OD/NG wrote:
Michel Lemieux wrote:
Quote:
So strange seeing it sitting on jacks.... Why not gear down on pylons like Enola Gay?
That's the first thing I noticed also!
Just pure speculation here, but it could be one of several possibilities:
1) With the aircraft on jacks, the interior is completely inaccessible without a special ladder or forklift, etc. I know that NMUSAF policy is to usually let Veterans who have an association with specific aircraft to go inside their aircraft. Of course, this is not publically known, but with special NMUSAF Director permission, virtually all Veterans are allowed access to the cockpits/interiors of the aircraft they flew or worked on. By having the aircraft on jacks, this essentially cuts off that access. It could be that the NMUSAF doesn't want to tarnish or wear out the interior with Veterans constantly climbing or traversing the interior.
2) The interior is not finished and/or not fully restored. By having the aicraft on jacks, this denies access to photographers and/or critics from complaining about the interior restoration or lack thereof.
I've never seen any pictures of the fully restored cockpit of the M.B. Can anyone post one? This can either confirm or deny that this was the case pretty easily.
3) They wanted to position the aircraft in a dramatic "pose" that is somewhat unusual and different - an unusual setting for an unusual aircraft.
Anybody know why?
The decision to put her on stilts came from the directors, so I cannot speak for their reasoning.
I can tell you that the restoration of her interior will take a few more years. The
Belle is still largely hollow.
Lucky Thirteen is working with the Restoration Division at Wright-Pat as we have a lot of the same needs. The biggie is the interior insulation and fabric. We have a team from Clemson University working to put together a quote. So far, they're the only ones we've found who can accurately reproduce it.
That said, kapok is very flammable, so we'll need to find a non-toxic flame retardant to treat it with that wont break the bank.
In the meantime, the NMUSAF Restoration Division has been focusing on the waist and radio equipment. They're biggest problem has been in locating the correct .50 cal feed chutes. Since the old solid-feed chutes are likely extinct, they've got late-43 chutes in as placeholders.
Another need right now is Olive Drab no. 3 waxed canvas. Wright-Pat is reproducing for
L13 and
Belle a particular type of first aid kit, using a piece we have on loan to them. Problem is, we've had trouble locating a modern producer of this fabric. It's a little slick and very stiff, and the color is a bit more tan than your average OD.
If anybody can help with this stuff, let me know as these are some of the
Belle's needs at the moment.
As for
Lucky Thirteen: none of you guys have a Sierra Chemical toilet do you? Or some ARC-5 radio mounts?
G. A. Blume
Historian
http://www.GBlume.comhttp://www.HangarThirteen.org