Possible Garage Addition

ELTEE

Vice Admiral
Some of my buddies were perusing E-bay and stumbled upon this listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Miko...m14QQhashZitem270288117817QQitemZ270288117817

Now we're seriously considering the idea of getting into fractional ownership of this thing. Why? Why not!? That's why.

The best was that I was having a serious conversation concerning the particulars of the transaction at work on a conference call yesterday after we made the discovery. My co-workers had no idea what I was talking about but thought it sounded hilarious, so they decided to take down a few lines from the conversation and distribute it around the office on e-mail. We all got quite the laugh out of it. Here were the lines (you have to imagine this in a sterile, corporate environment with everyone trying to listen in without my knowledge for the full effect:)

“I mean yeah, if you go inquiring about heat seeking missiles the government might get suspicious…”

“If you suddenly go on the market and say, yeah “I want two 30mm cannons…”

“This isn’t the first time someone has wanted to buy a piece of Soviet Union history.”

“For the cost of the tires on my car we can have a supersonic jet!”

“…well, c'mon, we could initially keep it in my backyard!”

“Guys, this is an investment: It’ll only go up in value.”

"I don’t think it’ll be any more expensive than say, shipping a Ferrari down to Florida for the winter"
 
I put some serious thought into a $15,000 former Electric Lightning a few years back.. but shipping it turned out to be nearly impossible.
 
I once came very, very close to investing all of my savings (which, at the time, was very little indeed - about $3000) into a full-scale model of a plane that never existed. Back in the early 1990s, Poland was trying to develop its own light attack aircraft, the PZL-230 Skorpion. They got as far as producing the above-mentioned mock-up, which was a full-scale model, with the cabin and everything, just no actual equipment, engines, anything like that. Then, the government cancelled the funding, so nothing ever came of it - a pity, because on paper, the plane looked very good, and visually, it was one of the best-looking machines I'd ever seen, something that could have come straight out of Wing Commander.

Anyway, so two years ago, that full-scale mock-up was on sale, via the Polish equivalent of eBay. I couldn't believe it, but everything seemed to indicate that it wasn't a hoax, that the people from PZL were, for whatever reason, no longer interested in keeping the mock-up.

Obviously, transporting the mock-up to my home would have been impossible, not to mention the sheer impossibility of permanently filling up our front yard with a useless (but oh, so pretty!) 10x12 metre piece of wood. My savings... hell, I could have lived without them, it was just the whole transport & storage thing that made it impossible.

Be that as it may, to this day I'm still kicking myself that I didn't at least give the seller a phonecall - maybe at least I could've arranged a visit to see that beauty and give it the photo session it deserved. As it is, I can only wonder what eventually happened to it... :(
 
That is one impressive mock up. I completely understand why you were (and still are ;) ) enamored with it.

Growing up, my dad and I built a really simple 'simulator' based on the lines of the F-117. Next time I'm home, I'll snap a photo or two of it. It's really, really simple - two seats, an instrument panel with toggle switches and lights, and a stick and rudder pedal assembly that is linked to the co-pilots'.

It was enough for me at the age of 6 - adult to have hours and hours of fun with. I have always been fascinated with flight. I should have made it my career instead of a hobby, but hindsight is, as they say, 20/20 (pun intended). Nevertheless, the ultimate goal is, all things willing, to own a P-51D one day.

Or an F-86. One can't be picky about these things... :cool:

Hammerhead, the real question is why not!? In all seriousness, we're not sure exactly what we're going to do with the aircraft initially. For starters, I'd like to get rated for the type and log some hours in her. Past that, we have a few ideas more ideas...

LOAF, the Lightning is on my list of all-time favorite aircraft. IMO, it represented the last of a great era for the RAF... Fill the void!

I wish I had been of legal age when the opportunity to by flight ready aircraft out of Eastern Europe peaked in the early - mid nineties. I found this article a few nights ago - this guy has the life.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.10/kirlin.html
 
I once came very, very close to investing all of my savings (which, at the time, was very little indeed - about $3000) into a full-scale model of a plane that never existed. Back in the early 1990s, Poland was trying to develop its own light attack aircraft, the PZL-230 Skorpion. They got as far as producing the above-mentioned mock-up, which was a full-scale model, with the cabin and everything, just no actual equipment, engines, anything like that. Then, the government cancelled the funding, so nothing ever came of it - a pity, because on paper, the plane looked very good, and visually, it was one of the best-looking machines I'd ever seen, something that could have come straight out of Wing Commander.

