I Bought an F16 Fighter Jet Prototype From NASA for only $260
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- Опубліковано 24 кві 2024
- Not clickbait, we really did just buy a one of a kind NASA prototype supersonic STOVL E-7 fighter jet for $260. We bought this jet sight unseen at auction and now we have to figure out what to do with it. This is a piece of aviation history that was used to test a supersonic STOVL F16 type supersonic fighter. It has a Rolls Royce jet engine and was designed by Gemeral Dynamics, based of the F16 fighting falcon. Should we donate it to a museum? Should we sell it? Should we try to get it running for the first time in 30 years? We also discuss a bunch of other unique NASA planes that were sold at auction cheap like the C141, QSRA, DC9, Falcon 20, etc.
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Restore the body for museum display. Pull the engine, clean it up for sale and sell it to help fund the body restoration.
100% agree
This is the way
For that engine, it’s worth it.
The restoration will be a lot easier that I originally thought, especially after seeing the construction.
The wings may not have to be cut.
It went together, it has to come apart.
lol, i just commented the same thing 🤣
Agreed
My vote is a museum. The 1st choice would be the museum there, no cutting involved. This is a rare piece of history and needs to be preserved! Pull the engine, clean it up an put it on display with the aircraft. It is a piece of the history too.
Well I’m just putting this out there, I’m an intern at ACE and the Florida Aviation Museum, and I can tell you right now we would love to have this thing
I worked there at AMES up until 2014. I used to walk around these planes wondering what would happen to them. I say try and restore it! This is all history and part of our understanding and progress in flight. Good to see they will (hopefully) be saved!!
Wow small world, were the planes in pretty rough shape 10 years ago too?
@@JRAviation it's hard to tell how much more from the video, but yeah, they were pretty weathered back then.
I was a Boeing flight test engineer when the YC-14 aircraft, which can now be seen at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, was in competition with the McDonnell Douglas YC-15, for the USAF. If you Google the YC-14 you can see many photos of this great aircraft. I flew many flights on this AC during the test phase and it was as incredible as it seems. One flight I recall was when our chase/photo plane, an F-86F, could not keep up with us on a max vertical rate of climb flight test in turns!
Wow small world, the YF14 was a crazy looking plane!
Should find a museum, in the DFW area, it was the birthplace of the F-16 and a lot of the old timers are still around to volunteer to restore it
My vote would be to send it to the museum but they don't need the engine, so remove the engine and sell it to fund the restoration of the body.
Should have bought all 3!
@JRGarage would’ve been epic to buy all three!
Of course, a logistical nightmare, but a once in a lifetime opportunity!
hey Jr garage, i didn't know you watch jr aviation too. you both should collab 😏
I am a 57 year old man who is working on getting my Medical finally updated enough to pass. (don't know why a CPAP is such a big deal)!!! I have been an aviation nut for most of my life and i am finally getting to the point I can do some of my dream. My wife grew up in Utah and when we were dating I would run outside to watch the F16's fly over her house from Hill AFB. We are now in Idaho and I would put that thing on a pedistal in my yard for $260. Mike Pattey might want that for his new aviation park in Spanish Fork Ut as well. Love watching you all with all the cool content. Thanks
If you can’t pass your private, maybe consider light sport rating?
My friends uncle did the electrical panel on the f16
Totally have to restore but I would be curious for at least a ballpark number. I feel like the go fund me would need many update videos and work to keep the fund growing enough to succeed. Your style of videos on a restore job for a museum and This is going to have your name in the story. That alone is priceless!
Contact Jimmy of Jimmy’s World. 😂❤
HE HAS TO
Jimmy's world or Rebuild Rescue would love to have it.
''I bought 20 tons of junk from NASA for only $260''
Man, this is the craziest purchase you’ve ever made, but for some reason it is so historic and unique it makes a good purchase at that price. I would say get her painted and then offer it to a museum. Just wow! 🚀
great for Mike Patey new hang area at his airport..........
Oh nice suggestion!
😅😅 that was my first thought also
I was going to post the same comment.
Please put it in a museum I’d love to see it!!
Try hitting up Mike Patey as he said he wants a jet for his new aviation park. Maybe he can help with a sympathetic visual restoration for historic and visual condition.
This and just get @heavydsparks to sling load it there, lol
A million years ago (1975-78) I watched the Jet Buffalo STOL test aircraft fly alot off of Moffett Field California where I was stationed with the US Navy. It was a unique thing to watch.
I feel like the best option is to try to sell the engine to fund a full exterior restoration and put it on display somewhere like Pima or Patey's Airpark maybe.
