Warbird Information Exchange

Left main gear was re-installed and the right main was completed. Then all were tested and adjusted by swinging the gear up and down thru the cycles several times. All of the gear indicator lights and the gear warning horn were adjusted to function properly. This is the first time we have put electrical power on the airplane in quite awhile so we were pleased that nothing smoked or smelled funny. The smoke test should always have a pause for concern, but we came out ok. We will be installing avionics soon so that will be an even bigger test. JR

We had a bit of bad luck earlier in the week. A big wind gust knocked over the tail cone and shattered the clear plastic lens. Looks like we will need to obtain another one or make one. Appreciate any leads our readers might have. JR

David A, our marathon runner/Energizer Bunny and the real JR consolidated a bunch of our equipment and parts/supplies earlier in the week. It is looking good in our area. This will give a little more room to our neighbors between us the B-25. "Flying Cowboys" has quite the art and militaria collection on display plus the Huey helicopter now. We hope their business thrives. Good thing I am a poor man or I would have to have that restored Wright R-2600 engine that came off the Boeing Clipper flying boat. Don't know where I would put it, but it has a roll around stand. If only it could tell the stories it saw back in the day. It was last overhauled in 1942 and not run since. Anyway, thanks to David A and JR for doing the Spring cleaning! Got us better organized for sure. The other JR

Big milestone today!! Both main wheels were installed and the gear was swung with the full weight of the wheels and brakes. We are ready to bring the airplane off the jacks if a storm should arise that causes concern. Meanwhile we need to hook up the actuator on the nose gear and swing it for the first time. Then when that is all adjusted, we will swing all three gear on the ship's hydraulic system to see if we have a winner or some tweaking is required. Next project will be to pull the left engine and do some structural repairs behind it. Ta dah!!! A great big thanks to all the guys who worked today!! BTW, there will be a B-25 ground school next Saturday. Contact Dana to sign up. More info on our website: http://www.gga1.org JR

Well, I had some nice photos to share with yall, but for some reason Photobucket is not cooperating tonight. The image link doesn't seem to be active. Anyway, the gang just about finishing dressing out the two main wheel wells putting in clamps and getting all the rest of the brake lines connected. They also installed battery hold down brackets/clamps. As soon as Ray, our metal magician, finishes in the area between the bomb bay and the nose wheel well, we should be able to swing the nose gear and get it all adjusted out. When we get that done, the next step is to remove the left engine and complete a repair on the firewall/nacelle juncture. Then we should be able to remove the right engine and get it replaced or sent off to overhaul or maybe both. Sure would be nice to have a spare engine. We have some misc work to do on fuselage skin patches, the engine fire ext. system, the elevator and aileron gap seals, the doghouse cover to get it painted and install new glass, and so on. The "Sparkies" just about have everything they need to start finishing out the instrument panel and get the avionics all wired in. The overhauled airspeed indicator and new altimeter arrived today. The final piece, the Garmin 340A audio panel was snagged today. Should be here early next week. That will give us a good 8 place intercom capability as well... .not that we need all of that. Be nice to have a connection for the crew chief outside though when starting engines ala C-130. So that is the state of the union tonight. Sorry for the long speech. Just couldn't get pictures to do the talking for me. Ta dah... Cheers, JR

Last Saturday's B-25 ground school had 24 true warbird enthusiasts attend and golly, we had fun. Two of the guys came all the way from S. Carolina where they are involved in restoring a B-25C that was pulled out of a lake many years ago. Columbia is the base where Doolittle picked his Raiders for the long boat ride on the Hornet. So it is very fitting that they have a B-25 there. Like to drop in and have a visit to their museum in the Prowler one of these days. Next Saturday, June 15, is our last class until probably sometime in Sept. If interested, please contact Dana via email at GreatestGeneration@yahoo.com or get more info at our website: http://www.gga1.org Don't miss out on this last chance of the summer. JR

The real JR sent this shot of Ray doing his magic with the metal in the area between the nose gear wheel well and the bomb bay. This structure had damage from a crash landing back in the 70's. It supported the bomb bay spoilers on one side and the forward bomb bay door actuator on the back side. The spoilers were crunched a long time ago and the area covered over. We elected to leave them out since we don't intend to drop any bombs going faster than 240 Knots. Anyway, photobucket seems to be cooperating again so I'll put up more pics later from last weekend. Don't forget our B-25 ground school class coming up this Saturday. Come join us for fun and learn more about the airplane. Later, we will have classes on the A-26. Stay tuned. The other JR

Lookee what we found. Something we can work with to make those wild pigs nervous out at the ranch!! Randy, you still got the formula? EEEEhawww... Dean, get ready to pay off on that keg! Oh yeahhhhhhhh

JR and the Ace Hog Extermination Company of Texas

Lookee what we found.....................
Where in the world do you find this stuff! Those look like pretty nice replicas.

_________________
Randy Ryman
Project Big Eagle
NKP Thailand 1966
http://www.coastcomp.com/av/florence/florandy.htm

Herr Randolf, ve haff our ways! JR

Rand and Larry built this up today to check clearances behind the panel and see what me might need to do to make all of these gizmos fit. They are needed to do that pilot stuff so the guys are trying to make it look and work perfectly. Looks to me like they are succeeding!!! Congratulations to our Sparkies for impressing everybody today with their handiwork. It can only get better as more items are fitted in the panel. JR

Ta Dah... Can't wait to see this baby finished. So where did the Sparkies hide the Garmin 650? JR

Guess what this means??? Yep, the bomb bay door actuators are going back in. There are two: front and aft. So why was the bomb bay so long and why did it then require two actuators working together to open the doors?? Hmmm?? Arnold and company worked the aft actuator over and found a spring missing which, of course, meant the thang didn't set right and sprayed Mil 5606 all over everybody except Inu. He stayed home Saturday due to all the extra traffic from the Kid's Camp and the 15 airplanes giving them rides that morning. He would have felt slighted at not being invited to go along. But I digress. The bomb bay should be fully operational soon as the last two parts have been ordered and expected this week. Look out pigs!! Sorry, got carried away with just the thought of BBQ pig. On the other side of town, we hear that the PBLA got out of the radio hospital and is recovering nicely. The Duck Drivin Lady reports that as soon as she figures out how to run the darn thing, she will once again defy the law of gravity and make those funny push me pull me airplane noises. We can't wait for a ride in the PLBA. Like to see if I remember how to fly one. One last item... we are doing a practice A-26 ground school on Saturday. Will let yall know how it goes and when we will be ready to start offering those. Our last B-25 class was last Saturday until Sept. when we will offer two more during the first two weekends of that month. Then it is time for a fishing trip to NM. Until next time... JR

Notice something different?? The rudder trim tab was hooked up, rigged and fully functional from the cockpit trim knob. Might need that puppy if we lose an engine. The little ol Dash One manual says you might need 300 lbs of force on the rudder pedal if the good engine is making full power. We won't be using water methanol injection and we don't have the hi octane fuel so should be a little less than 300 lbs. Or maybe we should start working out?? Or learning to twist that trim knob really fast?? Hmmm, something to think about. Glad the team got it all set to go!! Thanks guys! JR

Hey Randy... back in the day. What colors would the ordnance be before yall painted them black? Napes and GP's we talking. I have seen pictures of some painted and some not. Seems like Napes were silver and GP's OD mostly. What do you recall? Thanks, JR

PS Got the last bit of avionics ordered today.... a new remotely mounted transponder which will help solve some of our lack of instrument panel space. Yay