FM-2 Wildcats!

[planenutti]

Now this is getting interesting. I have done some work on the ex-CAF Wildcat while it was based out of Franklin, VA. Add to that the thread is now also including the FF Cat, which is also in my backyard. Keep up the great work and I am looking forward to this thread becoming longer.
Every body, keep up the great work!! You have fans out here.
Keep'em Flying,
Bob

[Dan K]

Ditto what Bob said. Many thanks for taking the time to post pics. One can never have too much metal shop!

[RMAllnutt]

The Fighter Factory is restoring one, but they pretty much have a complete airplane that was previously flyable.

There is not much knowledge out there of the major restoration of FM-2s, so I guess we are kinda leading the way in the tooling and manufacturing side.

A little taste of the same of the parts we are doing, some control stick assembly work:

Gotta love Solidworks! It is such a powerful program, and so straightforward to use. Thanks very much for posting the photos.

Which aircraft are you restoring... I saw that one of them was the former CAF example... very sad what happened with her. She was the first warbird I ever saw in the air, from the air (in the back of Sentimental Journey... my first warbird ride)... about fifteen years ago.

All the best,
Richard

[mustanglover]

Which aircraft are you restoring... I saw that one of them was the former CAF example... very sad what happened with her. She was the first warbird I ever saw in the air, from the air (in the back of Sentimental Journey... my first warbird ride)... about fifteen years ago.

All the best,
Richard

The airplanes we are restoring are 55585, 86774 and the third one I need to go look up again. My number here doesn't seem correct.

[warbird1]

The airplanes we are restoring are 55585, 86774 and the third one I need to go look up again. My number here doesn't seem correct.

Refresh my memory, are one of those Wildcats the one that sat as a static at the POF for many years? As I recall, one of the wings was missing on it.

[mustanglover]

The airplanes we are restoring are 55585, 86774 and the third one I need to go look up again. My number here doesn't seem correct.

Refresh my memory, are one of those Wildcats the one that sat as a static at the POF for many years? As I recall, one of the wings was missing on it.

That is one of the airplanes. It has a partial dummy wing on one side.

[warbird1]

Thanks for the info, Mustanglover.

Are you guys still going to put one on floats? If so, are you going to use an off-the-shelf float or scratch build new ones?

[mustanglover]

Thanks for the info, Mustanglover.

Are you guys still going to put one on floats? If so, are you going to use an off-the-shelf float or scratch build new ones?

It is still just a study at this time, but if we did build a Wildcatfish we would probably alter an off-the-shelf set of floats.

[Warbird Kid]

Thanks for the info, Mustanglover.

Are you guys still going to put one on floats? If so, are you going to use an off-the-shelf float or scratch build new ones?

It is still just a study at this time, but if we did build a Wildcatfish we would probably alter an off-the-shelf set of floats.

WHAAA?! That would be awesome!

[warbird1]

Thanks for the info, Mustanglover.

Are you guys still going to put one on floats? If so, are you going to use an off-the-shelf float or scratch build new ones?

It is still just a study at this time, but if we did build a Wildcatfish we would probably alter an off-the-shelf set of floats.

WHAAA?! That would be awesome!

Yes, that would be quite awesome! I would love to see that thing in the water with Jerry Yagen's Kingfisher, whenever it gets finished. Heck, I would even like to see it in the water next to the DC-3 on floats! Well, now that I think about it, I just would like to see it, period!

[marine air]

That one fuselage has Confederate Air Force on it. Is this the one that was involved in a fatal stall spin on final approach about ten years ago? Also, just curious, since the CAF was founded, how many Wildcats flying or partial airframes have passed through their hands, how many survive, and how many have been lost?
Thanks

[cg51]

That one fuselage has Confederate Air Force on it. Is this the one that was involved in a fatal stall spin on final approach about ten years ago?

Yes, October 18th 2003 NX681S

[mustanglover]

That one fuselage has Confederate Air Force on it. Is this the one that was involved in a fatal stall spin on final approach about ten years ago?

Yes, October 18th 2003 NX681S

Yep, at Wings Over Houston. We will get her back in the air and make everyone proud!

[Jim MacDonald]

Mustanglover,

Can you give us a brief description on your shop. How many people work there, how big is your hangar(s), do you have a lot of the new high tech CNC machines or are you guys old school?

Thanks,

Mac

[mustanglover]

Mustanglover,

Can you give us a brief description on your shop. How many people work there, how big is your hangar(s), do you have a lot of the new high tech CNC machines or are you guys old school?

Thanks,

Mac

The "Wild Warbirds" shop is a total of about 8,000 sf and we have 3 full time employees and one part time contract.

Keep in mind that this is very closely connected to our main facility which is about 90,000 sf and has about 80 total employees. We perform major structural repair, maintenance and modifications to corporate jets and own about 400 Supplemental Type Certificates and 1 Type Certificate. Our manufacturing facility is about 15,000 sf and employs about 10 people and is the largest FAA PMA facility in the Southwest Region.