JR, that is an amazing acquisition my friend. In a small world coincidence, I did my undergraduate thesis on the ejector duct concept that this aircraft (amongst two other deHavilland Canada -- NASA QSRA and C-8A Augmentor Wing) demonstrated. My thesis was entitled "The Optimization of Thrust Augmenting Ejector Ducts" I used much of the research and data from this program in my thesis. Inspired by my summer job at Rolls-Royce Canada in 1987, and first full time job at Boeing deHavilland Canada as a designer in the Dash-8 300 program. The Powered Lift group at dHC was still around in 1988. I recall having a black and white image of the General Dynamics E7 in my thesis, but am amazed to see it survived, and you found it in the bone yard. Please let me know if I can assist in your refurbishment, etc.
Holy smokes, a small world indeed! Thanks for the comment.
Would you accept $270?
280$😂?
The closest museum would be the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos. They have an excellent collection of exotic prototypes. I would talk to them first. Surely there are other museums who would be thrilled to have it such as Evergreen. Fun fact, the Ames wind tunnel was designed to test a full fighter airframe and when it was running, was the single largest power consumer on the SF Bay peninsula. It has its own power substation.
Sell it for the steel.
Nope, the closest museum is the Moffett Field Historical Society: maps.app.goo.gl/1qDzs11ZjF8CA5rL7
This being the case, why wouldn't Hiller have snapped it up themselves? I would think, given their proximity, that they would have the inside track.
@@user-bc7xk9hg1k I'm wondering the same thing. Perhaps they only have budget for people to donate things. The costs to transport even just down the road will be significant. Or they didn't know about it.
The telescope plane is cool, I hope it goes to a museum.
About yours, I would say sell the engine and restore the frame for museum display
I worked on SOFIA two different times in Waco, TX at L3. I was mainly working on the rear cargo door area.
Cool! My girlfriends dad also worked on SOFIA at L3 back in the day! Will Jackson!
What's funny is I've always passively known about JR Garage being a gear head, and would occasionally watch their videos, but their JR Aviation channel is so good (as an equally geeky Avgeek) that I now watch both channels actively, JR Aviation just scratches the right itch that's a meld of my two favorite industries (aviation & cars). Keep up the great work, y'all!
Right on! Thanks for watching!
Thrust SSC which broke the land speed record was also powered by Rolls Royce Spey engines.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite UA-cam channels! Good work!
Glad you enjoy it!
Enjoyed your enthusiasm, great aviation history you caught.
This has got to be the strangest story I have evey heard. CONGRATS on saving a piece of history..
looks more like a F-16XL than a F-16A/B model, very cool piece of history
That's what I thought it was at first (from the video thumbnail). I figured they just unloaded one of the 2 long forgotten F-16XL testbodies. NASA kept one for research flights into the late 80's.
restore it and put it in the nasa museum
The c 141! Such a awesome airplane it makes me disgusted that it will most likely end up at scrap metal
Please for the love of God restore that F-16!
This is awsome! ONLY IN AMERICA. Might be an idea to message Cleetus Mcfarland. He just purchased an airstrip and is one of the keenest people alive. Garruntee he would be interesting in doing something with this jet! Get it running!
What a wild awesome story. You told it very well! You obviously love aircraft.
you should turn it into a operational plane, and put a seat and stuff in it, and fly it.
Use the sale of the engine to help restore the body. It belongs in a museum … thank you for the video. FTR - I share NASA’s natal day & I appreciate what you did.
Amazing channel - love this content. Thanks JR
Glad you enjoy it!
You are always entertaining! Love your channel!
Thanks so much!!
Home run of a score. Congrats!
I actually got up close with the QSRA at Moffitt in 1991 at "The Last Airshow" when Moffit was set to close as Moffitt Naval Air Station. In 2005 I flew in the B-17 "909" at Moffitt. My grandfather was stationed there for a short perion in the 1930's (yas I'm old). Love your stuff guys, please continue
Pima Air & Space museum in Tucson would be a good candidate.
The Caribou led to a Boeing prototype for a Hercules replacement competing with a Douglas with a slat STOL system. Ultimately they just updated the Hercules but the Douglas design led to the larger C-17.
Maybe another option (no idea if it’s even possible)…would it be possible to build it into something that is airworthy? Your own plane? If it was just the shell I’d say the museum/display idea is fine, but I feel like a plane is just like a car if it’s got usable parts, it’s not meant to be kept in a garage/museum
I worked on their B52H when it was still active duty at Barksdale AFB. I think its tail was 60-0025. I helped to declassify it before it was flown to Edward's AFB.
Who knows, it might end up at auction sometime.
The Falcon 20 Jet looks like an aircraft from an early James Bond movie....Gold Finger, I believe. It was in one of the final scenes.
I'm amazed the beast with the high payload and super short takeoff and landing wasn't snapped up by somebody in the import export trade. I'd have thought she'd have been rather popular with our friends in columbia.
