Rebirth of the Buffalo?

[ThinkingManNeil]

Interesting story of how Viking Air of Victoria, B.C. (which bought all of the type certificates for De Havilland Canada aircraft from the DHC-1 "Chipmunk" through to the Dash-7 and is currently very busy trying to keep up with orders for their new generation Twin Otter) is seriously considering opening up a new production line for the venerable and tough-as-nails DHC-5/CC-115 Buffalo

Be nice if they did the Chippy, too, although finding an inverted in-line to replace the Gypsy Major would be problematic. Walter Lom had something in production some years ago, but I think they've gone out of business.

N.

 

[TeaSea]

I loved the Buffalo, having jumped from it, been taken into nasty places in it (and taken out) and experienced the sheer terror of a short field landing, with no lighting, at night, on a barely discernible dirt strip, with no moon.......

However, I'm skeptical. There are lots of wonderful aircraft that are simply "from another era" that cannot be produced or operated efficiently today. Perhaps there's still a market, and I hope so, but I'm not betting.

 

[Roadburner440]

However, I'm skeptical. There are lots of wonderful aircraft that are simply "from another era" that cannot be produced or operated efficiently today. Perhaps there's still a market, and I hope so, but I'm not betting.

It is not that they cannot be produced.. It is that we have raised generations of people that do not have the technical expertise, or know how to create these type of machines anymore. Kelly Johnson, and many like him did so much in a time without the internet or computers. It cost lives, and they suffered many errors along the way. In the end though it lead to some of the finest aircraft ever built. There is no passion anymore in engineering it seems, and people are always looking at saving every last penny. Or simply just manufacturing a part to be barely within the customer spec. Todays world is unfortunately all about the bottom dollar, and not necessarily doing the right thing. It is one of the reasons I am watching the 787 Dreamliner with interest. Cause either that will be one of the finest modern engineering achievements, or biggest failure. The A380's are already experiencing stress cracks inside of the wings at some of the non-critical joints, but I fear that is only a preview of what is to come on them. I know this is off from the original subject of the Buffalo, but think it fits in with even if they build a new Buffalo that it will most likely be inferior to the original.

 

[pfflyers]

I don't think there would be any technical difficulties in building a Buffalo to the original drawings, if you had the jigs. I know from personal experience that there are plenty of skilled "tin benders and rivet mashers" still around.

The trick would be doing it for a cost that anyone would pay.

 

[Daveroo]

once,back when i was in my 20s..i said to my father and his engineering buddy and contractor buddy,that id like to see someone build and brand new P51 from scratch,,,i was told it cant and wont ever be done ,its technically impossible to back date production...even on a one off (but car builders do it often)..and then,,i talked to bud anderson..and the lastest Old Crow P51 D that Jack Rousch had built,was just that...scratch built...they started with the "data plate" off an original P51D and built and entirely new airplane around that data plate..


dont believe me?..ill give you buds email and you can ask him

 

[cheezyflier]

There is no passion anymore in engineering it seems.

get off my lawn, you darn kids!!!

i have to disagree, as soon as i think of the f-22, the f-35, the kodiak quest, the epic victory, the 787, etc. and that's just planes. i could go on to list autos, tools, building materials, and even mundane things like cleaning chemicals and bicycles. engineering is more alive now than it ever was, in the known history of mankind.

 

[pfflyers]

As far as the P-51 goes, yes, you could probably build one from scratch, but it's only feasable for an aircraft worth its weight in gold.

There's a finite market for that sort of thing so I doubt we'll see anyone start a Mustang production line anytime soon.

 

[lazarus]

once,back when i was in my 20s..i said to my father and his engineering buddy and contractor buddy,that id like to see someone build and brand new P51 from scratch,,,i was told it cant and wont ever be done ,its technically impossible to back date production...even on a one off (but car builders do it often)..and then,,i talked to bud anderson..and the lastest Old Crow P51 D that Jack Rousch had built,was just that...scratch built...they started with the "data plate" off an original P51D and built and entirely new airplane around that data plate..
dont believe me?..ill give you buds email and you can ask him

Oh, I don't know about that. right now,say for 2 of the growth warbirds- more aircraft flying every year- P-51's and Spitfires, there are manufacturers supplying new build oleos, engine bearers, radiators, spars, ribs, skins, extrusions, forgings, pistons, cranks, cam shafts ect. Stuff that you could not find 20 years ago, somebody is making new right now. You can get about 60% of a Spitfire new build now a days! Its often the really banal stuff that turns into show stoppers. Tires and tubes, for instance. Any thing can be done, it just takes money . Viking has a leg up in that they've the tooling from DH, an big stock of the oddball forgings and extrusions, though not many of those can't be had from say Spruce and Specialty. A Buffalo would probably run up against engines and props- those GE's are hard to find now a days, so maybe P&W 100 srs would end up being retrofitted. All it takes is lots of money!

 

[TeaSea]

Interesting discussion, however my comment was not based on production, but operation.

 

[Daveroo]

Oh, I don't know about that. right now,say for 2 of the growth warbirds- more aircraft flying every year- P-51's and Spitfires, there are manufacturers supplying new build oleos, engine bearers, radiators, spars, ribs, skins, extrusions, forgings, pistons, cranks, cam shafts ect. Stuff that you could not find 20 years ago, somebody is making new right now. You can get about 60% of a Spitfire new build now a days! Its often the really banal stuff that turns into show stoppers. Tires and tubes, for instance. Any thing can be done, it just takes money . Viking has a leg up in that they've the tooling from DH, an big stock of the oddball forgings and extrusions, though not many of those can't be had from say Spruce and Specialty. A Buffalo would probably run up against engines and props- those GE's are hard to find now a days, so maybe P&W 100 srs would end up being retrofitted. All it takes is lots of money!

ok..i ment ,to be honest...not that it was a new manufactured aircraft...i have no clue where they got the part...my point was that these "men" told me it couldnt be done period ,that what there is,is what there is...and the guys at chino built roush a "new" plane......know?

 

[Roadburner440]

Oh, I don't know about that. right now,say for 2 of the growth warbirds- more aircraft flying every year- P-51's and Spitfires, there are manufacturers supplying new build oleos, engine bearers, radiators, spars, ribs, skins, extrusions, forgings, pistons, cranks, cam shafts ect. Stuff that you could not find 20 years ago, somebody is making new right now. You can get about 60% of a Spitfire new build now a days! Its often the really banal stuff that turns into show stoppers. Tires and tubes, for instance. Any thing can be done, it just takes money . Viking has a leg up in that they've the tooling from DH, an big stock of the oddball forgings and extrusions, though not many of those can't be had from say Spruce and Specialty. A Buffalo would probably run up against engines and props- those GE's are hard to find now a days, so maybe P&W 100 srs would end up being retrofitted. All it takes is lots of money!

You can duplicate any part dimension wise! I would say if you could go back in time and find an original WWII aircraft strut, and you pay someone now to manufacture you a brand new copy. That the brand new copy would be inferior in both materials and workmanship. My comments are geared more toward peoples lack of commitment, or integrity toward an end goal. Instead they solely focus on where they can save money. You still have a few individuals who have integrity such as the guys who built the Me-262, FW-190, and maybe these P-51 replica's. Overall though if you just go up to some arbitrary company though it will not be that way. The people building the replicas have the commitment, and integrity that I mentioned above.