Worlds only USMC Mitchell PBJ-1J Restoration CAF's Semper Fi

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:32 am

John, Ken, Marc, Scott and I got together yesterday for a rare Monday workday. The right wing upper attach angle was ready to be pulled off, cleaned up, shot with primer, buttered with sealant and bolted on for good.

It won’t be long before the right wings goes back on permanently!

Dan

P.S.: Jeff Nelson will be out next week to start on the wiring!!!!!!!!!!!

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:49 pm

This is just a little update. Jeff Nelson will arrive at CMA tomorrow to start on wiring the PBJ! We have been waiting for this for a long time. Jeff is driving down from Washington after completing work on Paul Allen’s BF 109.

I will take a ton of pictures during this multi week process and post a few on WIX.

I confess that I am a little excited!

Jeff Nelson · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:54 pm

Dan Newcomb wrote:

This is just a little update. Jeff Nelson will arrive at CMA tomorrow to start on wiring the PBJ! We have been waiting for this for a long time. Jeff is driving down from Washington after completing work on Paul Allen’s BF 109.

I will take a ton of pictures during this multi week process and post a few on WIX.

I confess that I am a little excited!

Just a minor correction so we don't overly excite those who are sticklers for the details... I'm driving in from PHX (had to get the truck and trailer) and I was working with Dave Goss on FHC's Fw 190. The weather cooperated just enough so that Steve Hinton got in a short test flight.
I'll be leaving PHX Tuesday morning. It's a 10 hour drive thanks to California's 55mph limit for trucks with trailers (what's up with that?) so I will see you Wednesday morning. Looking forward to working with you guys!

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:07 am

Thankfully I didn’t screw up too bad! I’ll blame it on old age. I also will advise you that if you try and drive 55MPH in California big rigs doing 70 will run you down!

See you tomorrow,

Dan

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:53 am

PBJ crewmembers along with Jeff Nelson have been working every day on this since last Wednesday. Yesterday was my first day to contribute and since I have never done aircraft wiring I had a lot to learn. I learned how to use the wire-imprinting machine, which I found quite interesting. I learned all about combing wire, not my favorite thing, and the first steps about bundling temporarily with tie wraps. I also learned that Jeff Nelson has strict quality standards that if not rigidly adhered to by a novice like me will put you in “head slap” territory. Personally I think that might be construed as “elder abuse” but since he is approaching 60 that might not fly. I do know however that when I’m cruising along at 4,000 feet I won’t be worried about the wiring! I don’t know if J.B. has had the cranium thump applied but I noticed his wire bundles on the left wing looked damned near perfect!

There will be crewmembers working with Jeff Nelson everyday for the next 8 days before he has to head back to Phoenix. He will return later to finish up. With the guys working 14 days in a row and considering Jeff Birdt and Marc Russell and Mike Hohls have day jobs I think this demonstrates the team’s commitment to getting this project in the air as soon as possible. I only wish I could get down to CMA more often.

Pogmusic · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:11 pm

I love all the work you're doing on this magnificent bird. Why zip ties? Is there a more historically correct option that is FAA approved? Not complaining, just curious. I turned my fair share of wrenches and screw drivers on the B-25 Iron Laden Maiden years ago in Lawton, OK.

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:31 pm

The zip ties are only temporary. This is part of the process. The finished work will be string laced. The finished product will look much better than what you see now.

Pogmusic · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:44 pm

Awesome! Looking good you guys!

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:35 am

Our crew has performed magnificently over the last two weeks. The crew even worked on the 4th! John I believe has been there every day without a break. Marc has spent most days in the hangar. Mike has put in extra time in between trips as well. Jeff however gets my biggest “attaboy!” with Marc, who as crew chief gets all the stress, coming in a close second. When you realize that Jeff, Marc and Mike put all of this time in and still work day jobs you can get some indication of their commitment to this project.

Jeff is a line mechanic for a major carrier and works a 40-hour week. Jeff has sacrificed all of his days off the last two weeks for our cause. Jeff has spent his time helping the other Jeff (Nelson) owner of Custom Connections, in stringing wires. Both of these guys have worked their butts off.

In that time the main focus has been on the wiring with the secondary goal of hanging the right wing. Well the boys exceeded all expectations. The wiring while not complete is ahead of schedule. The right wing is up for good and Marc and the boys got fired up over all the progress and hung both engines. The engines our temporary as they need to be rebuilt (read big bucks) but in the mean time this gives us ballast and helps with the wiring and also gets them off the floor as room in our hangars is at a premium.

Jeff Nelson will be going back to Arizona next week but will return in a few weeks to continue with the wiring. In the coming days we will focus on finishing the left wing and putting it up for attach angle drilling.

The adventure continues….

Django · **Posted:** Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:16 pm

Looks like she's really starting to take shape. :drink3:

T33driver · **Posted:** Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:55 am

Dan,

Check your PMs

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:31 pm

Sometimes things happen unexpectedly. A few days ago we were informed that the company that will be doing our engine rebuilds would be down our way on other business so why not pick up one of ours at the same time. We couldn’t pass that up! Now if I can only find a spare 60 our 70 grand lying around!

alex009 · **Joined:** Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:22 pm **Posts:** 2

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Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:50 am

Getting ready for the Airshow.

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 1:40 pm

Look what Jeff Nelson from Custom Connections brought us! Nobody does electrics better!

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