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Brad Pitt buys new airplane.

I know no one personally who has been killed in a Cub. The guy who flew the Bearcat at Reno would buy me a tank of gas every time I flew in to his duster strip - he died when something happened during cruise flight. A good buddy's uncle died in a P-51 a couple decades ago. There are a lot fewer warbirds than Cubs, and my stories are not statistics, but I am going to go out on a limb here and say the Cub is significantly safer to operate than one of these WWII fighters.

I agree with the sentiments above - Brad will probably be a superb Spitfire pilot. He should get a couple hundred hours in a Cub or Stearman first.

Opinion.
 
A very good friend and fellow PA-12 owner was killed in a 65 HP Champ - it was pilot error, stalled on takeoff. The Champ stalls differently than a Cub. And I would venture to guess that the warbirds are much less forgiving in flight characteristics than a Champ. I imagine that one must be very aware and focused to fly those old beauties safely. And even with perfect piloting, there are complex electric-hydraulic-mechanical systems that can fail. Just musing here - - I suspect it is every pilot's dream to fly those WWII fighters, but I think a more serious mindset would be required, as compared to hopping in the Cub for a little flight. As the man said, opinion!
 
I have seen nothing to give the thought that Mr. Pitt is not willing to be focused and engaged while flying his aircraft. Seems we are going into some sort of idea warp that we all know who the gentleman is...


Well, let us review what we know:

1. he is an actor that makes enough $ to invest in his passions, some by donation to others, some by buying his dream

2. he is married and adopted children

3. his choice of aircraft is impeccable

4. I am a bit jealous

5. We share his love of aircraft

6. contrary to others on this site, he decided to get training BEFORE he flies his new aircraft

7. He (I am guessing here) can afford to pay for a good annual each year, including having repairs made, to a Spitfire

8. He can afford to schedule, and fund trips to airshows to show children and adults that piece of history

9. his politics might be different than ours

And the one thing we know about him, the number one top ten:

10: we all sound like A$$s speculating about him and his life!;-)
 
Cub junkie said:
11. He has Angelina to come home to.
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That might be the sole reason for me to crash the thing.... but some of the other comments here sound like they're coming from some of the posters neighbours... "look at that rich bugger flying low over my house, who the hell does he think he is... probably running drugs.. how else does he pay for that and his airstrip?"

Come'on folks... I have no real use for Pitt or his acting, but he earned his money and is free to spend it where he seems fit..... unlike someone that put his Saratoga in the Ocean ... with just a couple hundred hours of flight time after thinking Oshkosh would be a fun visit.
 
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Impeccable choice indeed! Good for him...
perhaps one of the most beautiful aircraft ever made ...
so cool to see them still flying ! what an honor it would be to own one
 
1. Do you actually believe what you read on a celebrity website on the internet.
2. Buying a Spitfire if an I emphasize IF its true is far from the worst thing a celebrity has done with their money.
3.Why is it any of my business.
 
Pierce- What does it actually take to maintain one of these? Lets say you spend a few million on a restored airframe. How expensive is an annual? How long does a Merlin go before it needs overhaul? It seems that the restoration of a warbird is an epic undertaking but maybe once that is completed they might have relatively normal operating expenses...
 
nanook said:
It is hard to admire much coming out of Hollywood these days. There are so few people there that seem to represent anything even remotely positive. Brad at least seems to place value on family and raising children. I'm not sure if buying a WWII fighter is the responsible path for a father of so many children. Being a low time pilot makes it seem even a bit more risky. Then again, I'm probably just jealous....
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+1 Unlike the Hollywood P-51 owner Tom Cruse who is a complete flake and the 99% rest of the Hollywood crowd. Brad & Jolie have adopted three kids. Made the largest personal donation to the United Nations refugee program and I applaud them.
 
