Maybe not so much a model as we think of them, but if you want your very own full scale Focke-Wulf, head out to Goshawk in Casa Grande, Arizona:
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Thanks Fred - I really enjoyed watching this.
Starting out in business for himself , I think he illustrated what it takes with his comments -
“ after the sole employee was paid and the rent , shop expenses, insurance, etc were paid he was left with $ 11 in the bank . Dedicated indeed.
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Richard, thank you. It’s amazing what some people are doing these days. I think Goshawk is where they restored the Oscar. It used to be down there Casa Grande. Have I ever told the story about when I first encountered it in the early '90s, in a crate in the back of the champion fighter Museum lot?
Thank goodness for these people who are willing to pursue their passion for the benefit of the rest of us.
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Yes we are fortunate to have dedicated skilled people bringing these aircraft back to life .
Hi Fred -
Regarding the Oscar , it is my understanding that four airframes were “ restored “ ( virtually all brand new ) by a group in Texas using Pacific wrecks as a basis.I don’t know to what level of completion the four eventually came to but Gosshawk finished number two for Doug Champlain and I believe this aircraft is now in the Seattle Museum of Flight .
The aircraft in my avatar is one of the four as far as I know and is part of the Erickson Collection in Madras , Oregon . Gosshawk may have had a hand in it’s creation as well - I don’t know.
The star Oscar is the one in the Flying Heritage Museum in Everett, Washington. Formerly Paul Allen’s ( of Microsoft) collection and know owned by a Walmart heir . This aircraft was restored to airworthy condition by a group in New Zealand
( again , if my memory serves me well ) and has original Nakajima power , unlike the previously mentioned Oscars which have P&W power .
The New Zealand group did some high speed taxiing and flew it a few feet of the ground for a short distance. Because of it’s rarity I don’t think it was ever flown again .
Cheers- Richard
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Richard,
I did not know there were 4 Ki-43s restored. Incredible.
Found a video about the restored Hein in unveiled in japan. Just yesterday I found that there is a 1/1 replica Shiden-Kai on display in Japan. I have not found out if it is a static display for if they intend to fly it. Had a video of costumed reenactors, one climbing into the cockpit and the other one shutting all the steps and hand grabs.