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Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation (MARC)
Yesterday's Air Force (YAF)
Founder & President: David C. Tallichet (deceased)
Vice President: Cecilla Tallichet
Chief Engineer: Joe Krzeminski
Chino Airport, California, USA
Click For EnlargementMilitary Aircraft Restoration Corporation (MARC) is a private company, there is no museum open to the public, or displays. In the early 1970s as "Yesterday's Air Force". It is one of the longest running aircraft recovery and salvage companies, with hangers and storage space at Chino Airport. Later renamed "Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation" (MARC) have been involved in dozens of recoveries, and a few restoration projects. Founder David Tallichet was a World War II veteran who served in Europe, and a successful businessman who owned The Proud Bird with a passion for historic airplanes. Tallichet was also associated with Historic Aircraft Recovery Corporation (HARC).

Collection
During the early 1970's a number of aircraft wrecks were recovered from the Pacific, mostly from Papua New Guinea Tadji Airfield by Charles Darby and Monty Armstrong in 1974.

P-40N Warhawk Serial Number 42-104961
Recovered in 1973. In storage, no restoration work completed

P-40N Warhawk Serial Number 42-104959
Recovered in 1974, stored until 2002 sold to John Fallis in Lafayette, Louisiana

A-20G Havoc Serial Number 43-21627
Recovered in 1974. Under sporadic restoration for the past 30 years today at PIMA Air Museum

A-20H Havoc Serial Number 44-0020
Recovered from Nicaragua, under restoration in Beaver Creek, PA

Salvage Activities
The company has been involved with many salvage operations. They have also worked around the world to salvage other aircraft, including: Hawker Hurricanes from Eastern Canada, Hawker Sea Fury fighters from Iraq, A-20 & A-26 from Nicaragua and a B-29 from China Lake, Nevada. His team included Leo Gay who was a Northrop aeronautical engineer. Their involvement with Pacific aircraft includes:

B-24 Liberator Recovery
Recovered from India in 1972, this was the company's first recovery. This B-24 was returned to flying status, and tours the US air show circuit.

B-26 Marauder Recoveries
During 1971, several B-26's were recovered from Smith River, British Columbia, Canada including: B-26 40-1459 and B-26 40-1464

Tadji Recoveries 1973-75
Tallichet sponsored one of the world's single largest recoveries of aircraft wrecks, from Tadji in Papua New Guinea, with the majority of the work during 1974.  New Zealander Charles Darby and Australian Monty Armstrong preformed the recovery work. Most of the P-40s recovered by were taken from the dump sites at the end of the Tadji Airfield. The salvage work was easy, as all the aircraft were near the road and barge service was available to load them onto a barge and ship them via Lae then exported to the United States. The Tadji recovery removed over a dozen complete aircraft and parts. Aircraft salvaged included: A-20 43-21627 | P-39Q 42-19993 | P-39Q 42-19995 | P-39N 42-19027 | P-40N 42-104730 / A29-448 | P-40N 42-105915 | P-40N A29-405 | P-40N A29-414 | P-40N 42-105951 | Beaufort A9-13 | Beaufort A9-557 | Beaufort A9-559 | Beaufort A9-226 | P-39N 42-8740 | P-39N 42-19027 | P-39Q 42-19991 | P-39Q 42-20339 | P-40N 42-106101

Click For EnlargementB-17E 41-2446 (aka 'Swamp Ghost')
MARC was involved with the attempted recovery from 1998 until 2001. Later, Alfred Hagen bought out Tallichet's interests, and continued the project solo.

Passing of David Tallichet
On October 31, 2007 founder and president David Tallichet passed away. Afterwards, management of MARC and their aircraft was taken over by his wife Cecilla Tallichet and son John Tallichet. His chief engineer Joe Krzeminski also remained employed. It is unclear of the long term fate of the Tallichet collection or if MACR will remain active as a corporation.

References
Los Angeles Times Obituary "David Tallichet, 84; WWII pilot preserved historic planes" November 11, 2007


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