From our 2011 Year End Report:
Although we are just getting started on this huge restoration,
the S-60 team is very pleased with the progress
made in 2011.
• The structure at the aft cockpit door was repaired. (1)
S-60 Repairs by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
• The structure on the right side of the nose door was
rebuilt. (2)
S-60 Repairs by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
• Milford Fabrication has supplied us with four 3-1/2’ of
cross frames made to our blueprints. They have also cut
eight (8) blank end caps to be spliced to the frames. We
were able to make the tooling and form the end caps. (3)
S-60 Repairs by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
• Thanks to Bill Fickes with a little help from the rest of
us, the entire port side of the cockpit has been remanufactured.
(4)
S-60 Repairs by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
• Parts for the right side of the cockpit have been tooled
and manufactured by us and are ready to rivet.
S-60 Repairs by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
We are getting ready to make a fixture to ensure that all
these parts fit together. Also, in 2011 much work was
done on the center section of the aircraft. The cross wing
is being readied for removal. The forward side is ready for
removal. The aft side is in the fuel cell compartment. We
are trying to get another crew started to remove the fuel
cell and complete the removal of the cross wing.
The biggest accomplishment of 2011 was the knowledge
we gained from the project. A lot of research and engineering
took place. Al Dobyns, our engineer, has been
very busy behind the scene pulling blueprints, planning
and calculating the strength of our repairs.
After a lot of running around trying to get help with the
manufacturing of parts, we wound up doing most of the
work ourselves. Learning the toolmaking and making the
frames wasn’t the rocket science that it first appeared to
be.
At this time, a little over a year, the S-60 hasn’t cost the
museum anything. We will try to keep it that way as long
as we can. We have been using the material we have on
hand. Small items, paint, hand tools and even more
expensive items like brazing rod has been paid for by the
crew.
In 2012, we look forward to an even more productive
year. We now have a better picture of were we are going
and how to get there. We hope to add another crew or
possibly two in the coming year.
Currently the cockpit is on its side and has been gutted of all controls. Components are being cleaned and rebuilt and the underside has been resprayed to prevent corrosion after alot of cleaning
Sikorsky S-60 Restoration by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
Sikorsky S-60 Restoration by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
IMG_6609 by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
Sikorsky S-60 Restoration by
Cherry Bomb Photography, on Flickr
_________________
Andrew King
Executive Director
Connecticut Air & Space Center
https://www.facebook.com/ctairandspacecascstrtaford.wordpress.com
Restoration Director for the Sikorsky Memorial FG1-D Corsair Restoration
http://www.sikorskymemorialcorsair.com
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