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

[bmoran]

Wilkerson Aircraft Tires advertise 36SC as a tire size on their web site here: http://wilkersonaircrafttires.com/range.html

However, I just realized that they are out of Virginia and are likely the place you sent your rubber to for retreading evaluation

In that likely event, there is some discussion here a few years ago about tires and having a custom batch of 36SC tires made: http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30403&start=0. If this last custom run was 4 years ago, maybe its time to have a group of interested operators collectively put in a custom order to help defray the cost of such critical wear items like the B-17 group does...

[A26 Special K]

Wilkerson Aircraft Tires advertise 36SC as a tire size on their web site here: http://wilkersonaircrafttires.com/range.html

However, I just realized that they are out of Virginia and are likely the place you sent your rubber to for retreading evaluation

In that likely event, there is some discussion here a few years ago about tires and having a custom batch of 36SC tires made: http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30403&start=0. If this last custom run was 4 years ago, maybe its time to have a group of interested operators collectively put in a custom order to help defray the cost of such critical wear items like the B-17 group does...

Yep, you guessed it. They don't have any unfortunately. We are hot on the trail of a new lead though. More later. Thanks! JR

[A26 Special K]

Yay! Our new wiring harness and radios arrived from Oregon and it was like Xmas presents being opened early. Now if we can just figure out where all this stuff goes! I am sure Larry, Stan and Rand will have it figured out in no time. They were running some other wires for the flux valve and the intercom system to the doghouse today. BTW, in the background, the tables, chairs and balloons are all set up for the big Hangar Dance tonight. Vintage Flying Museum's annual 40's dance starts with a BBQ dinner for those who want to eat first at 6:30 pm and the band cranks up at 8 pm for dancing and listening pleasure. Come on out and boogie. Tickets are available at the door. Weather permitting the DC3 will be offering rides tonight also. The A26 will also be on display and we will be happy to give tours for those who want a close up shot. What a grand way to spend Saturday night. Be there!! JR

[A26 Special K]

Talk about spaghetti factory... that new wiring harness is going to be fun to install. Good luck guys! JR

[K5DH]

Hey Jim,

We were checking out Kay's restored instrument panel last night. Looking really good!!!

[A26 Special K]

Thanks Dean, we are very proud of it. Can't wait to see it installed and working. Whoo hooo! I'd say the party was a success last night. Looked like everybody had a good time. The band was wailing and jitterbuggin was definitely in style. We had a bunch of folks come over to tour the A26. They routinely commented how impressed they were with the project. There is just something about those sparkling new wheel wells that impresses. Instrument panel was also admired. We met a lot of good people. One had flown OnMark A-26 execs back in the day. Another was an older gentleman who said his family was visiting Germany in 1939 and got stuck there for the duration. Said he was bombed by the US, English and Russians. Tough being an American kid and not understanding why your own people are dropping bombs on you, I reckon. Anyway, he finally got home and went to work in the aircraft manufacturing biz. Said he worked at GD on several projects and was in Turkey at the same place and time that I was except he was working on the co production contract on the F-16 while I was looking at the F-4 sims. Small world!! Anyway, we had a great time at the dance. JR

[A26 Special K]

Ahhhh, I love the look of new wire. Larry is running the new wiring down the left side as part of the new avionics package. We will have a full HSI-GPS/VOR/ILS with flux valve plus all of the GPS hardware that were not part of the original avionics, but are much more useful in the modern airspace. Beats a National Geographic map!! JR

[A26 Special K]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, David A and Denis are putting the final touches on the nose gear brace assembly. Got it all straightened out and painted. Ready for install next Sat. Whoo hoo, we will have 3 good legs again!! Nose wheel is back from overhaul. Going Tuesday to see about a nose tire so maybe we can wrap the landing gear up soon. JR

[A26 Special K]

Well, our composites man Clay came up with another new tail cone he made from scratch. He built the form and the oven to heat the plastic so now he can turn these out fairly easily. They still take some trimming and careful pre-drilling to relieve the stress before making the hole. We are proud to get this done. Now it will be very clear and look like it just came out of the factory! Yay for Clay! JR

[A26 Special K]

BTW, we still have plenty of Special K T shirts for sale. $25 each. Help us return K to flight. PM me if interested. Have all sizes including kids. Kids love these. On the front side, we have B-26K and Special Kay on the pocket in white letters. Girl not included. JR

[A26 Special K]

Our neighbors are firing up BUBA for a run over to McKinney for the fly in this past weekend. Sounded good when fired up. Looks distinctively nice with the yellow trim instead of the old red. Buddy and the gang are happy to have it airworthy again. Be glad when we can fly some formation with them. DFW is getting to be A-26 rich. We could put up quite a group if the San Antonio, Houston and Okie airplanes got together. JR

[Ryan Harris]

Ok I'll bite, who's the airplane in San Antonio? I know the Dallas area is K, Waco (Texas Special), and Hard To Get. Oklahoma is Lady Liberty. Houston is Rick's 2 airplanes, but which is San Antonio? Did Lewis buy one finally?

[Obergrafeter]

Ok I'll bite, who's the airplane in San Antonio? I know the Dallas area is K, Waco (Texas Special), and Hard To Get. Oklahoma is Lady Liberty. Houston is Rick's 2 airplanes, but which is San Antonio? Did Lewis buy one finally?

X2

[A26 Special K]

Ryan... Ober.. sorry to get yall excited. Seems I jumped the gun on San Antonio. I heard there were some negotiations for an airplane, but no deal yet. Probably more wishful thinking on my part. Can't have enough A-26's in my opinion. Can you just imagine though if we had a gathering of A-26's from all over?? That would be good noise and even better sight. Recognition of the A-26 is long over due. It is one of the few airplanes to serve in three wars and a good argument can be made that it is the granddaddy of the A-10 Warthog. Some may argue that, but at least they have to admit the A-26 should be in the family lineage and the K model in the almost missing link since we are down to one flyable airplane!!! Ta dah... JR

[Ken]

We just paid a visit to the Tennessee Museum of Aviation and were able to sneak a peek of the panel in the Skyraider. It's my understanding that they wanted to go with a DC-only electrical system and found a military-style attitude indicator to avoid needing AC power or vacuum power; it may be the ARU-44. Panel looks great. If it wasn't done in-house then it was probably done at West-Pac. Worth looking into the option since they have already blazed this trail and Kay's panel is still out.

Ken