Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, AZ

[John B.]

That's got to be a rare bird.  Where did it come from?

There were few made in the first place--60 or so by most accounts--so the number remaining on display is very, very low.  (I only know of two other on display.)

This one is owned by the USMC.  It had been on display at the National Warplane Museum, but USMC shifted the loan over to us.

[Tower Guy]

Congrats John, a great addition for sure. Just curious as to why they would switch locations. There is always the money to move it and the risk of transporting a very rare airframe?

[John B.]

Congrats John, a great addition for sure. Just curious as to why they would switch locations. There is always the money to move it and the risk of transporting a very rare airframe?

It just about fills out our line of US Navy fighters. 

On it leaving NWM: Since that is business between the USMC and the NWM, I am not aware of the discussions between them about the aircraft and the aircraft loan.  I doubt it is anything out of the ordinary or anything dramatic because if it were it would have been all over the internet by now!

[John B.]

Here are our Ilyushin Il-2 propeller blades before straightening:


Ilyushin Il-2 Propeller Blades par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

Here is our McDonnell Phantom as it comes back together...


McDonnell FH-1 Phantom 111768 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[Joe Copalman]

It's always struck me as odd how similar the Phantom and the Banshee look, yet they still look so different.  The FH-1 reminds me of a jet version of the Yak-50 - just a bare-bones single-pilot scarecrow of an aircraft.

Can't wait to see this one on display.

[John B.]

Our T-6 is now hanging and we are folding the wings on the Phantom.


North American T-6G 49-2908 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity


McDonnell FH-1 Phantom 111768 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

A few images from the last few days...

The FH-1 Phantom is out on display:


McDonnell FH-1 Phantom 111768 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

The Mystere is getting new paint now:


Dassault Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity


Dassault Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity


Dassault Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

The F-105G is now inside the hangar for new paint.   


Republic F-105G Wild Weasel 62-4427 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

The Mystere should be done very soon:


Dassault Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity


Dassault Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity


Dassault MD.454 Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

Just a view of the B-52A as work towards getting new paint on it continues:


Boeing B-52A Stratofortress 52-0003 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

An overall shot of the Mystere as we finish it the polish and repaint:


Dassault Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

I mentioned a while back I had a bunch of older photos I wanted to post. Earlier this year I needed to look back at photos I had taken over the years and I bumped into quite a few I had never done anything with at all.  So, I decided I will post them in this thread for now from time to time (as time permits!).  They aren't sorted at all and the oldest are from 2006.  There shouldn't be very many duplicates, so most of them are almost new to me!   

PASM Night Event - 20 January 2011

Classic PASM - 20 January 2011 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

TAV-8A - 9 August 2012

Classic PASM -  9 August 2012 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[Joe Copalman]

Love 'em both, but that Harrier shot is fantastic, especially with the Kestrel in the background.

[John B.]

Love 'em both, but that Harrier shot is fantastic, especially with the Kestrel in the background.

Thanks, Joe.  Hopefully there will be a few more gems in that bunch of photos...

Here is the Mystere--now about finished.  


Dassault Mystère IVA No. 57 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

Here is our C-141B in August 2006:


PASM Classic - 15 August 2006 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

Then, here is the construction of our enlarged restoration pad from 2013:


PASM Classic - 24 April 2013 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity