B-26K Counter-Invader Restoration ("Special K")

[Dewayne Doud]

hmm.. lord mount or shock mount of some kind?

Dewayne

[A26 Special K]

Ding Ding Ding... we have a winner in the Identify the Mystery Part contest!!! But is it contestant:

A. Jason who said it was a deice reservoir
B. Muddyboots who said it was a piece of pottery
C. Taigh who thought it might be the diaphragm for an elephant... no strike that... how do you erase on this thing?... diaphragm for hydraulic system reservoir
D. Dewayne who said it might be a Lord or shock mount
E. None of the above... (obligatory part of any FAA test!)

So now, which one will be today's winner?? Any guesses?? Come on, speak up, we can't see you pointing and shaking your head. Jim R.

[Obergrafeter]

I'll go with pottery!

[A26 Special K]

This is a shot under the A26A Memorial at Hurlburt AFB last October during the Air Commando Association Reunion. These wonderful guys are the pilots and ground crews for all of the various groups that flew the airplane out of NKP Thailand. Lots of Nimrods, but earlier groups as well like Randy's Project Big Eagle. Oh, I think Randy might be hiding in the picture? One notable who is missing is Joe Kittinger. He was a member of this outfit. Joe holds the world record for highest manned parachute jump and one of the few who has busted Mach 1 without an aircraft. He was shot down on a later tour over VN and spent some time in the Hanoi Hilton. The Nims were the last to fly the A26A (B-26K) in combat. And now you know... the rest of the story! Jim R

[A26 Special K]

I'll go with pottery!

Buzzzzzzzzzz... nope, thanks for playing though!! Jim R

[carlisle1926]

I think Taigh is the one that guessed correctly. The guy never misses.

[A26 Special K]

Here are some of our volunteers working on various projects while our erstwhile cameraman is up on the manlift helping K become topless. Couldn't be because it was close to the heater?? We had 17 folks yesterday including one of the NKP A26 pilots who showed up and inspired them to keep going with his stories of those days. Everybody was held spellbound during our pizza party lunch and then a video that Hawkeye put together of an interview he had at the ACA reunion with two other Nimrod pilots. Thanks Joe!! Your bud, Jim R

[A26 Special K]

I think Taigh is the one that guessed correctly. The guy never misses.

Do we have a second opinion?? Going once.....

[Obergrafeter]

You mean I loose? I was just dusting off my Pony saddle, and now............NO Pony!!!!

[A26 Special K]

You mean I loose? I was just dusting off my Pony saddle, and now............NO Pony!!!!

Sorry, no pony today... keep trying!!

[pjpahs]

Some type of priming bulb?

[51fixer]

I think Taigh is the one that guessed correctly. The guy never misses.

Do we have a second opinion?? Going once.....

I second the motion of Hyd Accumulator Diaphragm.

[skymstr02]

Its definitely a bladder from a spherical accumulator.

[pjpahs]

Bladder, accumulator, hydraulic, 7.5 in. dia. 1500 p.s.i.

[A26 Special K]

Going.... Going... Gone... we have a winner. Well, really several winners today!! It is a spherical bladder for the hydraulic accumulator!! Good work!! I will be looking forward to next week's edition of Name the Mystery Part. Can't wait to see what JR comes up with next. That is some hat he has and the rabbits just seem to keep multiplying. On another note, was present today at the hangar for the zooming arrival of the CAF A-26 from Breckinridge. Made an acquaintance with an old friend. N240P sat for many years derelict on the ramp next to our hangar in Amarillo. Used to make airplane noises and logged many hours in her on the ground and that is where I got my interest in A-26's. Don't know if you are aware, but it had been used as a drug runner for some time and one that the law had a lot of trouble catching due to its speed. One dark and gloomy night over the Texas Panhandle, 40P blew an engine at a most inopportune time. Had to ditch the load and make an emergency landing in Amarillo. The pilot and mechanic later showed up with another engine to replace the bad one. The local Sheriff got suspicious and started nosing around. Seems there was some question about the ownership of the new engine so he confiscated the airplane until things could be sorted out. The two guys who had been working on the airplane disappeared never to be seen again. After many years, the CAF guys in Waco obtained the airplane, made it sorta airworhy after many weeks of work and ferried it to Waco where the work was continued. So naturally I had to make the reacquiantance with an old friend whom I had not seen in many years. Like to welcome her to our hangar. Should be good company for K. With the other A-26's now in the area, wouldn't that be a hoot to see four of em going over in formation? I doubt that has happened anywhere in awhile. Talk about awesome!! That would make history in and of itself!! Can't wait!! Your old bud, Jim R