That is definitely a very futuristic looking mockup. Thanks for posting about it! This is the first I've seen/heard of the PZL-230.
 
Uh...
Why would you guys need a supersonic fighter in your back yard?
planning a quick get away?

Actually, the more I think about this, the more this would be great for your typical run-of-the-mill primetime drama series.

Imagine the hilarity that would ensue if the protagonist, under pressure from cops and agents closing in, jumped into a stashed russian supersonic jet to make his getaway! It would sure beat your average car chase...:D

agent 1 - "what's that sound?"

random cop sergeant - "Is that a f*^&n plane?"

All bad guys need a MiG-21...
 
damn wish I had some cash.

heh if only I had the money for the plane. Shipping it is the easy part... my uncle owns a container company... One of those 44 foot container places. As long as you can get the wings taken off the plane shouldn't be too hard to ship in a container.. doesn't cost too much either.. I've been quoted $300 to get one at a place for a weekend. That's all transport/labor except for actually loading/unloading the materials from inside the container. Loading/unloading the container from the truck is included.. so for maybe $600 I could move a jet plane around australia assuming I can fit the body in one container and the wings in another.
 
Shame the Vengeance got scrapped in the end. She was the last non US WW2 Aircraft Carrier left. As for the MiG, yeah if I had the money, I'd be tempted to go and try and buy a MiG-21 too.
 
Hrm. I remember about 5 years ago there was an F-18 (yes, F-18) on eBay for around $2M in pieces, or $9M if you want it assembled, tested, and certified. Heck, there was even an N number reserved for it (IIRC, N18FA).

Long departed from eBay, but news articles exist for it - http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/02/16/1829221

I believe the seller even had an instructor lined up so you can learn to fly it. And I think this plot made it into JAG at as a subplot.
 
Well, are you actually allowed to own the plane in the opening post?

I know of a dutch mental coach/filantropist who purchased a mig-21 and placed it in his backyard on a personal runway behind his . In order for him to obtain it, it had to be stripped from navigation, communications and weapon systems before he was allowed to purchase it.

The one in the opening post is appearantly still in prime condition, and fully equipped? :confused:
 
Well, are you actually allowed to own the plane in the opening post?

I know of a dutch mental coach/filantropist who purchased a mig-21 and placed it in his backyard on a personal runway behind his . In order for him to obtain it, it had to be stripped from navigation, communications and weapon systems before he was allowed to purchase it.

The one in the opening post is appearantly still in prime condition, and fully equipped? :confused:

There are similar requirements in the US (no weapons systems). Since the plane in the first post has been in the US for some time and has been in airshows it has presumably already been converted for private ownership.
 
That is correct. The aircraft has all of its airworthiness documentation from the FAA and is certified to fly in the US.

Interestingly, it is far easier to obtain foreign fighter aircraft for ownership in the US as a result of the process described by Mace. The US has always been extremely strict as far as allowing military grade aircraft to fall into private hands. Most aircraft that are 'demiled' for private ownership are left permanently ineligible for flight (holes cut into airframe assemblies, etc.) That's one reason why an F-86 will cost millions while a MiG-15 might top 150K...

It's really a shame. Think of all the great aircraft we have in 'storage' at AMARC...
 
It's really a shame. Think of all the great aircraft we have in 'storage' at AMARC...

jets.jpg
 
What really stinks is how tight security is. Let's face it, most of these aircraft do not posess technology that could risk national security. Despite this fact, the yards are closed to the general public. What I wouldn't do for 24 hours in that place...

...and don't think I haven't tried, given my part time employment. Some small detail prevented it - something about needing to have an actual reason to be there, or some crap like that... :rolleyes:
 
When I went years ago you could get a bus tour starting from the Pima Air Museum. Also, you could go to the various scrap yards and buy bits and pieces - I still have the co-pilot's wheel off of some sort of cargo plane (C-119, I think).
 
When I went years ago you could get a bus tour starting from the Pima Air Museum. Also, you could go to the various scrap yards and buy bits and pieces - I still have the co-pilot's wheel off of some sort of cargo plane (C-119, I think).

You're right, there is a bus tour - but I want to get out and about and go exploring!
 
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