Not exactly sure where this is appropriate, but since it deals with a P-61 which we were talking about earlier, I felt it would fit nicely here.
In June of last year I found a museum that is actually trying to restore an actual P-61 Black widow!!! How cool is that, right?! So I read up on the details of what they were doing, and decided I would donate a bit to their efforts since I love P-61’s. Well, it turned out they had a deal where if you donate $50, you would receive a 2" X 2" square of the old skin that they had to remove.
This is actually a common practice which drums up good money for the restoration project, I did a similar deal with the P-38 “Glacier Girl”, and it makes a great piece in your home mini-museum.
However, I still have not recieved their end of the “bargain”. While I don’t mind donating money from time-to-time, I do not appreciate people who mislead others for money. They will not answer my phone calls, my letters, or my e-mails. Just a fair warning for when you are dealing with the Mid Atlantic Air Museum…you won’t get what they promise you…ohhhh and they’re progress on the project?! NONE!!! Maybe they bought some beer with my money. At least they had a good time on my dime, right?! LOL
That blows Kik, sorry to hear your dime disappeared like a fart in the wind.
Planes of fame are trying to get their B-17G “Picadilly Lilly” back in the air and are pushing for donations. POF has an outstanding reputation and will make sure you are taken care of (no affilation myself, I live very close to them and go there a bit).
Jeff
That sucks hard, Heath.
I hope the grow a conscience and do the right thing.
Are you close to them? Can you go knock on their door and discuss the issue face to face?
Good luck, mate.
Yep, I’ve seen the “restoration” as it has been “proceeding”. In the eight years I’ve gone to the Reading Airshow, I think I’ve seen two new pieces added. Having worked in the field since high school, I know that these things take time, but their Widow project should be turned over to a museum that has the intention of finishing it!
Sometimes the guys doing the “restoration” are not pros, to them it is a labor of love.
They have no idea of what they are doing, Their hearts are in the right place but the last time they even looked at the item to be restored it was only four ar five years old at the most and parts were everywhere. Now they realize one thing: they need cash to make it happen and in that respect they are doing great!
The sessions that are to be actual work parties turn into chat sessions or worse, arguments over what to do in what order. In the attempt to get it perfect, they procrastinate and worry about it.
Sadly, you are most likely out of your cash, until someone designated the bookkeeper, sorts through the reciepts, sales slips for coffee, donuts and beer and finds out you really did donate and might not have gotten your piece. . .if that ever happens.
I’m a member of the MAAM, and I’ve seen a fair amount of progress on the P-61 over the past ten years. There’s a lot of stuff that goes on that visitors don’t see. For example, at one point, work on the wings was going very well until the spars were inspected. Whole new spars needed to be machined – something that was done outside the museum’s shops.
Heath, the man who ran the office for a number of years died very unexpectedly at the beginning of last year. Around June, the museum was still in the process of transitioning to a new executive director. I know it shouldn’t happen, but stuff sometimes gets confused at times like that.
A few years ago, I ordered one of the MS Flight Simulator R4D packages, and after a month it still hadn’t arrived. I called them, and they sent it out that day, with appologies, and I got it two days later. Have you called the museum?
My volunteer activities are pretty much limited to helping out at the WWII Weekend air show. I also did some work on their web site for a couple of years. My wife and I stop by a few times throughout the year to look around and say hi to folks, but I’ve not worked on the P-61.
I’m not sure if the work sessions are really like Don portrays them. Don, are you a member of the MAAM, and have you worked on the Widow?
I do know that there are several other restoration projects going on at the same time – and I’ve seen a lot of progress on them too.
Anyway, the point of my post is to urge a more measured approach to dealing with mistakes made by the organization. When you get to know the people who work and volunteer there, you’ll find that they’re mostly just like you and me. They really care about what they’re doing, and they’re doing their best. If they make a mistake, I’m sure they’ll do what they can to remedy the situation.
Drew if you have a direct line to someone who is in charge of the donations on hand I would greatly appreciate the phone number. No need to post it here, if you don’t mind e-mailing me. The number I do have for them is at my shop right now, I will have to see what it is tomm. I have called a few times, but have only talked to one person (the other times no one answered), and the person didn’t know what was going on, took down my info, and that was that. I wouldn’t mind so much if I at least received some sort of response to my inquiries…at this point I just want to see if I can get them to say anything when I pinch them!!!
For the record I respect anyone willing to undertake the painful task of restoring any aircraft, which is why I do my best to help out when I can. I know a few personally in Ramona where I work as an avionics tech, and admire them all greatly. I just don’t enjoy being mislead. They should take down their advertisement on the site, if they are not going to honor their offer.
Drew,
No, not a member of MAAM, just a guy who has seen and assisted some restoration both in and out of the military. No disrespect meant to MAAM or anyother person who wants to help, just pointing out that sometimes the desire is alot bigger than the talent. (And NO I’m not saying the talent is lacking.) Or, as in the case of the P61, the task proves to be alot more than the group bargained for with hidden problems. (Which cost money to fix).
Sometimes the “git 'er done” crowd runs into the "do it right " folks and you have conflict. (Again, I am speaking in generalities, not the specific project.)
The point I was trying to make, albeit poorly, was there are things going on you do not see or are aware of at restorations, not everyone has the funds/time/talent/resources available Wright Patterson does.
It really does sound like you’ve gotten the short end of the stick here, and that saddens me.
I don’t really have an inside line, but I can suggest that you contact Fred Pierce. He runs the web site, and may be able to get you in contact with somebody who can help.
Unfortunately Drew, that is the e-mail address I have sent my inquiries to. The information on their website is the only contact information I have available. The last inquiry I sent was on Sunday, and I still have not received a response. The tactic seems to be ignore me and hope I go away. It is unfortunate indeed.[V]