Warbird Information Exchange

I have restored one myself and won Oshkosh 3 times with it. Restoring a second as I write this and maintain two more that I own (which seem to break just sitting in the hangar!). Never held an A&P license (although I wish I did). I love the detail stuff and strive to make them authentic and enjoy dope/fabric and sheetmetal work (still working at that part).

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President National Waco Club
Curator for the Waco Historical Society Air Museum
Writer for VINTAGE AIRPLANE, SKYWAYS, BARNSTORMERS.COM EFLYER

Learned to buck and rivet on other folks' projects (plus a little hands-on with fabric). Now learn-as-I-go bending and hammer forming on my own Frankenstein. Sure is a lot nicer when someone else is paying for the 2024 though.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

SECOND AIR FORCE is 100% correct, you can be mechanically savvy and a whiz at things , but to do sheetmetal work you must also realize that you are practicing an art. Not just everyone can take a flat piece of metal and make it look 'like this' in a few hours you have to have it in your soul. Airframe repairs stay for the life of the aircraft and woe be on you if you disturb an existing repair with another, because if you do, you now own that repair too and if it fails, the guys in the blue balzers want to have a chat with you.
I tell the newbies that come through the ERC that this job (aircraft structures mechanic) is like no other because you are expected to be an artist first, look @ the excellent and amazing things Boeing AOG can do with something thats been run off into a swamp in a very few weeks, thats art buddy!

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

hang and expense

Why single me out. What makes me different from anyone else here answering the question?

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Fly low. Fly slow, Fly safe.

I've mostly specialized in T-6's in the last 10-11 years. Worked for Stars & Bars Aircraft from June '98-July '04. Was involved with the last 7 or 8 South African Air Force T-6's assembled there. We also did a G-model right before the business closed, that one was a complete frame-off restoration. Moved to Cincinnati area in July '04 where we finished a P-51 that was started at Starts & Bars. Worked at the Tri-State Warbird Museum until Nov. '07 where I maintained a Stearman, T-6, TBM, B-25, and the P-51. Also worked on an FG-1D Corsair project there for about the last year I was there. Moved back to Huntington, IN and worked for Midwest Texans for about 10 months until the company laid off some of it's employees. Now I have been doing a little bit of work on some Yak-52 TW's.

Either way, it's great to see all these people on here that actually know some stuff about the inner workings of these great planes from the best era of aviation we have seen yet.

Keep 'em flyin' guys!

Although I havent worked on any full sized aircraft. Ive been running my own car resto business for 20 years doing mainly body work, fabricating panels, paint and mechanical work.

Over the last ten years I have taken up restoring wooden speedboats and do everything bar wiring and upholstery.

I do all the mechanical work on my Merlin. But I did get a friend of mine to redo the cam timing after I installed new cams and fingers (I didnt want to get it wrong).

Im sure what I can do could be transfered to aircraft.

Bootlegger,
Nothing personal, but while you may actually be able to transfer some of your skills, one of the biggest frustrations in my professional life these days is explaining to ex-automotive production managers why they can't do things on an airplane assembly line just because they did them on an automotive assembly line.

I have had my A&P for 22 years. I also have my pilot's license (commercial instrument.) I've worked on only occasional old birds over the years: a Lockheed 12, an AN-12, a Cessna 195, and other old GA aircraft. The engine overhaul & gen mx shop where I used to work had a prop shop "sister" company in the same facility. They frequently worked on DC-3's, Beech 18's, T-6's, T-28's, P-51's, a TBF/TBM, etc and we often got to lend a hand.

Now I'm working in QA, Production Planning, and Customer Service/Product Support for Antilles Seaplanes in Gibsonville, NC - working to start up production of brand new versions of the "original" McKinnon G-21G turbine "Super Goose." One of the first things I was involved in here was totally disassembling a G-21A/JRF-5 and now we're putting it back together better than new.

All of the previous comments about the "art" of sheetmetal work are right on the money. The same is really true about welding as well. While we have laser and computer guided tools, a waterjet, etc the really wonderful thing is realizing that those guys and girls at Grumman fabricated all of these parts and built these airplanes 70 years ago without all of these special tools. Of course, every airplane they built was hand made and parts from one don't often fit on another. We're trying to change that.

BTW: I looked up this thread because of Eric Presten's comment on which warbird he would own - he said a Goose. I wanted to see what other wise things he had to share. Having read this thread now, as I expect that Eric is, I'm curious to hear a reply from "hang the expense."

If you want to learn tin knocking you could go here:
http://www.lazzemetalshaping.com/

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Doing a little sheet metal now. 15 years of Indy car, Sprint car, engine building (Ryan Falconer Thunder Mustang) and Excalibur Automobiles in Milwaukee taught me something. Hope to do more as time moves on.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Received my A & P in 1982, retired in 2008. I'm tired of broken things.
All I want to do is put gas in it and turn a key.

Mike

while working with him at Reno once fixing something....he looked at me and said "I just drive em, I don't fix them" I said "me too," we laughed and went back to work!

Just to make sure we clear the air.I was just kidding with you Eric.Those are darn fine qualifications.And you know the rest.

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Hang The Expense

And then when you offer up some of your time, they will ask you for all of it.

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"Hindsight is usually 20% off!"

Last year was the first time in about 10 years that I went to an airshow....

..ended up fixing something..

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Working on my A & P now. Hopefully by the end of the week will complete labs for Powerplant portion and be deep into study for the FAA Exams....then there is only completing the Airframe labs...