Worlds only USMC Mitchell PBJ-1J Restoration CAF's Semper Fi

vg-photo · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:31 pm

It's really looking great, Dan. You guys are doing yeoman's work!

muddyboots · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:35 pm

Dan Newcomb wrote:

The holes are stuffed with paper to keep the paint out. These areas are covered with plates that we paint separately and will install prior to the rudders and elevators. The holes are known as lightening holes. They make the structure lighter and allow for inspection and access. As we proceed I will continue to take photos and you will see how it all comes together. We will paint the control surfaces off the bird as we use a different paint on fabric.

D

I get it now-I think I actuall see a couple with their covers still on. It seems funny that they cut a hole to lighten it, then cover the hole up...Like you wouldn't loose very much weight in the process. Lighter materiel on the cover plates?

Dave Fish · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:44 pm

I know from some VMB-611 contacts that not only did they have "inspection and access" holes, they had AA gun and MG holes that were covered up with "patches." Of course, our girl does not have these, but has others that civilian owners gave her.

I made contact with the son of a WWII vet this past weekend who works for Boeing (who bought North American Aviation) and hope to obtain some history on the entire NAA operations during WWII.

(And maybe some donations to our PBJ restoration project.)

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2007 12:03 pm

It is always an adventure driving down to CMA. It was 81 degrees when I left my house at 0530 and 59 degrees and IFR when I got to the hangar two hours later.

Scott beat me in and soon Ken and the cable guys showed up along with Dave and we also had a brief visit from Tim later in the day.

The clevis bolts arrived yesterday ($247 worth) so I think we have just about everything we need for the right main. Scott and I shot all of the rivets on the wing that we could with the exception of one area around the rear inboard tank where the up lock goes. Both halves of my brain (Marc and Jeff) weren’t in the hangar for consultation but I think there are some parts that have to be installed before we shoot the rivets. I don’t see why we can’t shoot the green paint under the wing ASAP but I am probably over looking something.

Scott and I shot up a shelf above the front crew hatch for Iran but I need to shoot a couple of more rivets that I missed to finish the job. Ken continued with his project forward and the cable guys cabled.

When I dropped down out of the pass into the “valley of h-e-l-l” it was 112 degrees! Thankfully, as I pulled into the garage at the house it had cooled to a pleasant 108! Beer never tasted better.

Dan

PROOF THAT MARC HAS A DAY JOB

Craig59 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:37 pm

OH! The tri-color paint is going to look magnificent. Well done!

Alan Brooks · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:57 pm

Absolutely Awesome! Cannot wait to see this beauty in the air...... Can't wait to have all SIX CAF B-25/PBJ birds in the air at one time at Airsho' (at Midland)..... but "Old Shep" won't be happy as his fuel bill goes up and up, especially with another hungry pair of R-2600's! Alan

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:09 pm

Dan Newcomb wrote:

Tomorrow I will get up at 0500hrs and make my weekly 2 hour drive to the hangar. I will post an update on the PBJ in a couple of days. Also I will post pictures and/or info regarding the happenings of our wing.

Dan

I know what you mean. When I was with the Yellow Rose, I was up early every Saturday for a hour drive each way uphill :wink:

to Hondo, Texas and a full day of work. Wasn't this A/C and the Rose together over in Alabama spraying for fire ants? I had heard at one time that they were purchased at the same time??

TIA,

Lynn

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:11 pm

Alan Brooks wrote:

Absolutely Awesome! Cannot wait to see this beauty in the air...... Can't wait to have all SIX CAF B-25/PBJ birds in the air at one time at Airsho' (at Midland)..... but "Old Shep" won't be happy as his fuel bill goes up and up, especially with another hungry pair of R-2600's! Alan

Just a 150 gals an hour :wink:

75 a side....

Lynn

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:09 pm

We all got together yesterday for a rare Monday workday. We will start to hang the right gear next. We will also continue with the priming and painting. We have got to keep the corrosion monster off of our backs!

THE REAL BRAINS OF THE OUTFIT

BRAIN"S DAD

PAINTED AND GOOD TO GO!

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:13 pm

Wow! It sure looks great. So is it going to carry the tri-color scheme, ot just the medium blue over white? It looks like you have some dark blue up there.

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:27 pm

We have extensively researched the colors. The PBJ-1Js were tri-color with the exception of a few J models that were overall blue. Our PBJ was tri-color 60 years ago and will be again. I have seen several war birds over the years that sport cammo schemes that are incorrect. Our PBJ for instance when she flew as Big Ol Brew sported invasion stripes.

Dan

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:36 pm

Sounds great man. My neighbor that passed a while ago was in VMB-413 and they had mostly all medium blue ones, but that was early on, and I think they had D models.

Dave Fish · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:56 pm

mustangdriver wrote:

Sounds great man. My neighbor that passed a while ago was in VMB-413 and they had mostly all medium blue ones, but that was early on, and I think they had D models.

You're right in the "D" models; Dan's right in the "J" models. I know of one exception...VMB-612 flew mostly night missions, thus they painted the white underbellies blue.

Dan Newcomb · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:18 pm

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:26 pm

Wow! Is that an actual photo?

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Worlds only USMC Mitchell PBJ-1J Restoration CAF's Semper Fi

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