Jump to content
American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Twin Arrows' Refurbished Arrows


Recommended Posts

Rick,

 

I guess refurbished arrows should be preferred over the original, when the original are so deteriorated. But you know me, the authentic original is my preference. Silly quirk of mine.

 

Which brings me to the blue Corsair on your blog. Is anything other than the airframe (if that) original on that beauty? My “preference” certainly wouldn't be wise to fly!! Not to reminisce too much, but I was a youngster during WWII and I recall “flying” a cast iron Corsair around the house during the war. It was a special favorite because the wings folded.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rick,

 

I guess refurbished arrows should be preferred over the original, when the original are so deteriorated. But you know me, the authentic original is my preference. Silly quirk of mine.

 

Which brings me to the blue Corsair on your blog. Is anything other than the airframe (if that) original on that beauty? My “preference” certainly wouldn't be wise to fly!! Not to reminisce too much, but I was a youngster during WWII and I recall “flying” a cast iron Corsair around the house during the war. It was a special favorite because the wings folded.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave, The Corsair is one of my all time favorites as well. There is probably not much that is original on that corsair other than the dataplate. On these warbirds the data plate is all that really counts to call it original even if 99.9% of the rest of the plane has been replaced. The thing I find interesting about the corsair is that they used fabric to cover the outer wings and tail surfaces instead of aliminum.

 

I agree with you about seeing the authentic original but sooner or later the original rots away completely and your left with nothing. I took a peek inside the trading post and diner and it is pretty well trashed. There is some sunlight coming through the roof, water damage on the roof and on the floor, and a general mess throughout. The windows that are behind the plywood are all broken and it looks like the metal vultures have been there as well. It would be nice to see someone restore this site to its former glory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rick,

 

Great entry.

 

I believe the Twin Arrows were already restored when I visited, September 2009. The picture I got of the arrows up close did not come out, so I didn't save it.

 

Here is one that did come out. It appears the red is new on them....

https://picasaweb.google.com/knightfan26917/RT66TRIPDAY9#5429327131855660178

 

 

 

 

Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker + cowValve | 5 MCs + 1 Caprice Classic

CHD.MCs.CC + RoadTrips.hobbies.RadioShows.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

* rNwJumpStartCruzNite | 5:30-10:30p; SAT, 05/12/12 | BeefVilla, 1225 W Spring St, S Elgin IL *

"You don't know what you have 'til your everything is gone" __ Blessid Union of Souls __ 'I Wanna Be There'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Warning--"thread creep"! But you know I can't resist when a thread turns to things that fly in the sky... B)

Thge Vought F4U (and Goodyear FM--made under license) Corsair was one sturdy fighter. In terms of flyable WWII warbirds that are still around, it's probably second to only the P-51 Mustang. The Argentine Navy used the Corsair well into the 1970s on their one and only second-hand aircraft carrier. The bought the Corsairs from the French Aeronavale, which also kept the Corsair in service well into the jet age. Probably got the carrier from France as well!

 

In terms of being "original" or not, it's probably not too different than a lot of restored antique autos that don't have too much original metal or wood left on them either!

Edited by mga707
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Warning--"thread creep"! But you know I can't resist when a thread turns to things that fly in the sky... B)

Thge Vought F4U (and Goodyear FM--made under license) Corsair was one sturdy fighter. In terms of flyable WWII warbirds that are still around, it's probably second to only the P-51 Mustang. The Argentine Navy used the Corsair well into the 1970s on their one and only second-hand aircraft carrier. The bought the Corsairs from the French Aeronavale, which also kept the Corsair in service well into the jet age. Probably got the carrier from France as well!

 

In terms of being "original" or not, it's probably not too different than a lot of restored antique autos that don't have too much original metal or wood left on them either!

 

Thread creep involving aviation is OK with me.

 

Where you aware that the last all piston powered dogfights took place in 1969 with Mustangs squaring off against Corsairs over the skies of Honduras and El Salvador? It was during the Soccer Wars. Some well known pilots flew on both sides with names such as Bob Love, Chuck Lyford, & Ben Hall. There were quite a few of those aircraft that eventually made their way into private hands and are still flying.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My very favorite WWII aircraft was the P-38 “lightning” made by Lockheed, probably because our neighbor as a kid (one house over) was Tony LaVier who you guys know as Lockheed's chief test pilot. I recall him as a nice guy who had an airplane in his driveway and had a swimming pool in the back yard. I used to “fly” the lightning as well as the F4U.

 

I recall he was into air racing, thus the airplane at home. I also recall him telling a story about how he was delayed getting to a test flight and his back up took the plane up, and was killed.

 

In this YouTube video Tony tells about a mid air collision with a Corsair. The story is great.

 

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My very favorite WWII aircraft was the P-38 “lightning” made by Lockheed, probably because our neighbor as a kid (one house over) was Tony LaVier who you guys know as Lockheed's chief test pilot. I recall him as a nice guy who had an airplane in his driveway and had a swimming pool in the back yard. I used to “fly” the lightning as well as the F4U.

 

I recall he was into air racing, thus the airplane at home. I also recall him telling a story about how he was delayed getting to a test flight and his back up took the plane up, and was killed.

 

In this YouTube video Tony tells about a mid air collision with a Corsair. The story is great.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!!

 

Thanks for that Dave. Tony LaVier was one heck of a pilot and that is a great story. I'm sure he had many great stories to tell. Was the airplane that he kept in the driveway the P-38?

 

To keep this on topic (sort of), in 1946 he raced at the Cleveland National Air Races in a surplus P-38 that he bought for $1250. He bought that airplane in Kingman, Arizona, which we all know is on Route 66.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rick,

 

I'm 95% sure it wasn't a P-38 he had in his driveway, although it would have been about 1948 (we lived in La Canada, California, which is not far from Burbank, between 1940 and 1951). The aircraft I have in my memory was smaller, like some of those little racing aircraft I have seen. I have the sense that it was one he may have built, but that is really stretching my memory.

 

As for topic drift, arrows fly and so do airplanes.......it is an obvious connection! :happy2:

 

By the way, I want to repeat that I'm pleased to see you posting here again.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...