When Buffalo project ended most foreign air forces began selling them off. Still fair num er of the DHC-5s flying. Check out some in use in Africa and even 1 known operating in Alaska. Long term prospects since originally designed to replace Caribou didnt pan out, type certificates for the aircraft in US not pursued (money). De Havilla D had at the time a DHC-7 (4 PT-6 engines) which evolved in to DHC-8. The DHC-5 was an unpressurized plane so very limited commercial value. As well with GE 64 series engines used mainly by the military not so simple to keep operational.
But a missed opportunity as the DHC-5D had a 9 ton cargo capacity, STOL design and cargo ramp.
The other cons - limited production (208 units) and absolutely worst electric/electronic systems mostly procided by Lucas Electrics out of the UK.
As well when De Havilland sold out to Bombardier Canada all the tooling jigs and form for the Buffalo's was scrapped. There really hasn't been a new plane with similar gross cargo capability, ramp load/unload STOL and rough field operational capabilities since. If brought back with mire modern turbofans,better electrics and modern avionics - this could be a very desired and useful aircraft.
BTW - the Buffalo was an exception in aircraft. Max takeoff weight if approx 42,000lbs was same as max landing weight. And while the NASA jet version landed on the Carrier, a DHC-5D at full gross weight would stop in 650ft and takeoff near same!
Bro , i am watching from Bangladesh 🇧🇩 . You are an inspiration to me.❤❤❤
option 3. great for a flight sim room. 😊
I’d love to see what comes of this. Cool purchase!
It would be amazing to see it restored to its original condition although I volunteer at a aviation museum so I'm probably a little biased. I would personally try to locate a good museum to restore and display it.
Absolutely for resto. The GD E-7 is an interesting forgotten design, and to have the complete 1:1 WT model is a great starting point. The Spey doesnt need to be in it. The fan front and jetpipe can be mocked up. But I cant help thinking.....it'd make a super cool garden ornament!
Hey congratulations on that that auction buy. Before you go cutting off the wings and verticle tail fin and rudder assembly most oof those fighter type aircraft are designed to have temp remove. Once you remove the jet engine you should have access to hydrolic flight control lines ( hoses ) but be carefull as there may still be pressure in the hydrolic system. Those type of aircraft ( fighter type ) operated at 3500PSI, possibly more. Those hydronic actuators will be worth some money as well. Best of luck, seems like you have a good start on luck.
Amazing buy. Hope the museum deal works out ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️
If I’m right, that is a prototype of the F-16xl, which is why it has the delta wings.
Waiting for restoration...❤
please for the love of god restore this jet, its incredible and i always love seeing prototype aircraft restored to the point they were when they were first built.
Bid of a lifetime! Congrats! Lucky you!
What auction sites do you use? Love your content!
I did some work on the RR spey engine when I started as a aviation mech. If the engine is "undamaged" it will be worth a lot of money!
Deal of a life time if you go through with it. It realy comes down to it what you are willing to invest in it. I can see it becoming a camper von or some sort of road driven vehicle. Ie Jimmy's Elvis jet. You could finance it with the selling of the engin plus recycling of gold silver platinum inside the jet. To me, the fact you actualy got it for the price you did is mind-blowing. Good luck and what ever you do I for one can't wait to see the videos on it. Maybe you could colab with Jimmy and Jason from RBR DONT KNOW just a thoght.
At minimum the body should be put up for display at Pima Air and Space museum! I would love to be apart of that project, cool to see the test bed for STOVL technology!
If it were me I'd take the motor and hold onto it getting it reconditioned the ailerons would be custom and alot of the mechanics would be there I would take the opportunity to talk with researchers who worked the pros and cons out and maybe try building your own version or fix the cons with the model
I used to have that issue of Aviation Week laying around. Probably not around any more. If I find it, you can have it.
Gotta use it to avoid traffic and fly across town. That's what it's good for and now I'm inspired to do the same.
Dont cut it!!! That would be sacrilegious for a unique aircraft! My vote is the same as a lot of others, restore the airframe for a museum and sell the engine to help fund the body work! Cheers from Australia.
It would make a nice garden ornament or maybe a wind vane .
4:14 the qsra the quiet shorthaul research aircraft, I was a mover back in 2017 and I moved the main electrical engineer for this aircraft he gave me a one of very few wooden models and a 2ft by 3 1/2 ft long picture and I'm pretty sure the entire schematics on how the plane was wired. So crazy I'm seeing this video
Make it into the JR Aviation vrbo after selling the engine! Any NASA fan would love to spend a day just hanging out with such a historic thing
I woulda bought it for sure! Definitely a smart purchase IF you were planning for option... 3?
... the scrap/sell one.
Restore and preserve! Aviation history!
Spey was also used in the English Phantoms, the Blackburn Buccaneer, BAC-111 and Hawker Sideley / BAe Nimrod.
