1928 Command-Aire restoration

[rgj61]

picture of NC7885 from early 1930's in California Adams field:




picture from this past fall:







Here is a link to my online photoalbum of our 1928 Command-Aire restoration:

http://community.webshots.com/user/bobjenkins61

[Airplanejunkie]

Nice!!

[daveymac82c]

She looks amazing!

I look forward to the post restoration pictures!

Peace,

David

[The Inspector]

Hisso powered?

[Mike]

Hisso powered?

OX-5, I suspect

[Airplanejunkie]

Hisso powered?

OX-5, I suspect

Yes...I looked throught the album and it's an OX-5.

Some more neat pictures in the album of the airplane and its original owner. Very cool!

[rgj61]

I added a new picture in the photo album, we sprayed
the fuselage with first coat of poly-spray the other day.
I think there is close to 200 photos in my album now.

It is a 1928 Command-Aire with an Curtiss OX-5 engine.
My dad has owned the airplane since the 60's. The last
time it flew was around 1938. It has around 600 hours in
the logbook. I spoke with one of the original owners Cliff
Pleggenkule a few years ago. He told my dad the original
colors were orange sheetmetal, cream wings and tail surfaces,
and the fuselage fabric was a light yellow. We found the
original orange paint under the cockpit combing when we
removed it.
The airplane is very original. It has all it's original sheet metal,
seats, floor boards, instrument panels,wing walks, wings, struts, etc.
We rebuilt the wings with new spars, newly built ribs. We
were able to reuse all the fittings, wing tip bows, leading edge
strips and a few other pieces from the original wings.

[barnbstormer]

It looks GREAT! Nice to see you have, and are using the very rare instrument gauge cluster. Used to have two of them (loooong ago,,,)
But this is really driving me crazy (-er!)
I have spent yesterday afternoon and this morning looking for a beautiful piece of original fabric I have. It is a neatly cut side panel fabric with the CommandAire name and logo-the Large one- that was on the side of an original 1929 plane, with nice bright colors. hard to find because it is rolled up. and does not take up a lot of room. Not in the drawers or boxes I thought most likely. and I just saw it, while looking for other items, a few weeks ago!
Will keep looking...

[Mike]

Very nice indeed. Are you planning on taking it to any events when it is finished?

[Airplanejunkie]

Where is the project located?

[rgj61]

we are just north of Atlanta, Ga.

[rgj61]

I like this picture:

[Canso42]

Good job Bob. And a darn good job documenting the work too. Now for those of out not familiar with it, could you give a thumbnail sketch of the brand? How long was Command-Aire around? How many models and example built?

[wacoykc]

They were around from about 1927-30 and probably built less than 100 airplanes total.

[rgj61]

I added some new photos to the album. The wings are ready to cover and the fuselage is ready for paint. Just waiting on a few warm days...

Last edited by rgj61 on Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:40 am, edited 1 time in total.