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Hey Dave,
The B-24’s recent stop in Red Wing MN may be a subject worth posting on WIX:
I know you’re all too aware of how many people and how much work it takes to keep these magnificent birds in the air and at the same time most of this work happens behind the scenes. Yes, our B-24 is making her showing at Oshkosh, but I don’t think anybody at that show except the crew has any idea of what it took the preceding few days to get her there!
OL 927 had landing gear retraction and indication problems July 26th on the move from Duluth to Red Wing. Definitely not a good thing so far away from home with our biggest shows right around the corner. The notification of the problems went out and the squadron sprung into action. The decision was made to fix her on-sight instead of bringing her all the way back to Midland flying gear down and canceling our attendance at Oshkosh (and possibly other upcoming shows).
I made the 650 mile round trip south to Midland to pick up a trailer and the 6 jacks needed to lift the B-24. Fortunately Gary Austin and Mark Baxter were there, and stopped what they were doing to help expedite the process. Our squadron leader coordinated the funding to make this road trip happen. John Flynn, the flight engineer on-sight in MN began the prep and other required things needed to perform the task. Two days later (when us traveling could coordinate days off from work), Liz Vidot, a C-17 Crew Chief from here at Altus who volunteer to help, and myself left OK heading north with the jacks on the 950 mile trip to the B-24. At the same time, squadron member Dave Obreiter left Michigan enroute to help jack the plane. In the meantime the Ops Officer and Tour Director have to reschedule, reflow, and create back-up plan after back-up plan to keep the show moving as this situation develops. Back in Red Wing, TA and Becky Covington, the Sq PX Officers and tour leaders, are trying to coordinate the planned activities scheduled at Red Wing around what we need to do to fix the plane, try and make accommodations for everyone coming to help in a town that is packed full of tourists on the town’s busiest weekend, keep the PX going, and still meet, greet, and answer questions of every visitor coming out to see OL 927 all at once. Of all the things it takes to keep the Liberator flying, jacking it is by far the most stressful, difficult, and scary thing to do as it is inside a hanger under ideal conditions, but performing this task, troubleshooting, fixing, and operationally checking the landing gear outside, out of town, on a sloping ramp, around the weather, and a darn helicopter that had to land and take-off way too close to our plane while she was up in the air, and having such a short time schedule was completely nerve racking! Not to mention we had 6 jacks and only 5 pumps so every few inches she went up or down during the jack we had to stop and swap a pump to the odd jack. We were also lucky enough to have Brian (sorry, forgot his last name), a local member to keep the crowd out of the area all day while she was up in the air. After a 38 hour long work day, she was fixed and the operation was finished in time for OL 927 to participate in Saturday evening’s car show and hanger dance. Sunday morning, after a few adjustments to the #3 engine, our dedicated pilot’s Paul Stojkov and Pete Threichler showed up for a maintenance flight. After a successful flight and a few currency landings, we did a quick crew member swap and the B-24 was off to Oshkosh. From there, the flight/ground crew went straight into working their asses off at Oshkosh, while we loaded the jacks back up and began the long trip back to our respective homes.
It’s really hard to convey the dedication, effort, and hard work these, and so many other volunteers go thru and put forth to overcome this and every other obstacle that comes along keeping OL 927 in the air.
Thanks,
Don Obreiter
B29/B24 Squadron Maintenance Officer
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