Super cool!
AWSOM. think it was great. hope you sell the engine for a great profit. Lee
this is crazy, there is so little info about this aircraft online, there's like a handful of pictures and sketches. this is most certainly worth restoring and putting in a museum, and quite frankly, i find it absolutely offensive to the history of aviation to suggest otherwise... (if i owned it, and had the funding/qualifications, i'd even try to get this beautiful piece of aeronautical engineer back to flightworthy condition.)
🤯 mind blown how short the take off and landing that plane did 😮
A true peice of engineering beauty.
You did very well!!! Certainly the engine is worth much more than $260, if you get the engine logbooks. Without the engine logbook, it's just about scrap...but more than 260 in scrap....
BTW..The 141 Starlifter which I "got to" ride in was a precursor to the C-17 not the 747.....The 747 is not only civilian, it's in a class all it's own.
Used to see NASA research planes flying between Ames/Moffett and Crow's Landing airport (Navy auxiliary field) out in the central valley right along I-5. They had the runway at Crows Landing marked off. with STOL dimensions
It looks like they used early versions of the F-16XL wings on this prototype.
In 1982 my name was put on a list of people to work on a STOVL F-16. It was canceled, but somehow I ended up on the Advanced Technology Fighter (ATF) which resulted in the F-22. So, the aircraft research model you purchased is the second time that was attempted.
Where did my comment go that points out that this has a display non-functioning engine in it?
GSA AUCTION:
SCRAP REPLICA/MODEL of E-7 Supersonic STOVL Aircraft. An obsolete and nonfunctional engine was installed with this replica aircraft for the purposes of display
simply crazy, do whatever u feel is right
Clean in up & mount it on a large free turning pole at the entrance to your airport as a windsock.
How about mock up the cockpit with a seat and instruments - could be non working ones just to give the look of the cockpit and turn part of the fuselage into an amusement park style ride with hydraulic rams pushing the thing around to simulate flight and monitors inside the cockpit to simulate the outside view, then pull out the engine and perhaps display that somewhere. I flew the F-18 Hornet simulator in Williamtown RAAF base back in 1986 while working on the construction of the simulator building. I'm thinking of a dumbed down simulator for kids.
What auction site was it? I need to buy something.
I imagine hoving the engines ontop would increase servicing costs quite a lot and i guess there's been little need for something like that.
I would love to see it restored!! I'd chip in!
Ok here is what you do with it. You chop the wings and tail carefully so you can reattach them and ship it up to your place in Montana. You rehab it to some extent (redo the wood leading edges) you mount it to a pole in a static display setting and use it for yard art when you build your house up on the air strip in Montana. You then have a easily identifiable location for visitors. Look for the house with the F16 on display.
If you do disconnect the wings and tail, make sure you can actually get it disconnected properly not the wrong way
Great Video ! The front end (a.k.a. cockpit) could make a great flight simulator ! tjl
Whatever you decide it was an epic buy !
Restored it to fall on flight mode by that I mean, get the engine to work and the hover ability to work as well to get the whole engine to work to full function abilities so you guys can show it off on a video and how it all works like it used to do in the back old days
Museum for the body they can put a mock up of the engine . Build a vehicle, boat or plane to put it in, if it is in reasonable shape or sell it to pay for the restoration of the E7.
Cheers
What websites are you usually checking for these auctions?
Pull the Engine, and sell it to help fund the restoration. For display purposes just put a dummy fan in it. The best place for it is at the Ames museum. I remember reading article about this design back in the 90's and wondered how cool is that? BTW, doesn't the front sectional look a bit like the Boeing X-32?
heck yes, I'm hooked
restore it! i would love to see it at some point!
couple mins in DUCKDUCKGO and this popped up about the NASA 715 :
This unique DHC-5 Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA) variant was a NASA research aircraft modified to study and develop Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) technology. The QSRA was among other things modified with 4 Lycoming F102 turbofan engines. It first flew in this configuration in 1978. This aircraft even performed a landing and takeoff on the US aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, (of course) requiring neither arresting gear nor catapult launch. The techniques learned from this Buffalo stood model for the Boeing YC-14/C-17 programme and is now preserved at Moffett Museum's airpark (CA)
Maybe an museum would want it there’s an museum in at that might want it
Dude, super cool
It would be a good for a remote airbnb location...
My vote is to pull the engine to make a little money off your investment and then work with a museum to restore a piece of aviation history. Most of your aircraft displays don't retain their engines anyway. The only aircraft I have seen in a museum that still had its engines was the eye watering fast SR71 at the Warner Robbins Airforce museum. The dead giveaway was a line of oil drip pans under both engines and the afterburner spray bars that you can see from the rear.
Exciting.... good decision.... win some.... win or loose