Ezell Aviation Tour (10/7/2008)

[Mark V]

Great shots! Its a relief to see the Spitfire looking in pretty good shape. Now I realise thats a sweeping statement but I had understood it was immersed in 8 ft of brine so seeing it in this shape was very encouraging, just hope the true condition is as good as it looks. Best of luck to all the people down there dealing with the aftermath of that terrible event.

[garbs]

Excellent shots! Thanks for the update. Photos of so-and-so's plane from the war are always nice but I love seeing the ones that are going back together right now.

[steve dickey]

Hey Rob those are some really great shots, even got a couple of me in their getting the F3F from the trailer, first one is my back is facing you and another I'm atop the canopy assisting with the sling. Dang I missed a great opportunity to meet the "great" Rob Mears, I blame Randy for not introducing me I figured out which one you were after seein your post today @ lunch and asking Randy because we had a couple other guys walking around but you were the only one taking pictures. Dang I hope you make it out here again real soon and maybe you'll chat with me instead of Randy , sheesh Any ways we got the engine of the F3F today and it will be sent off to overhaul.

[RMAllnutt]

Amazing pictures. Thankyou very much for posting. Looks like an amazing place. It is great to see the Lone Star birds getting such quick attention.I agree that the Red Bull P-38 is different class. Stunning. The Corsair spar never ceases to amaze me, looks very complex. Quick question, does the open panel under the cockpit of the Corsair (ie the big one) correspond to where the clear panel was in early models?

[/img]

Yes, this panel is the one you think it is... directly under the pilot's feet.

Excellent photo essay Rob... thanks so much for posting the images! Glad to see so much work and progress at Ezell's, especially considering the damage caused by the tornado earlier in the year. You guys are rock stars!

Cheers,
Richard

[slinky]

Rob, thanks so much for the stroll down memory lane and the update on the LFM aircraft. It's good to see the old haunts at Breckenridge, the hanger where the survivor partys were held, and our good friend Randy Tait! Man, he has grey hair now!!!! I can remember many times sitting there eating the great BBQ and in the middle of the conversation, the roar of some warbird passing scant feet above the hangar. I loved it! Thank God no one ever misjudged and slamed into the hangar.... The hangar door faced East and the planes would come roaring in from the West so you wouldn't hear them till they were on top of you. So many good memories....the halftrack and the 50 cal. being fired, our flight to Connie Edwards place with Stephen Grey in the PBY, so many warbird rides....
Man, I miss that place! I need to fly down and visit!!!!!

[JohnH]

Great to see the Gulfhawk on the way back. Saw the first flight 27 July 92 and preparations for it and got to do air to air two weeks before the crash when we were at the Tracy airshow. So glad Elmer survived it but it was such a shame it only lasted a year....and very few airshows because most of that year after the flight it was having various bugs corrected.


John

[Mark Nankivil]

Great set of pics - thanks for posting and keep on visiting, taking photos and sharing them with us!

Enjoy the Day! Mark

[gregv]

Am I the only one not able to see the pics in the original post? I don't know how I managed to miss this yesterday, but I'd love to see the photos!

cheers

greg v.

[Ztex]

I saw them yesterday and again this morning...not now though...

We must have exceeded his bandwidth...

[Rob Mears]

Here's a shot of the B-29 Engine nacelle Gary mentioned. It'll be intriguing to see what kind of mods are employed to adapt "FIFI's" new engines (x4!).

I'm still curious what the major differences are between the stock engine configuration and the new powerplants, and what general changes will be required to make them work.

[tex-fan]

The original engines were Wright R-3350-23-23A/-41, now I don't know if that was the engines Fifi still have on it now. The 3350 that Nelson Ezell has put on Howard Pardue's and several other Sea Furys is a Curtiss-Wright R-3350-26WD from a Douglas Skyraider. Although not the most powerful, the 26WD is one of the most refined versions of this engine. It powered Pardue's Fury at Reno for countless laps of more than 400 mph, and preformed at air shows [pretty rough life I would think] for over 500 hours, and when they took it off for the new one in 2005 it was still running Pardue just wanted a fresh engine on it. The old one would make a fine rebuild. What they are going to have to do to make it work on a B-29 I don't know, but I'd be willing to bet that Nelson already has it worked out. If the CAF is going to put 4 of these on Fifi it looks like she will be flying for many years as trouble free as you could possibly get.

[Warbird Kid]

I hope so! Too many years have passed without a B-29 in the air!

[retroaviation]

I'm not at a good place to type a detailed reply right now, but I hope to have you one soon. Stand by.

Gary

[B29B24crewchief]

I can give you some information on this and Gary will fill in the details. I am taking over the B-29 reengine project. The 3350-26wd's are being mated with the 3350-95's from a C-119 gun ship. This reconfiguration has been detailed in previous posts by Gary. There will be 2 engine shops building this "hybrid" and the first one should be back in Midland at CAFHQ around the first of the year. More to follow!!
Dave Miller
B29B24Squadron
Crew Chief