Warbird Information Exchange

Santa came early bearing this gizmo that is making Larry do the Happy Dance. It sits on top of the stack of the center aft console radio control heads although it is not a radio. As can be seen, it is set up to release bombs in the bomb bay in the selected sequence and time interval. Thanks to Randy L up in the Billings who scouted it down for us and "assisted" Santa with the acquisition. We have been needing this to complete the stack for quite awhile. Now we can finish up this detail. Kay will look real good with this last item for the cockpit. Whooo hoooo, there is a Santa Claus!!!! Joy to the World. The Other JR

Should be a pretty day on Saturday for the team to get a lot done. One step backwards though. One of the carbs has to come back off and be sent for inspection. There may have been some problem caused in shipping or something. The links don't line up right. Anyway, the ICAS Convention starts in Las Vegas on Sunday. This will be my first visit to that event. Hope to learn something about marketing and lining up airshows for Kay. The CAF Invader Squadron is going as well and will have a booth at the exhibit hall. Looks to be a fun time. So ok, somebody has to do it! I'm sure the real JR can handle it all while I'm gone. Don't be shy about coming out to visit the team on any Saturday. They will be chipping away at all the details left to go. Only an ice storm that closes the roads has ever really shut us down. Now that is dedication.
On the road again, the Other JR!!

This week, Las Vegas's Rio Hotel is full of airshow performers & event organizers along with all the people in between. ICAS held a great opening session followed by super breakout sessions about the many facets of producing a show. The exhibit hall was full of enthusiastic people meeting & greeting. Many show contacts were made. So far, so good! Interest is picking up in A-26's & this makes us very happy!
Be sure to check out our FB page for the latest pics of the cockpit progress.
http://www.facebook.com
Live & direct, JR

Over 2000 people attended the ICAS Convention in Las Vegas setting a new record. The final event was the formal banquet where the new members of the Board of Directors were announced. We were pleased to see that Ft Worth's own Bell Helicopter Alliance Airshow garnered one of the new seats on the ICAS Board. Several other performers & staff members were honored for their service in putting together the convention. It was an interesting day when I wore the Special Kay T shirt & got several comments or questions about when the airplane would fly. Matt Jolly from Warbird Radio was particularly interested. We met several show organizers who are interested in having us make an appearance. It was also great to sit with six members of the US Army's Golden Knights at the dinner tonight. Made me wonder if they would like to try out the "Carpetbagger's" method of dropping agents from an A-26 bomb bay. They simply put two agents on the doors & when they were over the target drop zone at night, they opened the doors without warning. Don't you know that was a stress filled ride all the way there. Being a spy behind German lines in WW2 might have been easier than the ride over??? Anyway, the meeting is now officially over & we can't wait until next December to meet everybody again & promote Kay. It is about time we finally get to tell the story & this will be a grand beginning. Now if we can just finish her makeover!!

Forgot to mention that "Carpetbagger" drops were made at 500 ft above the terrain. And there was no heat in the bomb bay. The very first Carpetbagger mission in an A-26 was a disaster when the airplane impacted in a level attitude into a lake bed that was nearly all mud. The wreck site was not found until some time after the war ended. A-26's assigned to the unit were retained under the 8th AF instead of the 9th or 15th AF. Kay's history card stops with the 8th AF but since only five aircraft were assigned to the Carpetbagger's, we don't know if Kay was destined for that mission or whether it was moved to the 9th. She didn't leave England for the Med in all probability. We would love to find a picture in her WW2 configuration. 44-34198 was the AAF number. Ck our FB page for latest pics. www.facebook.com/a26specialkay

The B3A arrived and was turned over to Larry. After studying the unit, only three pins and a light, we haven't figured out exactly how it works. Must be mojo. Anyway, its all cleaned up, and in its rightful place. Sure looks good. Thanks Randy!

Another gift was unwrapped, the aux panel overlay is all reconditioned! Unbelievable how nice it looks. The guys hooked it up, powered it up and everyone oohed and aahe'd while taking photos. Since we are not ready for the final install the unit was enshrined safely in the lighted case in front of Kay.

The pedestal lights were tripping the breaker at approx. 80% load. The guys tracked it down to a bad splice. All fixed now. Check. Ray is back from his big adventure. Great to see him and Louis aka the night shift with their tool boxes open and up working on the fuselage. The ADF antenna cover was the focus of their attention. Check that box completed.

Ed, Tim & Jim worked the No 2 electric harness install. Finally check that box complete. They moved over to No 1 engine and worked vacuum line routing. Put an almost in that box.

Warn and humid today, hangar floor was dangerously slick. We noticed a fella in a strange suit had a run-in with a certain B29. Over and out from Special Kay.

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The real JR

Curious, and it may have been covered previously, but when it Kay going to receive some paint? Can't wait to see her in camo if that's the plan

- Dennis S.
Westminster, CO USA

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"We must bond together and fight as brothers or we will all die as fools."

Dennis, our plan is to fly the airplane first & then paint. Yes, it will go back to SEA camo & the same markings it had at England AFB, LA. We want to make it to Oshkosh in July. It will be close, but we are going as fast as we can & still do it right.

As my Sergeant at work says, only move as fast as you can make good decisions!

Looking forward to seeing it

- Dennis S.
Westminster, CO USA

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"We must bond together and fight as brothers or we will all die as fools."

...and the little home made screw driver we found in the cockpit sidewall - its ferrous, so it's not one that was likely used in compass calibration...

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The real JR

If you are wondering what JR is talking about. See it on http://www.facebook.com/a26specialkay
You do not have to be a FB member to view our page.

More pics of the cockpit with the newly restored upper pedestal panel for the supercharger controls, emergency brakes & control lock are posted on our FB page. The panel is lit up in the last shot. It sure is turning out nice thanks to some hard working guys. Be sure to stop by our page.
The team will probably be short a hand or two this coming Saturday and perhaps the next as the holidays draw some away. The VFM museum is having a potluck dinner for those who are VFM members and others who volunteer in the hangar. Where there is good food involved, you can bet some Kay guys will participate!! We wish you peace & joy for the holidays! The Other JR

The luncheon was as advertised... good food & excellent company! The "Night Shift" finished up the repair & installation of the last antenna housing on top of the fuselage. The original had deteriorated badly from sun exposure & allowed water to come in. Ray & Lou did the repair & installed the rebuilt housing that was done by Clay some time ago. Meanwhile Rand & JR started work on cleaning up the air vent & eyebrow windows for the cockpit. Jim S plowed ahead on keeping our records up to date & work signed off. Work continued on the various lines for the engines, etc. Overall, it was a productive day!
Live & direct from soggy Seattle, the Other JR.

Looks like we will have to find replacements for the two eyebrow windows that go above the windshields. Meanwhile Ray nearly has the left nose gear door finished and ready to hang. We can then do a series of gear swings to make sure that all works properly. We plan to work Saturday as usual. Visitors are always welcome. Happy Holidays to everyone! The Other JR

Merry Christmas to all from the Special Kay crew. Best wishes to all, especially those who are far from home in the service to, or support of our nation.

We are all taking today off, but will be back at it tomorrow (Saturday) 26th. The GGA DC3 is conducting Christmas light flights thru the 31st. FTW weather is not looking too great for the next 3 days, but stop by the hangar anyway, there is always something going on. The other JR is in the land of Boeing. Rumor is he's been gone so long he may need a visa to
re-enter the Republic

http://www.gga1.org/

The real JR

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The real JR