Fagen Fighters news!
In the past days two interesting things have happened at the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum of Granite Falls (MN). On 4 May 2023 the museum’s Curtiss SB2C-5 Navy Helldiver project was rolled out in full paint.
Scramble reported on the restoration of this machine in an earlier post on 22 February 2022. Fagen Fighters expects that their Helldiver, BuNo83393, will be airworthy before the end of the year.
Another novelty was the arrival on the next day, 5 May 2023, of a new Republic P-47 fighter.
The Thunderbolt is serial 44-32817, a N767WJ, 1944 built P-47D (c/n 399-53778) flying as N767WJ. It was salvaged in 1995 from Venezuela where it had flown as ‘15B-36’ and later became a gate guard.
The ‘Jug’ was purchased from Rod Lewis of Lewis Air Legends of San Antonio (TX). Fagen Fighters’ pilot Bernie Vasquez flew it direct from Sherman (TX) to Granite Falls.
N767WJ is painted as ‘44-33813’ named ‘Balls Out’ with code G9-L. The original 'Balls Out' served in 509 Squadron of the 405th Fighter Group of the USAAF 67th Fighter Wing.
Photos: Fagen Fighters WWII Museum