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Post by PB on Jan 15, 2017 10:54:55 GMT
Dear Chat Zone patrons.... I give you "Witchcraft". Not some Halloween experience but the story of the "Blackbushe B-24", and how she is proudly back in the air. This is the B-24 Liberator that Doug Arnold acquired, its components resting at Blackbushe until purchased and shipped home to the USA. www.collingsfoundation.org/aircrafts/consolidated-b-24-liberator/Don't miss the superb additional video links included in the above, your one chance to 'fly' in this beautiful old lady. PB |
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Post by rj on Jan 15, 2017 12:25:08 GMT
I saw this in Florida in 1990, and what a beauty she was. I find the B-24 so much more impressive in the air than the B-17. The B-24 was another one of Doug Arnold's speculative buys from India. I doubt he had any intention of restoring it to the air but saw it as a investment, and no doubt made a profit. I won't mention that it would look nice at the 75th!
Doug Arnolds time at the 'bushe was a mixed one for those of us just looking over the fence. I remember the 70's as a time of lots of flying of warbirds, Seafury's, Spitfire, CASA 352, Sopwith Pup, B-25, A-26 (not all Doug's machines). The early 80's seemed a much quieter era, I do remember a P-51 and P-47 arriving by air one winters day, and seeing the Mosquito, P-51 and a Spitfire departing together to a D-day show in France in 1984, but not much else. I'm assuming Doug stopped flying himself around 1980? There is no doubt he really injected passion and money into the warbird movement but it was rarely on display to the average Joe.
There were many rumors of a public museum opening in the 70's, but was this ever a intention?
Rob
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Post by PB on Jan 15, 2017 12:40:57 GMT
Rob Preparing for the D-Day departure you describe..  Your latest challenge for the 75th noted! The B-24 might require a degree of luck, the B-17? Not out of the question, but..... Doug seemed very intent on a permanent public warbird museum and often we discussed the merits, and what it would involve. The hangars (now BCA's car polishing zone) were built on the only land where Planning was possible, the ever lasting common land scenario scuppered hopes for much else... I know some suggest the plans were not serious and that trading the aircraft was Doug's prime motivation, but the subject is purely academic now. What is for sure is that a goodly number of warbirds are flying in places near and far that would still be rotting in some distant grave were it not for Doug's intervention and either restoration, or as with the B-24 Witchcraft, seeing the components saved and moved onto a loving new home. No doubt on a profitable basis! PB |
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