Warbird Information Exchange

Welcome to the Cobra Den! Of course we have more than the two cobras (Airacobra and King Cobra) there. God has really blessed us with some great talent on the maintenance team! We pretty much could do an IRAN on anything, given time and deep pockets! I should be bringing the U-11A to the Cobra Den, if I ever get around to finishing the annual! But for now, here's what was in the Den today (19 DEC 09), and the activity that's happening.


The CAF's U-3A "Blue Canoe".


CAF Kate 356 is sometimes hangared here.


The original cobra of the Cobra Den, the CAF P-39 Airacobra!


The CAF P-63F King Cobra, receiving an IRAN in the Cobra Den.


Calvin Allen's T-6 that we call "Red Tail". It's actually a Harvard, and I think the paint scheme is borrowed
from a P-47. Pretty plane though! Due to the blue, it's sometimes called an SNJ, which Calvin loves, being
a grad of the USAF Academy!


The late Bob Ayars' T-34A, which he flew, then bought from, the CAP (in Georgia(?) around 1974 or so).
His widow, Lil, has the plane for sale. Interested? PM or E-mail me and I'll get you in touch with her.

Now on to the work being done:


Bill Powers' CJ-6A being gone through for it's annual. I understand it may be up for sale in the near future.


The CAF B-25 "Yellow Rose" getting a new nose tire.


The wing of Grant Lannon and Ron Dietes' Mosquito painted T-6 "Triple Nickel" being repaired. The rest of the
plane is in another hangar for now.


The CAF Kate 310 going though it's annual inspection.


Billy Parker's Zero getting it's annual.


CAF Colonel and retired USAFR Colonel Rich Ferguson's SNJ-4 "Ol' Yeller" going though the annual inspection.
(Rich flew C-5's with the 433rd in San Antonio) Some intergranular corrosion was found which is being fixed.
Rich's father bought this plane surplus from the Navy around 1959 and flew it home from NAS North Island.
It's almost totally original, including the oxygen tank, other than the metalized control surfaces.


Ol' Yeller's wing being opened.


Them there long thingy's, (as Karen would call them!) that run left to right are getting replaced. Some of
them had a little intergranular corrosion starting, so open the wing, pull them out and put new ones in. If
only it were that simple!

I hope you enjoyed the nickel tour of the Central Texas Wing, CAF's hangar, or at least the airplanes there!
Come see us at the Cobra Den! We are open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays. Check out our
webpage (just starting a new one, so we are working on content still) at http://www.centexwing.com!

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Mike

Many thanks for posting! It's always intersting to see what goes on. Incidentally... what was wrong with the "Mosquito"?

Cheers,
Richard

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Richard Mallory Allnutt - Photography - http://www.rmallnutt.com

Looks like you folks are very thorough. Keep up the great work!

The "Mosquito", LTA-555, suffered a landing accident in Dayton, Ohio, after leaving the L-bird fly-in at the NMUSAF. They flew to a nearby airport to refuel for the flight home to San Marcos. Upon landing roll-out, the tailwheel went "ballistic", and differential braking wasn't able to bring it under control. It departed the runway at a slight angle, which wouldn't have been a big deal, if it weren't for the ditch running along the side of the runway. The ditch took out the left gear, dropping the wing, getting the prop, resulting in an engine overhaul and left wing and center section repairs.

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Mike

Anyone have any idea what the T-34 might be worth? I think she is asking too much for it. It has the little engine (stock), two blade prop (stock), stock spars (no AD compliance yet), hasn't flown in several years but is run up from time to time, and has a whole lot of hail dents from being caught on the ramp during a bad hail storm...so bad it cracked the canopy!

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Mike

I just love that straight tail U-3A. Nice looking bird. Is this a genuine U-3A or a 310 with a "fancy" paint job?

T J

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Make my day, punk!

Sadly it's just a 310 with a fancy paint job.

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Mike

I've been lurking here for awhile, but seeing these cool pics is prompting my first post. Good stuff!

It's kinda funny to me that I didn't see this thread on Sunday and had no idea what was living in the Cobra Den. So there I was out puttering around in my RV-8 yesterday (Monday) afternoon and ended up flying over San Marcos, looked down and saw the hangar doors were open. Well huh, might as well stop in! Imagine my surprise when I walk in the door and see all these cool machines... for some reason I thought there was only a B-25 and the P-63 hiding in there. Pretty cool to have both the P-39 and the P-63 in the same hangar... now I get the Cobra Den name! Sometimes I'm just a bit slow.

So what's the story on the T-33 parked outside? It's looks complete minus tip tanks and in pretty good shape. Is it somewhat flyable or close to it?

John
Houston

Thanks Mike... sorry to hear about the accident. I remember that the CAF's Dixie Wing was putting a Mosquito T-6 variant together a few years back... is this the same aircraft, or another one?

Cheers,
Richard

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Richard Mallory Allnutt - Photography - http://www.rmallnutt.com

John,

I'm glad you were able to stop by for a visit! We aren't usually open on Sundays, but sometimes someone is there doing work. If someone is there, we're open! We don't mind taking time away from work to show a visitor around. (We usually can use the break!)

The T-33 is out of annual, but a flyer. It belongs to a guy named Robert Weeks, and is flown by Ron Iberg, when it flys. The price of fuel has really put a lot of T-birds on the ground, as has the cost of insurance. Insurance is what is mainly keeping her grounded. The tip tanks are on the back side of the hangar. They were removed, I think, when the annual was going to be done and just not put back on.

Richard,

This Mosquito T-6 is different from the Dixie Wing's. This one (LTA-555) is painted in the post-armistice colors. The Dixie Wing's is painted like a Mosquito that was pressed into FAC service from being a trainer during the war. They have small rocket cluster racks where 555 has a 5" rocket under each wing.

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Mike

Triple Nickle was one of the several South African T-6s that were imported into this country in the late 90s. Pat McClure had it originally and sold it to the guys in San Marcos. Not many birds stay in the underground bunker at 5c1 too long. Sadly the bunker is going away soon.

Cuz,

Sorry to hear the bunker is going away soon. I think the Mockingbird's nest will be going soon as well. After the annual, the U-11 should be living in the CenTex Wing hangar.

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Mike

Crating completed, need shipping address for LTA-555's X-Mas present...

PM with info sent! Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

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Mike

Great pics, but after what happened at Yankee, seeing all those beautiful aircraft in that wooden hanger makes me a little nervous.

SN