Hello this is Conrad Huffstutler. I was asked by mustanglover to add some detail and
pictures to the project so here it goes.
First off, the crew consists of myself, Dale Hoffman, and two other helpers who are quickly
learning the trade. It’s a small crew but you have to remember that I have many other
people working from the manufacturing side. The plan is to build up the first Wildcat
(55585), and in the process build enough parts for a second in the near future (86774).
We must document and manufacture any parts missing from the second before the first is
finished and gone.
Currently we are stripping down the fuselage in preparation for paint and rebuild. We are
using soda blasting to remove most of the paint. The fuselage exterior was first stripped
with aircraft stripper, then soda blasted to remove the last layer of zinc chromate. The
interior will be soda blasted, then painted. The soda blasting does not remove the original
anodizing that Grumman applied on most of the skins.
The first airplane will be restored completely original because of its pristine untouched
condition. We found the original placarding in the tail and grease pencil marks on the
formers. While disassembling I found a coke bottle from around 1957.
Here is the vertical being reskined.
Needed some ribs.
finished next to #2's
Before
After
Original Armor for the firewall.
firewall
Oil tank about to go together.
a bunch of parts back from NDT and paint. This is the original "Grumman Grey"
color, notice Grumman tools made from drawings in the background.
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