One-Of-A-Kind Restored Boeing 40 To Appear At Arlington 2009

Addison Pemberton of Spokane, Wash restored the only flying Boeing Model 40 in the world. The aircraft had been lost in an accident in October 1928. The Boeing 40C had not graced the skies for 65 years made its maiden flight in February 2008.
The aircraft will makes it first appearance at the Arlington Fly-In, with clear skies the Boeing 40C plans on arriving at the Fly-In Friday July 10th. The Boeing 40C was part of the line of Model 40 aircraft built between 1925 and 1931, with a total of 10 Model 40C aircraft built in 1928-1929. The Model 40 was originally designed to be an air mail carrier and was later converted to passenger use. 

Pemberton began his drive to restore a Boeing 40 when he first saw one on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., in the early 1980s. He eventually acquired two Boeing 40C aircraft that had been involved in accidents more than 60 years earlier, and also acquired priceless drawings that detailed many of the 33,000 specific parts of the aircraft. 

“There is still a lot of original DNA left in this airplane from its last flight in 1928,” Pemberton said in EAA Sport Aviation magazine in its April 2008 issue. “One of our main goals in restoring this treasure was not to place it in a museum or keep it tucked away in a hangar. 

“It is my intention, as the custodian of this airplane, to share it with as many people as possible. Our plan is to fly the aircraft from Spokane to Arlington this summer and place the Boeing 40 on display.” 

The Arlington Fly-In is the third largest sport aviation event in the US. Over 1,000 aircraft and 60,000 guests participate in the week long festival of aviation. The 2008 Arlington Fly-In will be held July 8 – 12, 2009 at the Arlington Municipal Airport.

Source: Aero News Net