Warbird Information Exchange

For the four or five other jet enthusiasts in the forum, here are photos of my Canadair T-33 in the middle of an annual at Heritage Aero in Rockford IL. In addition to the annual, the fuel nozzles were removed, cleaned and inspected on schedule (actually ahead of the scheduled 200 hours of engine time). You can see the soot buildup aka "coking" on the fuel nozzle underway. If left unchecked, the soot buildup can cause uneven fuel spray pattern, resulting in an uneven flame pattern, hot spots in the burner cans leading to premature wear through the can liners and an uncontained fire. Since there was coking on the fuel nozzles, we decided to check on the burner cans to ensure they didn't have any excessive soot buildup--they were fine. They also installed a new fuselage tank (just aft/under the rear cockpit) to replace the original one that was leaking. They also replaced the nose tire, and are finishing up a few minor squawks.

The canopy and the rear seat had to be removed to allow access to the fuselage fuel tank removal/installation.

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Here's the top of the new fuel tank just aft of the rear cockpit. Jeff Fink was the A&P that did the fuel tank project and it was a nasty job. He commented that the factory must have employed 4' tall assembly technicians to get this tank into the confined space. Thanks Jeff!



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Here's a view of the engine/plenum chamber looking aft from the rear cockpit. The long chromate colored tubes are the elevator pushrods (disconnected). The screened in area is the dual-entry centrifugal compressor (the first step of the suck, burn, blow jet engine operation process).

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Le fuselage or something like that (for our friends in Quebec)



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Da arsse


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A "coked" up fuel nozzle prior to being sent out for cleaning.



[img][img]http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l187/kep130/022707008Medium.jpg[/img]

One of nine burner cans being inspected for excessive soot buildup, cracks/damage in the liner. All nine checked out fine.




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With a burner can removed, looking where the combustion gases from the burner can goes to the single stage turbine wheel.



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Make that six lol. I love the smell of burning kerosene.

Thanks man!

How are you coping without your baby, Paul?

Frequent medication, counseling, meetings, more medication.

Oh no! The tail is missing

Thanks for the pics, very cool.

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Share your story: Rutgers Oral History Archive http://oralhistory.rutgers.edu/

Bottled, amber-colored medication?

Paul, thanks for the photos, I bet most of us don't know much about jet maintenance. As for those things you call "burner cans", who you trying to kid? Down south where I come from, we know a still when we see one .One advantage to the Spitfire, we get lifetime service out of those nosewheel tires, never had to replace one.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Bill,

Down south? I thought you were from the Republic of Texas! Isn't there a difference?

There isn't much to the maintenance on this little kerosene lamp. The basic annual is 60-65 hours of labor, though this one was more involved with the fuel nozzles almost due, burner can/"still" inspection and the fuel tank replacement. Significantly more of my operating cost is in fuel consumption at 300 gal/hr compared to the heavy iron piston warbirds where more of the cost is in the maintenance. This reminds me of sitting around with my college buds at UW comparing women...still ain't no bargains in the high performance category.

Hey bud, does the aircraft have to go up on jacks when you remove the tail? That is awsome. You are one lucky guy to get to play with that thing all day. As for the amber colored meds, that is a must for all forms of aviation.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Naw, just get it in the right situation and it's tushy just falls off! I think it has something to do with unscrewing it's navel.

Really cool to see the effort involved 'specially 'cause occasionally I get to sit in that rear seat that was removed to put the new tank in.

Paul's got his act together and has a great plane here. The right approach and the right priorities. Now we just have to get him on the right track for the amber fluid and some old school country music, he might be salvageable.

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

Old school country music! Now you are talking. Johnny Cash!

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

All I can say is...

"Aye captain, she's one beautiful lady and one that purrs like a kitten
when she's all rev'd up... " ..

but really, this is very cool.. and very informative.. the engineer in me
always likes to wonder how things work.. thanks!

hh

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"The best way to control the future is to create it".

and one more thing...

hey there cowboy, I think we may need to kidnap mr. paul for
a little more debrief over some good amber ... and yes you can
even turn on the country for a little while... one of these days
we'll get over there to see you!

hh

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"The best way to control the future is to create it".

Thanks for the pictures I have never seen and the explanations with them.

Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks, eh?