Another fairly quick update for y'all here. The end of this week has brought us even closer to the upcoming deadline to debut the airplane. Y'all have read enough of my whining for a while, so I'll try to keep that to a minimum. However, there's probably just as much acting required with this job as there is mechanical skills. Although I'm not very good at it, I generally try to not allow some of major frustrations in my personal life affect the way I work with the great folks who have been helping us on our crew. I'm sure that everyone can relate to that situation from time to time though.
We've had a nice stream of workers come in lately and there is some steady progress happening. The airplane is at a point in this project where there can be a gazillion little things finished, but when you step back and look at it, it appears as if you've done nothing at all. Tough on morale, but these are all things that need to be done.
Ken Hyman was able to finish up the flooring for two of the PX compartments. He was amazed at how long it took him to do such a "simple" little task. It's just how things go sometimes, but he worked hard and it's greatly appreciated. Before he left, he helped Jim Diley put on the main landing gear aft fairings........
Along with Jim Diley, Jim Gentry and Ed Stragis showed up this week to help. This is unusual for us to see any of the old Tulsa bunch down here working. Heck, a lunar eclipse seems to occur more often, but we'll take it! Ed has been doing various little odds and ends for us, while Gentry has been working on the miserable job of reinstalling the cowl flaps. The cowl flap set up on this airplane has got to be one of the sorriest arrangements I've seen, and are very problematic. I had big plans for replacing bolts, bushings, etc., for them this year, but simply ran out of time and money to do everything that was intended. It's frustrating to have to put them back on less than perfect, but they are safe and should last a little longer. Jim has been a real trooper in taking on this job. Here he is making some final quick repairs to some of them before installation.......
And Ed drilling out some bushings for the pogo actuator attach points......
Today will be interesting, as we have a fellow WIXer, Chad Hill (Django) and his crew in here to continue painting the noseart on the airplane. I've decided to go ahead and show y'all a couple of pictures of them painting it on...........
Oh, I'm sorry. You couldn't see them?
Well, they're back there and they're doing a great job! The problem (and interesting part) is that I screwed up royally when scheduling helpers in here. Along with the few Tulsa folks that are here, I've supposedly got Daniel and Scott coming down to do more sheet metal work on the airplane. Well, I didn't think about the noseart crew not being able to work with the airplane moving around with workers inside. DUH!!! What an idiot I can be sometimes!
So this morning, I'm going to round up some jacks and try to secure the airplane where it won't move around as much. Oh, and to make up for it, we have another event in the hangar today. General Ritchie is going to be speaking at a seminar that will be taking place in the hangar. It should be great, but I'm going to have to build a moat around the airplane and fill it with alligators to keep them from taking a sneak peak at the noseart. Like I say...it's going to be interesting.
Anyway, on that note, I reckon I should probably go out there and make myself useful. I'll catch up with everyone later.
Gary
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). We eventually figured out his displeasure with us when noticing his enlarged eyes and puffed up tail, so the command decision was made to just stick to the original plan and paint on the art that was voted in by the elected staff. 
She does look great and the finishing touches DO take all the time up for sure. Dad and I spent 13 of our 14 day trip rebuilding our front turret for the Lancaster and I was sure it wouldnt take too long to do. Took the 14th day to do the REAL vacation type stuff.
