A-1 Skyraiders query
Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:22 am
A-1 Skyraiders are how easy to restore to flight and keep maintained?
How many are left unrestored but can be reflown with some restoring work?
Are their any currently in rebuild to fly?
How many are left unrestored but can be reflown with some restoring work?
Are their any currently in rebuild to fly?
there are a couple of TA 4J's out there flying..
Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:50 pm
if you want a vietnam type...Its a military combat aircraft---bring many wheelbarrows full of money and elbow grease....I know first hand, I helped Jay Cullum clean his once!
Last edited by n5151ts on Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:38 pm
Just my humble opinion...
I've never heard a pilot bad-mouth a Skyraider, most can't say enough good things about the them. They are obviously a great airplane to fly.
But, in my experience they are not a mechanics airplane. Everything is big, heavy and DIRTY. And probably only reachable from a tall step ladder. More like working on a single engine prop-liner than an aerobatic aircraft. You can have all the cowling off a Mustang by yourself in a few minutes. Try that with an AD; better have your Tyvek suit on or you'll be filthy by the time you're done. And yes, I know they have that neat hinged split cowl that opens up for easy access. You've just got to watch out for the black rain that falls after it's opened
Keep in mind that this is was a pretty high tech aircraft in '45, so has a more complicated hyd. system than some other contemporary aircraft. Very similiar to the Corsair in that respect.
And there are some parts issues with the AD as there are no businesses specialising in parts for them like Pioneer for the Mustang or Lance for the T-6. The stuff is out there, just a little tougher and time-consuming to find.
Again, a great aircraft; I wouldn't trade the time I've spent working on them for anything. There just not as easy a restoration as a Mustang or T-6.
Oh yeah, for a good run-down of the remaining Skyraiders and projects underway check your back issues of Warbird Digest. They ran a two part series about them last year.
I've never heard a pilot bad-mouth a Skyraider, most can't say enough good things about the them. They are obviously a great airplane to fly.
But, in my experience they are not a mechanics airplane. Everything is big, heavy and DIRTY. And probably only reachable from a tall step ladder. More like working on a single engine prop-liner than an aerobatic aircraft. You can have all the cowling off a Mustang by yourself in a few minutes. Try that with an AD; better have your Tyvek suit on or you'll be filthy by the time you're done. And yes, I know they have that neat hinged split cowl that opens up for easy access. You've just got to watch out for the black rain that falls after it's opened
Keep in mind that this is was a pretty high tech aircraft in '45, so has a more complicated hyd. system than some other contemporary aircraft. Very similiar to the Corsair in that respect.
And there are some parts issues with the AD as there are no businesses specialising in parts for them like Pioneer for the Mustang or Lance for the T-6. The stuff is out there, just a little tougher and time-consuming to find.
Again, a great aircraft; I wouldn't trade the time I've spent working on them for anything. There just not as easy a restoration as a Mustang or T-6.
Oh yeah, for a good run-down of the remaining Skyraiders and projects underway check your back issues of Warbird Digest. They ran a two part series about them last year.
Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:57 pm
Hal B wrote:
Wrong! Totally depends on the airplane and how it's maintained. My airplane is a clean as any round engine airplane you can find. It was just as you describe, when I first got it. It's not cheap to get them clean and dry, but it's not too bad to keep it that way once you get it set up. As for working on it, B4 stand is a must, and the shop has to be set up for it, correct tools different lighting etc. But once again, once you get it all set up, not bad at all. There is nothing you can't fix on the Spad with a huge pile of O rings and a huge pile of cash.
Check out Danny Summer's AD5 as well, it's very clean also.
