Warbird Radio Friday Favorite – Tom Reilly Master Restorer

Don Brooks P-40 Warhawks while it was still under restoration with Tom Reilly in Douglas, Georgia. (photo via Matt Jolley)


Don Brooks P-40 Warhawks while it was still under restoration with Tom Reilly in Douglas, Georgia. (photo via Matt Jolley)
Don Brooks P-40 Warhawks while it was still under restoration with Tom Reilly in Douglas, Georgia. (photo via Matt Jolley)

WarbirdsNews has another great piece from Matt Jolley and Warbird Radio that we thought we would share with you this morning for Warbird Radio Favorite Friday! This week Matt Jolley will revisit a story he recorded with the legendary warbird restoration guru, Tom Reilly.

Matt Jolley – In October of 2009, I’d just given up the anchor desk for FOX news in Macon, Georgia and soon found myself in Tom Reilly’s hangar two hours down the road in Douglas. Warbird Radio.com had been on the air for all of a month, but Reilly showed me around like I’d been in business for years. His hospitality has been the same ever since. For years I’d heard about Tom Reilly’s work, and had been a fan of his since I was kid. His restoration track record is impressive and perhaps unmatched: ten B-25’s, two B-17’s and a B-24, plus numerous others have flown again following his hard work and magic touch.

Tom Reilly working on the Allison V-1710 engine in Don Brooks P-40 Warhawk back in 2009. (photo via Matt Jolley)
Tom Reilly working on the Allison V-1710 engine in Don Brooks P-40 Warhawk back in 2009. (photo via Matt Jolley)

Listening to Tom’s interview is not only a trip down “Memory Lane”, it’s a great example of what it’s like to visit his hangar on any given day. There are projects and old airplane parts everywhere, and the work continues no matter who’s visiting. Reilly’s shop is a living, breathing embodiment of his passion for warbirds and the stories they tell. Sure it’s a business, but it’s his obsession with these flying machines that drives him forward. Take a listen and enjoy the tour of Mr. Reilly’s world.

Until next week!

 Link to the Audio Story: HERE

Matt Jolley

WarbirdRadio.com

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Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.

After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.

Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.

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About Richard Mallory Allnutt (Chief Editor) 1060 Articles
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends. After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups. Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.

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