Aero Vintage Books

I'm an aspiring warbird owner. Other than your regular private and muti-engine licence, what is required to qualify to fly a warbird? I was curious for anything from a Mustang to the B-17's. Thanks for the help...

To answer your question---- The Collings Foundation WW2 B17 and B24 are flown by volunteer airline pilots.

Any aircraft over a certain weight (I believe it's 12,500 pounds) requires a Type-Rating on your Pilots License. In order to get such a Type-Rating you should expect to spend a lot of money, and I mean a lot.

If you want to own a Warbird (that catagory includes many types and models) you had better have deep pockets, because they're not cheap to acquire or to operate.

However, if you're so inclined, try an L-bird (the L-2, L-3, L-4 or L-5) to start. Then as you gain in your knowledge of Warbirds, trade up to something more powerful. Try a BT- or a single engine AT-, if your pockets are still deep. After that, go for the twins (like a C-45). Then, it's on to the B-25s and A-26s (very deep pockets needed now). You can also try to own a P-51 or P-47, or even a P-38 (if your pockets are still deep enough). Then maybe, just maybe, you might find a B-17 for sale sometime.

If you do have such deep pockets that money is no problem, perhaps you'd be interested in helping to pay for the ongoing restoration of some Warbird, like a B-17? Or, perhaps the creation of a long gone aircraft like a B-17D.

A few years ago I helped in the restoration of a B17, After it was completed, I was told that it was sold for 1 million$, strickly heresay.

Since the initial message of this posting was listed so long ago, I wonder if old Cadillac_of_the_Sky has lost interest?