Warbird Information Exchange

I'm going to forward this to our Maintenance Officer, Ray Clausen. He should be able to get the photos you need.

The trailer full of parts has been unloaded and the inventory has begun. Ray has identified some items that need to be sent out for repair/overhaul already, and is putting them on a list with those that have the longest lead time to completion at the top of the list. Photos as soon as I can!

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Mike

I intended to take some photos yesterday (Sunday the 13th of DEC 09), but my memory stick was full of photos I can't delete. I promise to have some posted soon. Here's a quick update though. Ray Clausen and team have begun the repair work. It seems the corrosion "problem" is no where near as severe as reported. Of course some work had already been done at Ezell's.

One very small, and easy to repair, area was due to dissimilar metals. I was told there was a steel screw going into the aluminum, and that caused a very small and easy to repair place. It's already done!

The duct work had already been taken care of by Ezell. It's all pretty and clean with new yellow primer on it. The longest lead time item, in Ray's thoughts, will be the canvas "bellows" that connect the pieces of duct work together. I'm going to get him the phone number of a local guy who might be able to do the work. He did a wonderful job on the new interior for the U-11, and has done many other projects around San Marcos.

The plan for the near future is to get the wings down off the stands, onto the ground, then raise the gear just enough to get the gear doors off. The gear struts are going to be overhauled, and all flex lines replaced for starters. The crew is also working on cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, so they can better inspect the airframe (as Gary always preached you should do). Then they will reprime/paint the interior.

The "To Do" list is being made, even as work is progressing. I'd venture a guess that, bar any unforseen things coming to light, there's a good chance the P-63F could make Airsho '10!

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Mike

Went to the "Cobra Den" today with a NEW memory stick!!! Got some photos that I hope to post both here, and in the WIX Hangar, tomorrow.

Cobra Den Maintenance Team is hard at work on doing the winter time annual inspections on aircraft, but work is starting on the King Cobra. Hopefully these will turn up somewhere, but so far it looks like the fuel selector valve and windshield "bow" are not accounted for.

Hopefully this week they will pull the engine out of the plane. Two reasons for that. One is so they can replace all POL lines. The other, so a good cleaning and inspection can be done of the engine bay.

Once the engine is out, they will raise the nose up enough to extend the nose gear, so they can remove it and rebuild the strut. Then it will be lowered back on the dolly wheels. The wings are currently being supported by four Allison engine stands, but will be lowered to cushions on the ground, then the main gear raised enough to remove the gear doors, then the gear so those struts can be overhauled.

I gave Ray the phone number of the guy who did the U-11's interior, as well as some work on Calvin Allen's T-6 seat cushions, and has done a lot of work around the airport. He's going to contact him to see if he can remake the canvas connectors for the ducts. Ray thinks that will be the most time consuming project.

It's looking like this project might not take that long! And the plane will be in the best shape it's been in for a long time.

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Mike

Cuz never did hear how the Gathering of Cobras went last year. How many real Cobras and Shelbys showed up, and was it profitable for the wing?

I'll have to check on that. I know there were a lot of real Cobra cars there, but I don't know if it was profitable for the wing.

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Mike

Here are the long promised, and awaited, photos of what's going on with the P-63F in the Cobra Den! Photos taken Saturday, 19 DEC 09.


Walking in the eastern big doors, she greets you. The nose has been opened and is being cleaned and inspected.


The left side of the engine. It is being prepared to get pulled. This will allow replacement and double clamping
of all POL and coolant lines, as well as cleaning, inspection, and repainting of the engine bay.


Inside a compartment on the right. Peeling primer will be removed, everything inside cleaned, inspected, and
repainted.


The right side wing attach area. Inspection and repairs underway.


Looking down from the stairs at the big parts.


Parts in the upstairs storage area. Note the pretty duct work. I understand that Ezell & Co. had already
cleaned and painted these pieces. They look like they just came off the factory line!


