Fantasy of Flight Museum – World Warbird News https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com The latest in warbirds and historical aviation Mon, 04 Jan 2016 01:40:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/WWN-icon-256-150x150.png Fantasy of Flight Museum – World Warbird News https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com 32 32 Fantasy of Flight TP-40N flies again after four and a half years https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/01/04/fantasy-of-flight-tp-40n-flies-again-after-four-and-a-half-years/ https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/01/04/fantasy-of-flight-tp-40n-flies-again-after-four-and-a-half-years/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2016 03:37:58 +0000 http://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/?p=2914

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Fantasy of Flight’s Curtiss TP-40N Warhawk has flown again after four and a half years. Kermit Weeks report on Fantasy of Flight’s YouTube channel:

If you’ll remember, the last time I flew it, FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO, the landing gear didn’t want to come up so I immediately put it down and landed safely. I had already bellied in my other P-40E due to a problem and didn’t want a repeat episode. I decided not to fly this one again until we re-installed an original emergency system, which for some reason in the past was taken out! This involved having special components made, pulling the fuel tanks out to install them, and then doing lots of gear swings. Finally we were able to get her out and take her for the test flight. She ran great! Check it out.

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Fantasy of Flight’s new Museum opens on Friday, January 30th 2015. This smaller, light version of Fantasy of Flight will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Admission will be: $12.00 Adults, $10.00 Seniors and $8.00 for Kids.

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When Fantasy of Flight was created, its Spitfire Mk XVI was airworthy but was rapidly grounded due to technical problems. After having been statically exposed for years, its engine was restarted on January 16, for the first time in 17 years.

After some repairs and adjustments, Kermit Weeks hopes to have it flying in the near future.

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Continue reading]]> (Photo Netweave (CC BY-SA 3.0))

(Photo Netweave (CC BY-SA 3.0))

In a surprise announcement yesterday, Kermit Weeks announced that the Fantasy of Flight museum will be closed to the public starting on April 6. Fantasy of Flight will not completely close but rather focus on restoration and maintenance, and some parts of the facilities will be made available to the public later this year.

In Kermit Weeks’ words: “Although we are located just 20 minutes west of Walt Disney World, we’re currently outside the center of mass tourism and not perceived of as a destination. We have a great product, but people have a misperception of what we offer. After 18 years of being in operation, it’s time we close the attraction and move forward toward creating the vision for what I know Fantasy of Flight can become.” 

While saddened that the changes will necessitate a reduction in staff, Weeks is optimistic that his long-term vision and future product will create far more jobs and have a greater positive impact on Polk County, where Fantasy of Flight is located. “We have great employees,” said Weeks, “and will be working with several local, state and private agencies in the upcoming weeks in order to offer our employees assistance and training for the transition.” They will retain an event-focused staff as the facility continues to host weddings, meetings and corporate events, including team building and birthday parties via the Wing Walk Air Confidence Course & Zip Line.

Weeks remarked, “This isn’t the end of Fantasy of Flight, it’s just the next step on the company’s journey to become what it was always meant to be – a quality attraction that uses entertainment as a means to an end for self-discovery and self-transformation. Think of this as a caterpillar going into its cocoon. We expect to re-emerge as a brand-new butterfly!”

]]> https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2014/03/05/fantasy-of-flight-to-close-to-public/feed/ 3 Curtiss Wright CW-19R First Flight at Fantasy of Flight https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2014/02/27/curtiss-wright-cw-19r-first-flight-at-fantasy-of-flight/ https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2014/02/27/curtiss-wright-cw-19r-first-flight-at-fantasy-of-flight/#respond Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:45:47 +0000 http://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/?p=2160

Kermit Weeks took the rare Curtiss Wright CW-19R for its first flight on February 13.

]]> https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2014/02/27/curtiss-wright-cw-19r-first-flight-at-fantasy-of-flight/feed/ 0 Fantasy of Flight Stinson L-1 flies again https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2013/07/28/fantasy-of-flight-stinson-l-1-flies-again/ https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2013/07/28/fantasy-of-flight-stinson-l-1-flies-again/#respond Sun, 28 Jul 2013 11:09:19 +0000 http://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/?p=1948 The Stinson O-49 Vigilant 40-3102 in Miami in 1989 (Photo RuthAs (CC BY 3.0))

The Stinson O-49 Vigilant 40-3102 in Miami in 1989 (Photo RuthAs (CC BY 3.0))

The Fantasy of Flight Stinson L-1 Vigilant flew again on July 18 after a lengthy restoration process. The plane flew for 25 minutes and only minor adjustments were found to be necessary.

More information and pictures can be found on Warbird News.

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Continue reading]]> The Stinson O-49 Vigilant 40-3102 in Miami in 1989 (Photo RuthAs (CC BY 3.0))

The Stinson O-49 Vigilant 40-3102 in Miami in 1989 (Photo RuthAs (CC BY 3.0))

The Miami-based Fantasy of Flight Museum recently completed the restoration of its Stinson O-49 Vigilant, damaged in 1992 by hurricane Andrew. Only four other aircraft of this type are preserved nowadays, and only one is flying.

The Stinson O-49 was designed after a request from the US Army Air Corps, who was impressed by the presentation of the Fieseler Storch at the 1938 Cleveland National Races and wanted an liaison and observation aircraft with similar abilities. Equipped with full-wingspan leading edge slats, the O-49 can fly at speeds as low as 31 mph and has a landing run shorter than its own length. Just as the Storch, it is capable of flying backwards in a strong headwind.

The FoFM’s aircraft was painted in its wartime USAAC colours. Flight testing should begin shortly.

Source: Aeroplane Monthly

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