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Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:38 am 
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I feel better today than I did before the weekend. Having the chance to get to the museum and help out. With everyones help we achieved alot more than I thought was possible. My counterpart and I were able to search through most of the debris in hangar two and find exhibit items from the TAHF. Thanks with the help of RickH and his crew we were able to get some exhibit clothing out of a back closet. A couple of animals were found dead & alive in the museum as well. Some ones roof, some cactus and all sorts of things were found. Thanks to the Navy most of the debris in both hangars were swept up and hauled off with some equipment.

RyanH and I were standing there chatting about the destruction. Looking at the way the airplanes were shuffled about, the was walls were breached...this would have been an amzaing sight to see and hear.

Most of the aircraft were pulled out and hosed down, inside and out. Recovery efforts were going to continue again today.

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 Post subject: Great news Elroy
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:37 am 
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Good to hear you have been able to wash down the airplanes and hopefully arrest the damage from the salt water soaking.

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:35 pm 
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Could Trae or someone with LSFM give an update on the Privateer? Weren't some of the restored turrets sitting in crates near the floor? Was there time to elevate them to a higher position? Thanks.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:21 pm 
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The turrets weren't elevated but they weren't in crates either. They are in frames and were partially out of the water. We'll rinse them and Corrosion X them tomorrow. We've been concentrating on the aircraft and we just got the turrets out of the hangar today. Water is limited but there should be another tanker load tomorrow.

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:30 pm 
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Thank you, Rick. You all are doing an admirable job, and I know you'll be successful in bringing LSFM back.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:37 pm 
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Thanks, but it's not "my" crew. We are a group of Collings Foundation Volunteers just trying to help our friends and neighbors in need.

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 Post subject: Airplanes and water
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:52 pm 
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While I was looking for the photos of Creve Coeur Airport's 1993 flood photos, I came across my master book of images and notes from the event and our attempts to recover and get the aiport back up and running. I must admit, we did not wade out into the Missouri River and "give Mother Nature the middle finger", we did not have time. We had airplanes to clean up and an airport to rebuild. The flood of 93' leveled the playing field for all of us in the valley. The farmers quit fighting the airport at every turn and we started working together to pull the levee in and give the river more room. Of course we also raised the height of the new levee and built it to Federal standards. However, that was mostly stuff we started working on several months after the flood water went down. The first thing we had to do was save the few vintage aircraft that were still at the airport when it flooded. For you folks trying to clean up down at the LSFM, here are a few things that I remember from our ordeal. Keep in mind, advice is usually worth about what you pay for it. I'm no expert but we did learn a few things about dealing with wet airplanes, both wood and fabric stuff and aluminum skin types.

1) We started off buying ACF50 but it quickly became cost prohibitive. It's great stuff as is Corrosion X but we had to find less expensive methods of stopping the corrosion and rust until we had time to take things apart. The next step was WD-40 in drums. I've been told that the WD in WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement". No idea if that's really true but that's one of the things it does very well. We sprayed it on everything. I mean everything. It has an ability to get between rivets and the holes they are in and sometimes can work it's way around a rivet's head and the squeeze. Pretty soon, we realized that even WD-40 was more than we could afford in the amounts we needed it so we tried smoke oil aka concrete form oil. In the end, that worked well.

2) For parts, hardware, and any other bits, we filled 55 gallon drums with Kerosene and tossed the parts in with the idea that when we had more time, we could pull the parts out and clean them properly. I still have a few 5 gallon pales of misc bits that still yield good parts even fifteen years after the flood.

3) We had such a mess to clean up that at first, we started tossing things into the dumpsters rather than have to look at them. In some cases it was the right thing to do but in other cases, we wished we had kept the items. Save everything you can by preserving it now. You may decide to toss it at some date in the future but once it's gone to the dump, it can never come back.

4) Documents and paperwork, books and manuals can be saved more often that you might think. Commercial freeze drying operations did wonders for some the folks at another local a/p that got wet in the 93' flood.

5) I know you guys are in a wet climate all year but once you get stuff into small rooms, you can rent or buy dehumidifying units that create, at least to some degree, micro climates inside a room or a hangar. It takes time to dry stuff out like this but it does work. Of course I know this requires power and it may be some time before that is restored.

6) Fabric wings or control surfaces, even ones that were treated when covered, will grow mold once they get dunked in water. We sprayed copious amounts of anti-fungal chemicals into the fabric wings, fuselages, and control surfaces of several aircraft and managed to save them from rotting from the inside out.

