Aviation Collectibles - Greatest Generation Aircraft Auction

B-25 Pacific Prowler

Collecting, it is what we do when we gather things of meaning and importance to us. Some like to gather memorabilia to bring back memories from times gone by. In this day and age we see numerous TV shows filling the cable channels that highlight people hunting, searching and digging for collectibles all over the country. Cars, airplanes, toys, antiques and all manner of items!  Maybe to add that specific item to their personal collection, turn it into a decorator piece, show off in their "man cave" or to sell for a profit to perpetuate the collecting addiction!  To feed my curiosity... ok... and my own addiction I found a local auction to attend.

It was a cold morning inside the Vintage Flying Museum hangar at Meacham Field in Fort Worth.  Too cold for me to be out early on a Saturday morning but I sure did want to see the aviation collectibles, memorabilia, military gear and vintage aircraft parts that were to be sold at the charity auction.  The Greatest Generation Aircraft collection  was looking to attract bidders to raise funds to pour back into their collection of vintage aircraft. Jim Terry and his crew operate the B-25 "Pacific Prowler" and the C47 "Southern Cross." Also a part of the collection, waiting in the back of the hangar, was the B-26K "Special K" receiving attention from the volunteer restoration crew.

Jim Terry

The hangar opened early for bidders to preview the auction items. I arrived about 8:30 am to look around.  The museum hangar had several areas set up to showcase the auction items. The heated side room was most popular on this cold morning.  Aircraft parts, flying helmets, engines, military gear and artwork had collectors scribbling notes in their auction catalogs.  Aviation enthusiasts could hardly contain their excitement at the prospects of owning these unique offerings and in knowing that the funds would be used to maintain vintage aircraft.

About forty people gathered in the hangar before auction start time at 9:00 am, but it quickly swelled to seventy as the auctioneer started the opening bids. A few bidders established themselves as serious buyers and most items sold well.

Highlights...

Bartlett Hayward wooden propeller - $1700

Cowtown Cyclone tribute art cowling - $600

F-86 drop tank shark art - $2000

Beechcraft Bonanza wing section - $500

Remote control glider with 14ft. Wingspan - $225

T-28A Trojan - $7000

Other highlights...

Customized KC 135 crew seat - $600

Wright Cyclone R-2600 - unsold as it did not meet reserve - this R2600-3 would have been installed on a Boeing Clipper or an A-20 Havoc.

B-25 cowling nose ring - $1300

B-17 cowling - $1500

The auction wrapped up at about noon.  Hats off to the Greatest Generation Aircraft and the Vintage Flying Museum for a smooth auction.

My personal aviation memorabilia collection includes autobiographical books of famous aviators, vintage magazines, aircraft manuals and aircraft models.  (I do offer some items for sale on occasion using eBay - Link to eBay items.)

What do you collect?  What are some of your prized possessions?

Links - Great Generation Aircraft - Flying Cowboys - Vintage Flying Museum