Bald Eagle Aviation

[Chunks]

Hey Rich, want a "no expense paid" vacation in Chino for a few months? I could provide a cot and floor space in the hangar in exchange for you finishing up my T-6. Really, this is a good deal! (For me!)

BDK, I raise your offer for Rich by a queen size bed, an air conditioned town house plus about 10 more months! PLUS, it would be in Texas - (you know, the new warbird heaven )

Chunks

[51fixer]

Hey Rich, want a "no expense paid" vacation in Chino for a few months? I could provide a cot and floor space in the hangar in exchange for you finishing up my T-6. Really, this is a good deal! (For me!)

But Brandon, it would be a shame for you to miss all the tender moments that happen as you lose skin, smash fingers, scratch paint, drop the item as you are painting it, find the expensive part you purchased from Lance won't fit either, change your mind about what color that should be painted, realize you painted something the wrong color, realize there are many more pieces that you don't know where they go, ect.
I really don't want to be responsible for you missing out.
But you can come here "no expense paid" and participate in a training session. We at least have a soft couch to sleep on and carpet on the floor. There are 2 pizza places across the street and a beer store a half mile away.
No, it isn't Paradise, thats about 10 miles west of here right near Intercourse and Blue Ball. Out there an Amish Buggy might run you over.
Rich

[JDK]

You guys have an RCAF Mustang now?

Lots of Americans do. They just paint 'em as Yank airplanes...

[AvroAvian]

JDK wrote:

Django wrote:
You guys have an RCAF Mustang now?

Lots of Americans do. They just paint 'em as Yank airplanes... Wink

oooooohh....... nasty!

Just like: Curtiss product = must have shark's mouth......

[JDK]

oooooohh....... nasty!

OK, fair cop, it was a cheap hit. However it's fair to tip the hat to the RCAF, who, among other air forces, ensured there were a significant number of the world's-most-tedious warbird (sorry, sorry) would be available to those who wanted to be just like everyone else (sorry, sorry, sorry) I mean - have an original and different airplane in their hangar.

Just like: Curtiss product = must have shark's mouth......

Or not! The good news is that there are a) more P-40s restored and flying these days and less and b) less in the "I need my 'N' to be in AVG 'C' model colours" owners. Hence my interest in Mr Fallis' 'sister ship' to 'Jeannie'. Of the recent restos, most have been to non-AVG or more appropriate markings. A big step in the right direction.

[51fixer]

Many of you think it is soooo great to work on warbirds full time.
It is usually, But. Today was not that day.
The Griffon Spits pack 10 lbs into a 5 lb can up front.
We are having some problems with the Gear Box. The Griffon is so big for the Spit they run a drive shaft to a gear box bolted onto the firewall. The usual way to remove the gearbox is to pull the engine. That probably is the easy way. We aren't into easy.
Now you see it-

Now you don't-

Some other shots from up front-
Hyd Pump

Vac Pump

Hyd Res and oil separator

Under the Gear Box

Rich

Quit your wining Rich ... and get back to work ... How's your young hockey player doing? ...

[51fixer]

You guys have an RCAF Mustang now?

The Spit was lonely and acting up so that was the closest we could get to something from the home country.
Rich

[51fixer]

Quit your wining Rich ... and get back to work ... How's your young hockey player doing? ...

See post on previous page.
You guys got to keep up.
Rich

[Jim Beasley]

It's Dan Friedkin's Mustang -- "City of Winnipeg". He let me use it for a Heritage Flight I was to fly at Langley last weekend. It was an important show since it was Nuke's and the F15 West's last demo. Rich Kolasa took this picture:


Even though it's painted in foreign colors we were able to use it in the HF. Tried to get permission to use the Spitfire but no such luck.

I see above that Rich beat me to the WIX board, but here's my version. Great day at the hangar. Everyone at the office thought I was working.

As Rich wrote, the spitfire is sick. We've been through two air compressors in the last 10 hours, and this time there was no oil around the air compressor, even though the gearbox was properly serviced with oil. The compressor gasket has the proper holes, so there's something with the oil flows in the gearbox. Given that SM969 hibernated for so long we're hopeful that it's just goo in one of the internal oil galleries.

Had to pry (no kidding) the gearbox out of the engine compartment today. It's designed to come out after the engine is removed. ughhh.

Here's Rich using his gentle persuasion to try and get it out


Here's the gearbox in the parts cleaner:


Oil pump seems functional, but look at this picture which shows the significant difference in oil even though it's in the same gearbox. Also we can't even get air pressure to go from the oil pump galleries to the air compressor area:


Time for me to get back to the office and pay for this stuff.

You guys have an RCAF Mustang now?

Lots of Americans do. They just paint 'em as Yank airplanes...

Last edited by Jim Beasley on Fri May 01, 2009 9:03 pm, edited 3 times in total.

[51fixer]

Got the engine on the T-6G today.




Rich

Last edited by 51fixer on Fri May 01, 2009 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'm traveling right now and trying to keep up in many ways .... haha, I hope he's doing well ... PM me if there's something I can do.

[bentwingbomber]

Rich

You see it can be done!

hope you followed the notes i sent very carefully!

well done ,just got to get it back in now

regards

fred

[Lynn Allen]

Rich, thanks for the pictures, insights and hard work. Glad to hear that Ben is better. Keep the news coming.......

Lynn

[51fixer]

Rich

You see it can be done!

hope you followed the notes i sent very carefully!

well done ,just got to get it back in now

regards

fred

Notes have been Americanized.
Rich