And So it Begins......T-41B Restoration

[L-4Pilot]

12/28/2014

Not much accomplished this past week but did manage to get the KX-165 and audio panel back in, both new old stock military cockpit lights installed, and new seat rollers installed on the pilots and co-pilots seats. It was great to be able to put the seat in and make airplane noises today. We have a new black vinyl floor to put in when all other work is completed.

[Chappie]

The final paint will be the same as the three T41-B aircraft taken by the Air Force and shipped to Laos 1970-1972 during the "Secret War". Those serial numbers were 67-15066, 67-15067 and 67-15163. Some records show them classified as T41-D aircraft. These aircraft were flown as trainers, area orientation flights, and general utility by RLAF and US Personnel.

This sounds really cool. So it will be painted as a Laotian T-41? Check your inbox in a few minutes. While researching overall T-41 history I ran across some information on Laotian Cessnas.

Cheers,
Chappie

[L-4Pilot]

The final paint will be the same as the three T41-B aircraft taken by the Air Force and shipped to Laos 1970-1972 during the "Secret War". Those serial numbers were 67-15066, 67-15067 and 67-15163. Some records show them classified as T41-D aircraft. These aircraft were flown as trainers, area orientation flights, and general utility by RLAF and US Personnel.

This sounds really cool. So it will be painted as a Laotian T-41? Check your inbox in a few minutes. While researching overall T-41 history I ran across some information on Laotian Cessnas.

Cheers,
Chappie

Thanks

[L-4Pilot]

We completed the primary rewiring of the aircraft today after 10 months of off and on work along with other items. We replaced most of the wire with new and corrected a lot of problems in the process. We removed hundreds of feet of obsolete wiring left over from obsolete equipment long removed that had been installed by the DEA and Army:

UHF, FM, radio phone ,storm scope, ADF, DME and huge bundles from the old Army VHF installation. Still need to hook up the post lights when the panel goes in permanently and then she will go to the Avionics shop for her new equipment. The KX-165 , Stec AP and King HSI system are the only items left from the original equipment.

I have to admit I was holding my breath when I threw that master switch today. The plane will be lit up like a Christmas tree with wing tip strobes, tail fin red/white strobe and flashing navs. None of the instrument and radio lights were working when we got the aircraft.

[DH82EH]

Nice to see her returning to life.

Congrats!

Andy

[Ken]

Like those Auburn Tigers! War Eagle!

Ken

[L-4Pilot]

The post lights are not even turned on in these photos. Lighting is from the military red/white cockpit lights mounted on the pillars. Can be flood or spot, red or white. When completed the military center stack radios will have functional lighting.

[L-4Pilot]

Vacuum and static system along with instruments have now all been installed. We have begun installing the original Army control heads back in to the center stack, they will be inoperative but wired for lights. The FM (shown) and the UHF will be at the bottom of the stack below the KX-165 with the GNC-420 and audio panel at the top. The Sandia solid state X-ponder will be located in the 3 1/8 "" hole below the King GS head.

[flightsimer]

Its coming together nicely!

[kalamazookid]

This has been a really cool project and thread to follow. Really interesting to learn the details of the T-41 and see your commitment to getting them right!

[L-4Pilot]

We installed the new electronic fuel gauge to give us more dependable and reliable readings.

The Garmin GNC 420 has been fitted along with two original control military heads, they fit nice and tight. Still need to run additional rack rails up to hold the 2nd head. The UHF and ADF heads will be mounted up in the wing roots in racks.

The STEC AP has been sent out for repair and overhaul. The GNC 420 will receive a WAAS upgrade. The Sandia solid state transponder has not been installed. One shot shows the new firewall pad that has been completed.

[L-4Pilot]

Nice warm day yesterday so we pushed the aircraft outside and washed out the wing panels with mineral spirits. The insides of the wings are beautiful with most of the chromate intact. You can see where the last painter did not cover the inspection holes are hinge areas and sprayed white paint in to the interior of the wings.

[L-4Pilot]

We finally received the Aerospace Logic Oil pressure/temp gauge this week, took over a month. We had already flushed the pickling oil and filled with 100 W and after we finished installing the new gauge we preoiled and ran the starter.

We got 50 lbs of pressure with the starter so we will tidy up a few items and run the engine by Friday.

All wiring is now complete except for avionics and we installed all new vacuum filters, vacuum checked good with starter.

I really like the new electronic gauges.

[L-4Pilot]

We were finally able to track down and confirm the correct Grey color for the three T-41B aircraft reclassified as T-41D aircraft and sent to Laos in 1970 along with four T-41D aircraft. A photo of one of those T-41Bs, 67-15163 can be found here at the Lao Peoples Army History Museum, Vientiane.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Laos---A ... 1474183/L/

[L-4Pilot]

Ran the engine today. Oil pressure and temps good, new prop, prop governor, and newly overhauled fuel system worked perfectly. Mag check was good, test flight sometime next week. You Tube video link below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CclLo9Y ... e=youtu.be

Last edited by L-4Pilot on Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.