Bald Eagle Aviation

Jeff Funk · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:19 pm

Rich & Jim

NOW THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS!!!!

Is it going to be at Reading .......
.....New Garden
........Dover
....... McGuire
....... Millville
.......Geneseo
.......Oshkosh??????????????

When can we expect to see a Horseman L-Bird routine??????????

What is the Air Force going to pair with it for a Heritage Flight?????????
What in the current Air Force inventory can stay in the air at L-4 speeds?)

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW!

:twisted:

Seriously, good luck with the new L-4. I hope you show it off to the public sometime.

Jeff

TAdan · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:08 pm

That is a great looking L-bird Jim. Congrats.

(I'll even let that Eagles statement slide... :roll:

)

MattP38 · **Joined:** Sat May 20, 2006 7:36 pm **Posts:** 273

Jim Beasley wrote:

I figure if I leave LAL Friday afternoon I can be home in time for the Eagles/Cowboys game Sunday night.

Oh Jim, that thing will totally dust the Mk. XVIII! :wink:

You could always do a fly over of the game before heading home, that is if you don't mind missing the first hour plus.

Congrats,

M.

51fixer · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:37 pm

Some of the progress made-

L/H Stress door.

Bottom of L/H Fuel Cell. Nothing that says bulletproof here. Wonder what E 48 means?

With the fuel cell out you can access the aft portion of the MLG Trunion.

Through this hole in the spar you can see the MLG retaining nut, the bolt that secures it and the Pork Chop which is an arm that slides onto the pivot shaft of the MLG and is secured by splines and the large nut. The pork chop provides an attach point for the rod from the hyd actuator that moves the gear leg and the means to lock the MLG in the down position.

Inboard view of fuel bay.

Outboard view of fuel bay. Hose and pipe is tank vent.

Steel U fitting on aft side of main spar. This carries the load of the fus to wing attach fitting on fwd side of spar.

Fwd side of main spar. Same set of bolts pictured above with fitting at the top that attached main spar and wing to the fus lower longeron and frame.
Rich

51fixer · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:48 pm

More pics of the MLG and wheel well.

Rod visible in lower R/H is the rod that moves the MLG. Notice how little is visible let alone easy to access.

View of entire rod.

Upper portion of MLG normally hidden by he leading edge. Cables attached are part of the gear sequencing linkage.

Removing MLG using engine hoist.

Shots of the pork chop, fit onto the Trunion shaft and the shaft w/o the pork chop.
Rich

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:35 am

Rich, how many landings did you all get on the gear before the overhaul? Is it a timed part/repair or is it on a calendar event item??

Lynn

ww2John · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:08 am

Rich,
Thanks for the continuing education on P51 Mustang maintenance. These pictures and your captions are SO much better than the manuals, at least for this non-A&P Warbird nut.
John

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:30 am

I just finished loading the remainder of Frenesi for its trip to TX.
A few more Bald Eagle pics-

Removing the down lock pin.

Downlock pin out.

Trunion casting.

Interior of casting.

Fwd view on downlock pin bore.

Rear side of downlock pin bore.

Rich

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:32 am

Lynn Allen wrote:

Rich, how many landings did you all get on the gear before the overhaul? Is it a timed part/repair or is it on a calendar event item??

Lynn

On condition item. I felt it needs some attention.
A/C has approx 2400 hrs since IRAN done at Chino by Unlimited Aircraft around 1980.
Rich

Airplanejunkie · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:57 pm

Cool! I think I'm getting a picture of how the downlock functions but have some questions:

How is the downlock pin actuated? It looks like maybe with a spring that holds it extended into the "porkchop?" If so is it pulled out for gear retraction by a cable?

On the subject of downlocks, how does the "uplock" (if any) work?

Or maybe I have it all wrong

Thanks,

Steve

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:05 pm

Airplanejunkie wrote:

Cool! I think I'm getting a picture of how the downlock functions but have some questions:

How is the downlock pin actuated? It looks like maybe with a spring that holds it extended into the "porkchop?" If so is it pulled out for gear retraction by a cable?

On the subject of downlocks, how does the "uplock" (if any) work?

Or maybe I have it all wrong

Thanks,

Steve

Downlock Pin has a spring to extend pin. There is a hyd actuator that pulls the pin via a bellcrank to unlock. For down the porkchop has a ramp that will push the pin back as the gear leg rotates down and as soon as the hole in the pork chop aligns with the pin it will extend by spring pressure into the hole to lock down.
P-51D Uplocks are hooks hanging from lower fus longeron and mechanically connected to gear handle via push rods.
Rich

Airplanejunkie · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:06 pm

51fixer wrote:

Airplanejunkie wrote:

Cool! I think I'm getting a picture of how the downlock functions but have some questions:

How is the downlock pin actuated? It looks like maybe with a spring that holds it extended into the "porkchop?" If so is it pulled out for gear retraction by a cable?

On the subject of downlocks, how does the "uplock" (if any) work?

Or maybe I have it all wrong

Thanks,

Steve

Downlock Pin has a spring to extend pin. There is a hyd actuator that pulls the pin via a bellcrank to unlock. For down the porkchop has a ramp that will push the pin back as the gear leg rotates down and as soon as the hole in the pork chop aligns with the pin it will extend by spring pressure into the hole to lock down.
P-51D Uplocks are hooks hanging from lower fus longeron and mechanically connected to gear handle via push rods.
Rich

Cool! Thanks....looking at the photos porkchop it makes sense as I can see the ramp.

Jim Beasley · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:30 pm

I had no idea how slow this thing is. I'm not sure I'll be back in the Northeast by Reading. I made it 75 miles in 1.6 hours. ouch

It's awesome though. 800' with cars passing me. Really neat flying.

Jeff Funk wrote:

Rich & Jim

NOW THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS!!!!

Is it going to be at Reading .......
.....New Garden
........Dover
....... McGuire
....... Millville
.......Geneseo
.......Oshkosh??????????????

When can we expect to see a Horseman L-Bird routine??????????

What is the Air Force going to pair with it for a Heritage Flight?????????
What in the current Air Force inventory can stay in the air at L-4 speeds?)

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW!

:twisted:

Seriously, good luck with the new L-4. I hope you show it off to the public sometime.

Jeff

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:11 pm

Or be like me today going to Midland and have passing traffic on the hwy called out.... :shock:

Lynn

Holedigger · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:21 pm

Lake Apopka...you have a long ways to go!! Perhaps you should have waited for a tailwind! :shock:

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