Warbird Information Exchange

Sabre drop tank progress...

Starting point...


Stripping...


Hope these leaks don't return


Needs a little attention to the fin plates but #1 done.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Corsair progress, finished lower RH section fixture today and sent the last part back to CASC. Hope I haven't forgotten anything.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Sabre Div: Main gear wells. Silver slathered paint job got stripped, cleaned, and chromated. Hard part was no plumbing was removed so all masked and I used the airbrush to surgically paint.





Stripped


Still have some detailing to do...

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

All great stuff Scott.
I'm still really enjoying your posts and your craftsmanship.

Lets just play devils advocate for a minute. If, and I only mean if, someone had fuel tanks leaking like the photo you showed, what would be the repair options.
They look like they might have been leaking along a weld line.

Thanks

Andy Scott

Andy, the tank would have to be coated from the inside either sprayed or sloshed and perhaps just in the area of the leak. I don't think it would be a big issue.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

So, I spent the day riveting the skin on the TH55A horizontal stab redo. Bought a nice Mac air rivet gun but it had the wrong anvils so I hand pulled #4 Cherry Max rivets with my hand riveter...yes designed for Cherry Max rivets but geez, I'll be lucky to hold a beer tomorrow. Forgot these are 65 year old hands.

So, primer paint Monday and this challenge is complete. Great learning process, big tool investment, required my Chalkie press build...so I lost my but financially on my quote but lessons learned and equipment gained...priceless.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

That's some excellent work once again Scott. You may have lost on this job, but with that kind of work, you'll be getting more. Those TH-55's need overhauls on a regular basis and I'm sure more will be vibrating off their fins.

Looks like you're well past needing this but would it have worked for you? See link below:
https://youtu.be/JxwstKY_yNI

This guy has some neat ideas!

I have talked to Lazze many times. I love his Tips and Tricks Series and hope to one day be able to afford some of his equipment. I tried similar approaches but remember, I'm using .016" 2024-T3 aluminum. I like his idea of using the larger rolling die with the smaller bottom die as stretching the material is critical. That was what I did in the wheeling machine first. Then I formed the bead in the Pullmax.

Thanks for the link.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Done! Took long enough... Thanks for your patience Wally.

In the paint booth...yeah right.


Finished!

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Made a test piece for some potential future work. This Pullmax is such a great piece of equipment. Made a simple guide block from MDF in the Bridgeport. Yeah, yeah, I know but I used the vacuum to keep saw dust and chips under control.



There is a sheet of .032" 2024-0 sandwiched in between the two blocks and the die in the Pullmax is the upper beading die is the one made for the TH55 stab.



Then the cross bead


Out of the Pullmax


Out of the blocks, bottom side


Top side. Bead is about .150" high


Trimmed to replicate proof of concept for the parts that will be needed.

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Sabre bits before and after...

First, the label in the new main gear wheels...


Steering box before


After



Nose gear housing before

After


Strut housing before

After

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

OK, so my apologies for the delay in posting. As a one man band, I have been busy and I get home pretty brain dead. So, since I left off with the Sabre we'll keep that update going and then shift to the Corsair.

Nose gear re-assembled. Remember Heritage Aero are the magicians, I'm only the cosmetologist.


New main split rims painted and assembled


Nose wheel painted and new rubber. Interesting that this interchanges with the TBird as well and is a magnesium wheel.


Main gear well stripping








Masking


Chromated




Tough to work around everything as the wells were not completely stripped of all lines and systems


Nose gear door rehab


Up lock pins


Hinges

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Great stuff as usual! Please keep the posts coming.

Snoopy's anyone?

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."