WIX Archives
Re: Junior Burchinal's Warbird School
Posted by Rob Mears on Fri Jun 28, 2002 03:09:51 AM
In reply top Junior Burchinal's Warbird School posted by Dan Jones on Thu Jun 27, 2002 08:32:43 PM
AFAIK Mr. Burchinal is still there. The museum has been reduced to a number of scale models, paintings, etc.
I'm originally from Longview, Texas and can remember hearing about his crash landing his P-38 on the highway during the 1970's I believe.
I spoke with him about ten years ago and he told me that all the warbirds had been sold off prior to that time. His Corsair was completely destroyed in a hangar fire in 1979 (although somehow it's Bureau Number was used to register Ray Dieckman's FG-1D a couple of years back!). I suspect Mr. (Isaac Newton) Burchinal was simply unable to keep up with operating costs as the warbird movement grew into the 1980's. I flew over the Paris, Texas airport during the mid-1990's and noticed a couple of C-47's at the south end of the airport, though I doubt they were associated with the museum.