Warbird Information Exchange

Gary,

Friday night at the Terminus pub in Temora will be on me. Thats the pub that accepted us "out of towners" when the museum was first created. Friday night its packed with locals, pilots, connoisseurs of fine beers etc.

Wow, I had no idea that a passing comment about my future employment would generate so much conversation. To my Australian buddies, thanks for the offers. If I'm in your hemisphere again, I DO intend on making it to Australia for a visit, so maybe I'll look y'all up. As far as the drinks go, I'm not much fun and don't really do much drinking, but lately my life is starting to turn me to it.

RickH, I thought about the Wal Mart greeter idea, but I just don't like people all that much.

davegnz, The USAAC didn't sell the Liberator to the British, Consolidated did. The British had a long list of the items they specifically wanted in the airplanes. I suppose I could dig out more letters and post them if needed. Yes, our Sperry bomb sight does have a gyro stabilization unit, but it has not arrived yet. Remember, we're lucky to have even found this sight. If we end up not getting every little trinket, switch, or whatever for it, it's not because we're trying to slight anybody on the historical accuracy, it's just because we have NO TIME OR MONEY.

I do indeed prime the mating surfaces of all of the aluminum that we've shot on the airplane.

If I have to install latches, then I have to install latches. Right now, it's my thought that with the current friction against the doors, they'll stay just fine. Could be wrong, probably am. My question to you is, how many pictures of the inside of the doors do you have? I've yet to find a single picture of the inside of this tailgunner's section, so everything I've done is just a freakin' guess. Cut me a little slack on the latches please. I'll get to them if they're needed. I'm simply out of time. OR...you are welcome to come down and pitch in to help.

Mustang51 and Elroy13, I wish I could help y'all with the picture thing. I've been using Photobucket for the pictures, so perhaps a call to them might assist you and everyone else that's having trouble with the pics. Sorry about that. I just don't know enough about computers to have any other suggestions.

I reckon that if there are any particular shots any of you need, I could try to make time to just e-mail them to you...but be patient, as my days are just getting more and more hectic.

Gary

gary
if you make it to oz i'll also tey to make it temora to shake your hand
this has been a great thread and if i was in the us i'd make a point to get to midland.
paul

Hey Gary, could you find out the exact time of day of AM927's first flight? And if you could look up and post that day's weather report, and what the crew had for breakfast, that'd be swell...

Seriously, folks..I think Gary is rapidly approaching burnout here. I suggest we back off and give him some breathing room, or AM927 may show up at airshows this summer with obscene messages spelled out in rivets on her skin...


SN

gary, when you get out here, if booze isn't your thing, i'll shout you a few blocks of chocolate.... sugar bender!!!

she is realy coming back together, people can't say she isn't a bomber now. (mind you having to lug the bombs back and chuck them out the tunnelgun door mightn't have been the best for neat bomb patterns )

BTW i want to say thanks for taking us all on the journey from LB30 to B24A

henry.

Steve, I couldn't agree more--there is a deadline VERY close now, and Gary is there virtually alone, so lots of little things will just have to wait until after the rollout ceremony. Having been there, I have seen the magnitude of what the man has left to do and the pressure to get it done is more than enough for one person to handle. Perhaps some of the more mundane questions would be better asked after the May 12th deadline. Gary has stated numerous times that the project would take more than one winter to accomplish, so if some equipment isn't installed yet we shouldn't be alarmed. I'm not trying to criticize anyone's intentions, we all want to see a perfect showpiece at the end of the project, but remember that the airplane has to be safe, airworthy, and on tour this year.

All that being said, we will be there all next week to try to help move the project forward. Please consider coming on down if at all possible. I know you would get satisfaction from helping.

Scott

I can't see Gary at a burger joint, but then again...maybe I can. The french fry machine would be restored back to its original condition, to include all decals & instruction plates. The microwave would have a stainless steal COounter-Balanced Egress Ramp System (COBERS) installed by Gary at night after the facility had closed. Of course, the portion of ramp in microwave would be made of ballistic plastic.

Put a burger into the microwave on top of the egress ramp (plastic end). Manually insert the COBERS' locking pin into proper setting for required burger type . Nuke burger. Upon opening the access panel, aka door, the counter balance on the outer stainless portion of the ramp will cause the ramp to lower a predetermined number of degrees discharging said burger. The burger will then slid down ramp & onto the preparation counter. Here Gary wielding an "it has the one in the world" handmade from a WWII Japanese bombplane flight to low so that it had reaction from a bomb and fall to the river spoon, would slather on the mustard & ketchup. After wrapping the burger, he would rivet the wrapper to ensure a tight seal was made & place it into it's outer bag with company noseart (logo). The outer bag would then be clecoed shut to ensure the burger did not move during transport.

Stick with planes Gary, it's more rewarding I'm sure.

Mac

Man, I don't know now. That description of my future job at the burger joint sounds kind of interesting. Plus, free food for the Fat Boy!

Thanks for the laugh, but now it's back to work for me.

Oh, by the way, I don't mind the questions and comments. Really. It just shows me that y'all are still somewhat interested in this neverending project. However, I am on edge and do occasionally take some of the questions/comments as if they were some sort of personal slam. I know they're not intended that way, it's just how I take it sometimes. I hope my responses aren't too harsh. It's tough for me to put on a smile and be cordial lately.

Gary

gary, i think i can speak for everyone and say that we are all still far more than a little interested in your project.

107 pages worth of interest. by far the best thread i've even seen on any forum.

i cannot speak for all (i have never met anyone else who is on here) but i don't think anyone gets upset if your having a bad day. i know if i had to apologise to everyone i'd snapped at in my life i'd be buisy for the next few months...

i hope you get some more help soon.

henry.

Gary
I have read alot of the questions and answers, looked at the pictures and this may be the first time I have commented on them but I would like to say you have done one "HELL" of a good job and would like to say thanks to you and your volunteers helping. I know what it is like to restore something like this (although not an airplane) I did a 1964 1/2 Mustang and am still working on getting things correct some 5yrs later. Keep up the good work.

P.S wish I could make the picture smaller but oh well!

Mike DFW Wing
Lancaster Tx

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Classic Cars and Vintage Warbirds perserve them don't destroy them

What a neat summary! I will second that.

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Warbird Colour - Authentic historic aircraft finishes http://www.warbirdcolour.co.uk

Yeah, I can see Gary as a "Walmart Greeter"

Lynn

I don't think so, can't get anytime off for Reno......

Hi Gary,

Allow me to extend an offer to drop by Victoria, as well as NSW. They're not too bad there, but they don't realise they're in the second best state... We've the RAAF Museum here, plus a few others and facilities with some interesting stuff. If you are good I won't offer your services to the Wirribee guys - they're restoring a Liberator (static) and going great guns. I'm sure they'd love to lend a hand with your project, but prior commitments and air fares probably put them off.



Temora's a great museum set up - well worth a visit, particularly on a flying day.

I've no questions, but take another Aussie delivered 'pat on the back' for a terrific job.

Cheers,

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Gary since your taking photos and your the kingpin with this project - make the restoration into a book and dvd for sale in future your covered most of it so far so why not make it documented for the world to see?

sabre

Believe it or not, I've actually been thinking about that. Could share the profits (if any) with Scott for the WIX fund.

Gary