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

[A26 Special K]

Step two: unwrap the newly overhauled oil cooler very carefully and find an extra strong fella to lift it. That would be big Mike with assistance from Arnold.

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Step three: Big Mike lubes up the rubber seal before insertion.

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Big Mike enjoys lubing the seal apparently from the smile when I asked what he was doing.

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Step four: prep the hole for filling. Arnold is getting all the hoses and fittings set for the insertion.

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Step Five: go around to the other side and look at how that big ol cooler is supposed to fit into such a small space. Scatch head and look at maintenance manual two more times. Not much there. Go back and look at the right side again. OK, get ready to lift. Slide it in. To be continued.... JR

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Meanwhile, Inu, our Floor Manager, looks on with some concern about the job Big Mike and Arnold are doing on the oil cooler.

[Cvairwerks]

LOLOLOL oh my I should know better than to post late at night after working on planes......ATE AT !!!!!! Thanks for the giggle [/quote]


Glad you could have a gigglefest over it....I figured that after about 10 seconds of mortified embarassment, the visual would come coupled with lots of laughter....the Dixie House with lots of bite marks on what was left of the structure...

Hey, If you can't laugh at yourself, then you are wound way too tight and need professional help......

[A26 Special K]

Another daunting task today was done by JR and David A. The repair of the vertical spar was started in the early hours to try and avoid some of the heat in the hangar. It got up to 104 degrees in the afternoon. Everything is looking good for this repair to be completed next weekend. This will start the chain of events that will be a major accomplishment. Hanging all of the tail feathers is getting closer every week. TA dah! The other JR

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David A, our ace electrician, finishes out the wiring and connector for the nav lights in the tail cone. These had been wired rather haphazardly at some time in the past and the side amber/white lights had been left out of the bundle. This is all back together and working now. The tail cone has been refurbed with all of the lights installed and is ready for installation once the rudder is hung. There is some sheet metal work left to do on top where the rudder torque tube is inserted. JR

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Meanwhile, Denis and Strat clean up the 42D patch on the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer. JR

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And for those who have been waiting breathlessly to see how it looks when the hole was filled, this is it. Big Mike and Arnold won the fight to get this thing hung in place and the attachments to line up. All of the hoses are nearly finished out. Another big Ta dah. Even Inu breathed a little easier when it was done!! JR

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Strat and Ray, our new sheet metal gurus, whipped out the last rudder gap seal so the rudder is now pronounced ready to hang by JR. New hardware has been purchased for this. We should be ready to go as soon as the vertical spar repair is done. It is very close to being ready to close as the surgeon would say. Also in the picture, you may notice a color, full sized shot of the Garmin 750/650 stack. These are the radios we would like to install in the airplane so we were using these to see just what we would have to do find room. If the O2Lady can eat a whole Dixie House, we are sure we can find room to place a few radios!! Now that I think about it, I don't think that is on the allowed items of the Adkins plan, is it, O2Lady? Happy Day!! JR

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Speaking of the birthday party and open house for Meacham on Saturday, we had a fairly good turnout for 105 degrees. There were sufficient airplanes on display to make it worthwhile to wonder around the ramp. Among them was a C-130 that had a crew member showing how to program the FMS. Captain Button Pusher was very adept at loading the flight plans, performance data and other vital parameters in his demos. Overall, we enjoyed the opportunity to meet a lot of new people and show them what we do. Many took advantage of the free shuttle ride from the terminal to the VFM hangar on the Deuce and came to see the K. We appreciate the interest. Come on back next weekend or anytime to see our progress. JR

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If you compare this shot with previous of the vertical, you will note some significant differences. Yes, near the top, the skin has been returned to its natural state. Just a couple of rivets and presto. The repair on the spar has been completed by the real JR and David A. Hats off to these guys because it must have been 117 degrees up there since it was 107 in the hangar by the time they got done. Many, many thanks for sticking it out and doing such a great job in the process. Nothing less than perfect is acceptable to the real JR's way of thinking. Have to admire that. Good to know when you push the throttles up!! The other JR

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Our very own resident Nimrod pilot, Joe M, comes regularly to work on the K. He is double checking the hardware on the attach fittings for the flaps after finding that several had been installed in reverse at some point in the distant past. Good thing he still has sharp eyes!! Thanks Joe. We appreciate your service back then and now!!! Great working with you. JR