7) If you have not done so already, find out if Texas has a Federal or State Surplus Property Division. In Missouri, they are combined into one facility. These groups usually have piles of cleaning materials like soap, preservative oil, gloves, etc. Sometimes, you can find pressure sprayers and steam cleaners.

8) Try to keep a sense of humor.

You folks probably know most or all of this stuff already. If not, I hope some of it is useful. Good luck, I'll be thinking about you all. Don't give up!

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:38 pm 
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Flushed the turrets and static engines today. We tried to move the PBY but couldn't. The starboard float is jammed against a vertical beam. You can see where she rubbed the insulation off of the wall as she rocked back and forth when it floated. The B-58 will have to be repositioned for the port wing of the PBY to clear. We restacked hangar 2 with all of the aircraft. The floor is really slick and the tug could get enough traction to move the big stuff. We worked the forklift pretty hard moving all kinds of stuff. The guys are going to take a break tomorrow because they open the island back up to the public. I45 is going to be a MESS !

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:13 pm 
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Rick H. I can't say thank you enough. Al, thank you for sharing what works and what doesn't. I know you've been there.
The PBY-5A is a chore to move. It's the third heaviest aircraft at Lone Star at 35K lb. We moved it once with the brown brick tug and almost gave it a hernia. Something like the Coleman would be better. Or that big wheel loader the Seabees had. Looks like the front tire is real low if not flat and the left main tire hasn't held proper pressure for twenty odd years.
Everyone check out the updates on the website lonestarflight.org. Larry said that the Lady Be Good and Hornet displays were located in the debris pile and that the Hornet display "is rough but intact."
I had too short a notice for last weekend but plan to be there Saturday.

Thanks to many darn fine people, too numerous to name.
Doug

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:30 pm 
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Doug, the nose tire, flat, FLAT, Flat ! The right main, FLAT ! Left main, FLAT ! Fortunately our HiPac air compressor that we brought down quickly remedied the problem,...for now ! The Harpoon's tail wheel was really soft, as I added air, water and magnesium oxide squeezed out around the tire as the pressure came up. Not good.

If we could have gotten a little traction our tug should have no problem with either the PBY or Harpoon. But when you have a wet floor that is covered in pulverized sheetrock slime, well, ...forget it. We routinely move the F-4 with the Clark and when the F-4 fuel on board it weighs about 45,000 lbs, maybe a little more. Has a little trouble stopping, but that wasn't the question ! :lol: But I did develop a new sport today, tug sliding ! It has real potential ! :D It must be what it feels like to drive a Zamboni !

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:08 am 
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RickH wrote:
Thanks, but it's not "my" crew. We are a group of Collings Foundation Volunteers just trying to help our friends and neighbors in need.

That's the best WIX post I've read in awhile. Good luck.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:56 pm 
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I'm finally getting to a point where I can high-tail it down there and try to help. I've been busy working to get families back into their homes around the Clear Lake area and we're actually starting to see a return of some normalcy, although I wouldn't use the term "getting caught up" just yet. I couldn't be more happy that y'all have done what you have so far, we're all going in every direction in this massive recovery effort. It can be tough to tell what's most important ... a family needs to get back in their home asap, but a thousand families may enjoy the museum in the year ahead. Whaddya do?

The best you know, that's what. Hope to see you guys Saturday!

Cheers! Kurt


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:22 pm 
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Our thought was more for the individual aircraft. While we want to help the Museum as a whole, we recognized that there is a narrow window avalable to stabilize those aircraft caught in the saltwater flood. Since the city was not allowing anyone in for any reason other than emergency and media for the first week we were able to get most of our personal obligations taken care of before rescources were available for the Museum.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:57 pm 
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And thank goodness you all were able and willing to do what you've done, you betcha. It's just wonderful! I'll be down as soon as I can. But next time a hurricane is proposed, I say let's pass on it.


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 6:28 pm 
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Lone Star continues to make progress, thanks in no small part to Rick H. and his merry band who came back Saturday in our time of need. Rick and I also met face to face for the first time after being acquainted on warbird sites for a couple of years. Thanks, friend!

We drained and flushed engines on seven aircraft Saturday and sprayed and filled everything with diesel to stabilize it. Plans are also afoot for several of the inundated aircraft to be sent out for rebuild/restoration. Gotta keep moving ahead.

At one point, my group needed a flashlight to see a troublesome cowling fastener. Bob rummaged a rusting, filth encrusted volunteers tool chest and found a basic three-cell Mag-Lite sloshing around in rusty seawater in the bottom drawer. He retrieved it, pressed the button and it lit right up after being submerged in salt water for TWO WEEKS!

Rick, on the way home did you guys have to dodge the jet ski in I-45 at the 146 split?
Doug

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