OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

[W J Pearce]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Isn't that where Cook Cleland's white Corsair ended up at with the 4360 in it?

I think Soplata had the blue one, which is now being restored. The white one was left at an airport (maybe Cleveland) and eventually "used" by the fire department, then buried. The 4360 went to a local museum.

[W J Pearce]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Here we go, from http://www.airrace.com/CorsairStatusList2.html

BuNo 14693-XF2G-1: N5590N Race #94: First aircraft to have the extended carburetor intake, these tests were conducted at Pratt & Whitney in 1944. The aircraft was then tested at NAS Patuxent until it was obtained by Navy veteran Cook Cleland. In the 1947 Thompson Trophy Race, it was flown to second place by pilot Dick Becker.(1947 Color: White with Insignia Red trim, letters and numbers) It failed to finish in 1948. Piloted by owner Cook Cleland, the aircraft won the 1949 Thompson Trophy Race.(1949 Color: All White with Black letters and numbers) After Air Racing ended in Cleveland, the aircraft was used by the Cleveland Airport Fire Dept. for training purposes. It was destroyed in 1955. The R-4360 engine and four bladed propeller were obtained by Crawford Auto And Air Museum. It was stricken from Navy records ?/31/49 ?(Source: N. Veronico "F4U Corsair" - D. Jones, 3 View Drwgs.)


BuNo 88463-F2G-2: N5577N Race #74: Used for training at NAS Jacksonville, Fla. Stricken from Navy records 2/28/47. Pilot Cook Cleland purchased the aircraft and flew it first place in the 1947 Thompson Trophy Race. It was also flown in the 1948 and 1949 Nat. Air Races by pilot Dick Becker, but failed to finish. (Color: Slate Blue, Blue and White checkerboard cowl. White trim, letters and numbers.) The aircraft was purchased by Walter Soplata of Newbury, Oh. in 1953. In 1997, the Western Reserve Hist. Society of Cleveland, Oh. purchased the aircraft. At the present time, the W.R. Hist. Society is having Robert Odegaard of Kindred, N. Dakota restore the aircraft. (N. Veronico "F4U Corsair") –Society of Air Racing Historians

[mustang5151]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Cool place, even the picture is fun to poke through. Are those space rockets at the bottom? There is an almost complete SabreDog, parts of a Cutlass, the fore-mentioned Skyraider and Mustang empennage, what is that large twin-engined job beside the Cutlass? I also can't quite identify the aircraft in the farthest upper right corner(it has yellow horizontal tail surfaces)(Some kind of trainer?) I love stuff like this. The first time I went to Reno(Air Races) was 2000 and I spent Monday of the first week going through all the stuff Aviation Classics had there in the desert(They closed it up on Wed.) All the Migs, engines, Century series jets, Cargo planes etc., it was awesome - I could have camped out there!!! On the Eighth day, God created junk yards - lol. Anyone else with pics or links to such, please post them.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Those big things on the bottom might be parts of a B36? The B25 looks like its mostly there. Somebody needs to put that back in the air. The cockpit looks a little worse for wear but the rest seems ok. Lots of cool stuff. I really hope it all goes to worthy places when the time comes. It would be a crime to put it in a scrapyard.

Will

[King]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Yes there are most of the parts (cut up in managable pieces) of a B-36.

Here is a listing of his inventory.

http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Other.php

He does not allow visitors so don't even try. Too many people over the years have bugged him and caused troublefor him and his family.

Walter is not a secret in the warbird circles. Very much like Connie Edwards, but even more ornery.

[70Mach1]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Here ya go http://www.warbirdregistry.org/corsa...fg1-88026.html

[70Mach1]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Here is his F2G-2 he had from1953 until 1999

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/corsairregistry/f2g-88463.html

[wyhdah]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Cool place, even the picture is fun to poke through. Are those space rockets at the bottom? There is an almost complete SabreDog, parts of a Cutlass, the fore-mentioned Skyraider and Mustang empennage, what is that large twin-engined job beside the Cutlass? I also can't quite identify the aircraft in the farthest upper right corner(it has yellow horizontal tail surfaces)(Some kind of trainer?) I love stuff like this. The first time I went to Reno(Air Races) was 2000 and I spent Monday of the first week going through all the stuff Aviation Classics had there in the desert(They closed it up on Wed.) All the Migs, engines, Century series jets, Cargo planes etc., it was awesome - I could have camped out there!!! On the Eighth day, God created junk yards - lol. Anyone else with pics or links to such, please post them.

Grab a copy of Air & Space for last month. There are several pictures in the magizine including a picture of the twin mustang.

Forget Disney that place is what dreams are made of.

[hm66sk]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Pick up a copy of "Hunting Warbirds" by Carl Hoffman. He went to Mr. Soplata's and conducted a full interview with the man. A couple chapters are dedicated to him and his collection. Walter had more forethought than crazyness.

[70Mach1]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Here is is XP-82

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p51registry/f82-4482887.html

[70Mach1]

Re: OT: Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

one more

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/a1registry/a1-09103.html