But, in my experience they are not a mechanics airplane. Everything is big, heavy and DIRTY. And probably only reachable from a tall step ladder. More like working on a single engine prop-liner than an aerobatic aircraft. You can have all the cowling off a Mustang by yourself in a few minutes. Try that with an AD; better have your Tyvek suit on or you'll be filthy by the time you're done. And yes, I know they have that neat hinged split cowl that opens up for easy access. You've just got to watch out for the black rain that falls after it's opened
Wrong! Totally depends on the airplane and how it's maintained. My airplane is a clean as any round engine airplane you can find. It was just as you describe, when I first got it. It's not cheap to get them clean and dry, but it's not too bad to keep it that way once you get it set up. As for working on it, B4 stand is a must, and the shop has to be set up for it, correct tools different lighting etc. But once again, once you get it all set up, not bad at all. There is nothing you can't fix on the Spad with a huge pile of O rings and a huge pile of cash.
Check out Danny Summer's AD5 as well, it's very clean also.
Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:06 am
Yup. What Eric said. And ol' "Dirty Three Filthy" can indeed be made to run quite clean. Besides, you don't have to adjust the valves every 25 hours and retorque the heads on an AD and you don't have to worry about coolant leaks like you do on a Mustang. 
Gary
Gary
Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:44 pm
I knew my comments would get Eric's attention
The engine in ours was a real oil pumper, even with lots of new cyls. and o-rings. The new engine will help the "filth" problem. At least the oil; there's not much you can do about the black soot down the side of the aircraft after a flight.
And Gary, I'd rather run the racks on a couple of Merlins than change a couple of cylinders on a 3350
As I kind of hinted in my first post; my experience with an AD has not been all that much fun, (try changing 60+ cylinders to get 18 good ones)but still worthwhile.
Again, this has just been my experience, and YMMV...
The engine in ours was a real oil pumper, even with lots of new cyls. and o-rings. The new engine will help the "filth" problem. At least the oil; there's not much you can do about the black soot down the side of the aircraft after a flight.
And Gary, I'd rather run the racks on a couple of Merlins than change a couple of cylinders on a 3350
As I kind of hinted in my first post; my experience with an AD has not been all that much fun, (try changing 60+ cylinders to get 18 good ones)but still worthwhile.
Again, this has just been my experience, and YMMV...
????
Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:28 pm
Bob Watts did a formation at Oshgosh a few years ago with his million $$ T-28B N313WB. He was in trail behind "Naked Fanny" and though it odd to be raining 
I'm told that after he landed and saw his a/c covered with black gold his tortured screams could be heard miles away 
I'm told that after he landed and saw his a/c covered with black gold his tortured screams could be heard miles away
Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:52 am
Hal B wrote:
WTF? 60 cylinders? When you get the new engine in, call me and I'll tell you how to get rid of the soot on the airframe. Really simple, but to complicated to go over in the forum.
60 cylinders? I say again, WTF?
As I kind of hinted in my first post; my experience with an AD has not been all that much fun, (try changing 60+ cylinders to get 18 good ones)but still worthwhile.
WTF? 60 cylinders? When you get the new engine in, call me and I'll tell you how to get rid of the soot on the airframe. Really simple, but to complicated to go over in the forum.
60 cylinders? I say again, WTF?
Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:51 pm
HOW MANY SPARK PLUGS??? 
Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:51 pm
EDowning wrote:Hal B wrote:As I kind of hinted in my first post; my experience with an AD has not been all that much fun, (try changing 60+ cylinders to get 18 good ones)but still worthwhile.
WTF? 60 cylinders? ...
60 cylinders? I say again, WTF?
Yeah, I don't want to change another jug for a long time...
Lets just say problems with the rebuilt cylinders and leave it at that.
Had troubles with the rockers they installed; and many stuck valves from keywrap in the guides and insufficient valve/guide clearance.
Changed rebuilders and the top end problems went away... Until the bottom end let go
Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:38 am
For my future reference, I'd really be interested to know who your cylinder rebuilder was. Feel free to PM or E-mail me if you'd rather not post it on the forum.
Gary
Gary
Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:43 am
Gary wrote:
Me too. I'd like to avoid that problem. What happened to the poorly overhaul cyls? They would probably make great cores.
For my future reference, I'd really be interested to know who your cylinder rebuilder was. Feel free to PM or E-mail me if you'd rather not post it on the forum.
Me too. I'd like to avoid that problem. What happened to the poorly overhaul cyls? They would probably make great cores.