WIX Archives

Collings Machines

Posted by Ryan Harris on Mon Jan 19, 2004 04:30:02 PM

In reply top Re: NEAM's A-26 posted by Perry on Mon Jan 19, 2004 09:34:04 AM

The Collings Foundation has several combat veterans in the collection.

First is our Huey with documented missions in Vietnam with VMO-2 and may have been flown by a Medal of Honor winner.

Second is the Corsair with a tour in Korea aboard the Essex with VC-3. We think at one point she was sent home for repairs because she was damaged by ground fire or some mishap on deck. Not sure exactly. Her BuNo. is 124692

The third isn't going to fly ever again but she was still in our collection and I don't know of her status anymore but she is our A-26C 44-35696 with over 100 documented missions in Korea. Her name was "My Mary Lou" and flew with the 95th BS, 17th BG. Her crew chief found her again at an airshow in Cortland, AL and instantly remembered her serial number. It was through him that we were able to document her markings and her patches. He was also able to fly on her again and see her back in her combat markings. Unfortunately she crashed in the summer of '93 and will never fly again due to her airframe being twisted. We have another airframe that will go in her markings but she is in no shape, form, or fashion the real and stock 44-35696.

On another note I don't believe our B-24 has any combat. She was the parts airplane for the Indian Air Force. I could be wrong though.

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