert for close to 40 years with no TLC.

I spent a good part of Saturday scrounging for parts in this H 19 graveyard. I am a charter member of a new helicopter museum project. We have acquired an H-19 that is in better shape than you see here, but not much. We were there to get parts to restore for static display. I've been through this before, restoring 2 Hueys that came directly from the army. They were in a good bit better shape, even though they had been stored outside as well.

 

[Brett327]

Oof. Who pays for/does the repairs for the planes on sticks anyways? I know occasionally in Jax the chiefs messes would clean the P-2 and P-3, but don’t know how the base kept them up overall.

Most of them are "owned" by the Naval Aviation Museum and on loan to installations. We had to submit some kind of report w/ pics on a semi-regular basis for the H-3s we had at PMRF. Side note, with the concurrence of the Great Tuntini, I ordered and installed a MK-46 EXTORP on the port side of the SH-60B static display at the NS Mayport front gate in 1998. My understanding is that this torpedo is still hanging in place today. That BRU is probably due for a 28 day, or some such.

 

[hlg6016]

I recall pulling into some civil airport way back for fuel. They had a bunch of H34 and H37 hulks sitting off the taxi way. Ramp guy gave us some time to wander about and scope them out while we waited for the tank truck.
That H37 was a beastly looking thing.

 

[Gatordev]

with the concurrence of the Great Tuntini, I ordered and installed a MK-46 EXTORP on the port side of the SH-60B static display at the NS Mayport front gate in 1998.

You have my curiosity...did the base have to defuel it or did you order a new one that presumably comes without fuel?

My JO Sea Daddy (and several of his compatriots) would speak of the concurrence regularly.

 

[sevenhelmet]

...with the concurrence of the Great Tuntini...

...Who? Maybe my coffee just hasn't kicked in yet, not getting this one.

 

[Brett327]

...Who? Maybe my coffee just hasn't kicked in yet, not getting this one.

Older HSL/HSM folks will know. Old CO of mine circa 1997, Wayne Tunick, with quite the interesting personality. He called himself The Great Tuntini.

 

[Brett327]

You have my curiosity...did the base have to defuel it or did you order a new one that presumably comes without fuel?

My JO Sea Daddy (and several of his compatriots) would speak of the concurrence regularly.

It was basically a training shape, so no internal components. I called the guys at Keyport and asked them what they could send me. I spray painted it an olive drab color in the hangar. Fun story, we took it out to the aircraft at the front gate to load it, but had to go back for some additional tools. In the interim, someone driving on base told the gate guard that there was a bomb by the aircraft, so security swarmed the area. Good times.

 

[squorch2]

Most of them are "owned" by the Naval Aviation Museum and on loan to installations. We had to submit some kind of report w/ pics on a semi-regular basis for the H-3s we had at PMRF. Side note, with the concurrence of the Great Tuntini, I ordered and installed a MK-46 EXTORP on the port side of the SH-60B static display at the NS Mayport front gate in 1998. My understanding is that this torpedo is still hanging in place today. That BRU is probably due for a 28 day, or some such.

One AT for the reserve unit attached to NHHC is to travel across the country documenting the state of all those static display aircraft.

Nice gig if you can get it.