These pieces are what Ray Clausen, leader of the Cobra Den maintenance team, fears will take the longest.
They are made of canvas, and it's all rotten. These bellows connect the duct work pieces together.


A closer view of the rotten and torn canvas.


Even closer look at the canvas. I gave Ray the phone number of the local guy who did my U-11A (Mockingbird)
interior. He's good, and is FAA certified. Hopefully Baldo can get this project done, and soon. He's good!


This is what the big fuss was all about, mostly. This piece, which Ray has already remade, holds the canvas
bellows that connect the duct work together in place. Ray said someone a long time ago apparently put
steel screws in and they caused the dissimilar metal corrosion with the aluminum.


A better overview of the offending piece.


A better shot of the "extensive" corrosion damage. You can see what was happening under the steel screws.

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Mike

The canvas may have been damp and provided an electrolyte for the corrosion to occur. Cad plated steel would be the appropriate screw- never stainless steel in aluminum.

I'm not sure what sort of screw was in the holes, but judging from the rust, I'd say they weren't stainless or cad plated, just plain old steel. As soon as Ray gets a chance to breathe, I'm sure he will add a little more info. And I'm sure the canvas got wet from time to time, and that added to the rotting of it, as well as helping the corrosion along.

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Mike

We got the engine out of the P-63 this week. It will get new hoses, and we'll rebuild the water pump since it's been dry for a couple of years. We removed the oil cooler and will send it off to be flushed out and tested. I'll have access to remove and replace the bomb/centerline tank support bracket which was cut out years ago. I'll try to post more regularly and answer questions soon. Sorry to have been so busy! Now, a photo of her without engine...

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Ray Clausen
Maintenance Officer
Centex Wing of the CAF

Thanks Ray!

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Mike

Here's some shots of the empty engine bay of the P-63F that I took Saturday, 2 JAN 10:

Looking forward, into the bay.


Looking aft, into the bay. You can see the yellow coolant tank and yellow coolant lines.


This is an engine eye view of the cockpit. You can see how the driveshaft goes through.


Looking through the engine bay, from top through the bottom, you can see the hangar floor,
complete with the kitty litter oil soak.

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Mike

I remember have red that the driveshaft is the "critical point" on the P-39 ad P-63.
I would be interested to read what is the point of view of people who maintened these birds ?

Thanks

Iclo

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Sorry for my bad English:-(

I think the drive shafts are critical because should one become disconnected, it can cause a lot of damage to the pilot, since it basically runs between his legs, with only a little piece of aluminum covering it!

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Mike

The P-63F has been getting some attention. We got the oil cooler from the P-63F cleaned and prepped and built a crate for shipping it off to be checked out. We removed the engine just after Christmas and Mark "The Cable Guy" Blum (our cable specialist) has been removing the control cables over the past couple of weeks. Work is underway to clean the inside of the fuselage so we can prime it.

We hope to be getting the landing gear out of the wings in a week or so. With them out, the Cobra Den Maintenance Team can thoroughly inspect the interior of the wing and we can replace the seals in the struts.

We will begin replacing all of the hoses in the wings and the fuselage very soon. There are a couple of important pieces of the fuel system missing but we are working on that now. It is difficult to see progress when we are still taking things apart, but we are making progress.

The P-63F is coming along. I’m not sure that Mike Collier believes it, but those who worked so hard on the Yellow Rose know!

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Mike

I forgot to mention that the above information was taken from Cobra Den Maintenance Team lead, Ray Clausen's report in this month's newsletter.

I saw Ray today and he said he would be posting some updated photos on this thread very soon. One thing that was quite evident today was the work is starting on the landing gear. The wings are resting on cushions on the hangar floor, and the gear have been released and raised out of the wings. One gear has had the wheel and brakes removed. Ray said it might not be long before the struts are overhauled and the wings ready to join back to the fuselage. Then she will be back on her own two feet, and the tail will be tied down so the nose gear can be overhauled.

I look forward to Ray's update and photos!!!

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Mike