Museum Projects.
Currently, the Museum of Mountain Flying is engaged in several projects, ranging from rather simple to quite complicated. In our efforts to preserve Montana's Aviation history, we are working as hard as we can to expand our museum's display.
DC-3/C-47 N24320: Our DC-3 is our pride and joy here at the Museum, and is our centerpiece. However, our goal is to fly her, and have a flying history lesson and memorial to those lost at Mann Gulch, as well as those on other wildland fires. We currently are attempting to restore her to her exact condition that she was in 1949, when she dropped the smoke jumpers over Mann Gulch. This needs several more items to do so, the most pressing is an original two piece nose cone to replace 24320's current fiberglass radar nose. This is in addition to our efforts to keep N24320 airworthy.
This is our Snow S2C crop duster, recently donated to us by a Missoula Local. It is mostly complete, and our goal is to restore this aircraft to a static display representing Sprayer/Fire Bomber aircraft that are currently in use in Montana.
This is currently the most ambitious effort yet. This is the remains of Johnson Flying Service's FIRST Ford Tri-Motor, a Wasp powered 5-AT. This plane was wrecked in 1938 at Big Praire Airstrip, Pilot Dick Johnson, brother of Montana Aviation Pioneer Bob Johnson, was at the controls and survived the crash with no more then a bump on the head. Sadly, the Ford was destroyed. Engines and other components were salvaged by Johnson Flying Service at the time of the crash, leaving the wings and fuselage to be reclaimed by the wilderness.
Currently, this wreck, which is legally owned by the Museum of Mountain Flying, is at the edge of what was once the Big Praire Airstrip, 25 miles inside the Bob Marshall Wilderness area. This poses many problems for the Museum, due to the fact that no machines are allowed in wilderness areas. We are currently working with the Forest Service to devise a plan to get the wreck out, but it isn't easy. More updates on this will come as soon as we know more!
Other Projects:
Static Restoration of Aeronca L-3 (pics coming soon)