Alaska_Rallyer said:
Pierce- What does it actually take to maintain one of these? Lets say you spend a few million on a restored airframe. How expensive is an annual? How long does a Merlin go before it needs overhaul? It seems that the restoration of a warbird is an epic undertaking but maybe once that is completed they might have relatively normal operating expenses...
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Thats funny right there! :lol:;-)

MTV
 
Alaska_Rallyer said:
Pierce- What does it actually take to maintain one of these? Lets say you spend a few million on a restored airframe. How expensive is an annual? How long does a Merlin go before it needs overhaul? It seems that the restoration of a warbird is an epic undertaking but maybe once that is completed they might have relatively normal operating expenses...
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The radial engines are way more rrliable. When I worked on the in the early to mid 9th we figured a Mustang took 14 hours of maintenance for example era hour flown. Not sure on the two's of the engines but I do remember the radials exceeding 1000 hours. The P40 was a good economical war bird to operate. The Allison is pretty bulletproof, parts were readily available and the systems were simple. The Merlin is a pain to work on, water cooled with coolant lines and radiator. Blowers running high manifold pressure caused lots of maintenance on the he top enx. Corsair has a lot of systems with a lot of comical ed structures. Hydraulic gear, brakes, wing fold, later models canopy. Lots of lines and actuators. I have forgotten a lot I know since I got out of it in 1997 and I am sure there is someone here that can put numbers to a lot of this stuff. They are way cool but take lots of man hours.
 
I was chatting with a mechanic at Chino a long time ago, who was working on a P-51. He told me that a T-33 was the least expensive to operate. Just fill them with fuel and go. Their maintenance requirements were very low. They sure don't sound like a Merlin though!
 
I would guess that a Merlin has a very short TBO when operated like it was designed. Probably in the neigborhood of 200-300 hours. I doubt Brad will ever get than many hours in it anyway!
 
A fellow can easily buy more airplane than he can fly. Maybe his new purchase will keep him busy and we won't be hearing about him.
 
Hey - another warbird question. Is anybody in the US operating/restoring/maintaining any of the German aircraft, like the Me 109? I understand there's one in McMinnville, OR that is flight worthy at the Evergreen Air Museum - does it ever go to shows? I saw one in Munich last year - on display.

There were something north of 33,000 of those things built - double the production run of the p51 mustang. I guess most were shot down or destroyed during/after the war.
 
There are a handful in the states with the inverted engine and a bunch of CASA built ones with the Merlin. There is an original German built one going together in Illinois right now.
 
soyAnarchisto said:
Hey - another warbird question. Is anybody in the US operating/restoring/maintaining any of the German aircraft, like the Me 109? I understand there's one in McMinnville, OR that is flight worthy at the Evergreen Air Museum - does it ever go to shows? I saw one in Munich last year - on display.

There were something north of 33,000 of those things built - double the production run of the p51 mustang. I guess most were shot down or destroyed during/after the war.
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Now your talking my area......Ed Russell of Russell Aviation in Niagara, Canada is selling his BF-109 E "White 14 ". This particular "Emil" has WW II history and is impeccable and regularly flies. Various videos on youtube with that Daimler 601 blower howling !! Go to : platinumfighters.com and then inventory to get all the details.Then watch it in action: youtube.com/watch?v=19teA1bHvY8 Seriously,well worth your time......Herman.
 
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I don't begrudge anyone who has worked for their money, anything they can afford. And when you think about all the young guys during WWII who took their training and were probably thrown into those planes with relatively low time, and survived, he'll probably be ok. I would imagine that his insurance agent will insist that he gets the proper amount of training to satisfy the underwriters. Go man, Go!
 
What's he want for it? Will he take a J3 in trade? I'd maybe sweeten the deal with a few grand and a case of oil. lol

HATIN11R said:
Now your talking my area......Ed Russell of Russell Aviation in Niagara, Canada is selling his BF-109 E "White 14 ". This particular "Emil" has WW II history and is impeccable and regularly flies. Various videos on youtube with that Daimler 601 blower howling !! Go to : platinumfighters.com and then inventory to get all the details.Then watch it in action: youtube.com/watch?v=19teA1bHvY8 Seriously,well worth your time......Herman.
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