Saving a Warbird from the pole

gary1954 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:38 pm

ww2John wrote:

wendovertom -
Look up the recent "B25 - lake" thread to find the WIX'er who did some fantastic work on some plexiglas...lots of elbow grease...but worth the effort.
This a/c already looks good & can't wait to follow-up all your future updates (hint, hint).
:wink:

I looked it up for you. PM him and he will hafah the answers to the questions of which you seek.

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... c&start=30

Matt Sharkey · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 2:27 pm **Posts:** 223

Holedigger wrote:

Just had to clean up that "dirty" photo! :wink:

Nicely done.

wendovertom · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:30 am

Holedigger - really nice - don't think that I haven't sat in it and made jet noises already!

Thanks to everyone on the cleaning tips - they are glass lenses - I will try a few things out and let you know the results.

I am trying to find a F-86L manual - or at least a copy - to see exactly which instruments we are missing - obviously the radar scope and artificial horizon and a few others need to be replaced but I am not exactly sure on the empty holes what has gone missing.

Thanks,

Tom P.

BHawthorne · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:55 am

wendovertom wrote:

This is the cockpit before I started cleaning it up. I did find the broken off piece of panel on the right side of the cockpit fortunately - I am pretty sure at some point that someone got into the cockpit and smashed many of the instruments. If anyone has an instrument or two they would like to donate that would be awesome!

I've found that you can typically find most of the instruments on ebay for around $10-20 each. I've swapped out quite a few of my gauges for NOS from ebay sellers.

B29Gunner · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2008 1:22 am

wendovertom wrote:

I am trying to find a F-86L manual - or at least a copy - to see exactly which instruments we are missing - obviously the radar scope and artificial horizon and a few others need to be replaced but I am not exactly sure on the empty holes what has gone missing.

Tom, here's a pic of my L model panel, might be helpful! If you need any specifics on the instruments, just let me know.

viking73 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:26 am

Nice cockpit shots Tom. Looks like she's fairly complete all things considered despite some idiot smashing some glass.

Thanks once more for the updates and please keep them coming!

gary1954 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:43 am

gary1954<--------HATES Vandals

wendovertom · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 12:02 am

well we had a great weekend working on the Sabre. It is in pretty good condition considering the rock throwers and birds.

We got the ejection seat out, nose cone off, remains of the pole off (200+ pounds) and one of several panels removed.

If you ever put a bird up on a pole, please make sure to seal it up as best as possible. the panel we removed "was" attached to a rib that is totally disintegrated due to a lethal combiniation of interior moisture and acidic bird poop.

Yes, we had to polish a few panels, premature I know but satisfying!

Tom P.

viking73 · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2009 6:22 am

Looking good Tom!! Thanks for the new photos. Cool to see the radar dish in place.

Was it tough to get the seat out? Can you post a picture of the seat if you have one?

Thanks again and keep up the great work!

-Derek

wendovertom · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2009 11:38 pm

as requested - ejection seat! No it was not bad to get out at all.

Actually, if anyone out there can identify the seat's maker I'd love to learn more about it

Tom P.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Wed May 06, 2009 6:25 am

Get the seat out? Just pull the leaver that says PULL! out it comes!!!! Just don't hurt yourself, I'm sure that seat bit and other weigh just a bit! As hard as old AC parts are to find, backs, fingers and toes need to be kept in proper operating positions throughout the restoration!

wendovertom · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:50 am

Guess what? I have an egine - actually, "the" engine that belongs with the jet. It was in a building and the only way to get it out was to knock a hole in the building take the engine out then patch the building! But hey sweet - the afterburner section is still there!!

Tom P.

ArtS · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:19 am

Very cool! Congratulations on the find! Had you known about the engine or is there a story behind it?

Regards,

Art S.

wendovertom · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:36 am

Actually, had we taken a lot of windex and cleaned a window or two off of the building next to the airpark when we picked the airframe off of the pole, we would have seen the engine! All ittook was some leg work by the restoration crew chief to find it and get permission to do what had to be done. When they moved the whole plane all those years ago, they poured a slab, set the egine on it then built the structure around it. Which meant to get the engine out we had to "build" a hole to pull it out then patch it back up.

Tom P.

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Saving a Warbird from the pole

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