Hawker Tempest Comming

[Coyote Chris]

Re: Hawker Tempest Comming

OK this will sound like "Folk lore" but it is the truth. Chris had found a P-39 that was in a barn someware in mid Michigan that was going up for sale. The original owner had passed away and his ecklectic collection of belongings was being liquated by a relitive. Cris asked me (since I live in MI) if I would drive there, look it over and take pictures of it for him before he commited to buying it. With the help of Google Maps and my Magellan GPS, I found the location and shure enough there it was, a dusty undamaged P-39 in a barn along with about 8 or more identical antique Fords in, and about, a number of other out buildings next to an old overgrowen grass airstrip. Someone in VA bought the P-39 before Chris could. Lets see if Chris still has the images saved, and would post them here. I know it sounds "unbliveable" but I was there and it is a "fact".

Way cool! When did this happen?

[laminar]

Re: Hawker Tempest Comming

Way cool! When did this happen?

I used to work in a shop in Mason Michigan that sold 36-54 Ford parts and among other things surplus aircraft hardware. There was an older guy that the owner knew from the the Ford stuff that would come around looking for hardware for his p-39. At the time I figured it was a tall tail but maybe there was some truth to it after all.

Very cool, thanks for posting.


Elliot Seguin
Race 68

[Mystical Power]

Re: Hawker Tempest Comming

Got to be the same guy. How else would these two odd things connect. Marshall, Mi was not far south of his residence.

[Mystical Power]

Re: Hawker Tempest Comming

Mason and Marshall are on the same sectional. Has to be the same guy.

[IcePaq]

Re: Hawker Tempest Comming

IcePaq, Methinks that the two Tempests are the ones that Nick Grace had. He gave me some photos of them, and I think he said that he got them from Canada. His plan was to put a 3350 in one, and a H-24 in the other. He had some of the parts for the Napier Sabre, and thought he could come up with a serviceable engine. I sold him one of my 3350 engine mount rings, a set of RS40GSA Lord mounts, a set of clevices to bolt up to the Tempest, additional hardware, and some assorted lengths of 4130 steel tubing to complete the conversion. He wasn't sure if the firewall attatch points were the same as a Sea Fury, so he did it this way. I also sold him an engine, and I think, one of my 34 inch carbon spinners and backplate. Unfortunately Nick lost his life in an auto accident before he could finish the two aircaft. I have often wondered what happened to the Tempests.

Larry

I remember from the blind man's bluff thread some mention of this stuff and it's just too close to exact to be anything else.

Have you decided on whether to publish a book yet?

It surely would sell to indy and air racing historians.