Warbird Information Exchange

Here is a "before JR and company" got hold of the oil tank top and innards! The after shot will follow. But back to Airnutz, glad to see someone else is a connysewer of ZZ Top, that lil ol band from Texas. They have come up with some of my favorite tunes...like "LaGrange". I happened to be on the campus of A & M when the whole controversy about the "Chicken Ranch" was stirred up by that "publicity seeking ex deputry sheriff turned investigative reporter" for a TV station in Houston. There were some Aggies who wouldn't have minded if somebody had taken that fella for a little ride with Ted Kennedy over some bridge. Now, here is a good mystery question for ya, what was the significance of radio station WTAW? The other JR

Now this is what I'm talking about. Good as new practically. Should last a long time now. There was a little bit of corrosion to clean up in the metal, but mostly it was a max effort with the elbow grease! They done good!!! JR is planning an extra work session this coming Friday for those of the team that can make it. We are trying to catch up the work needed to be done before the right engine is returned. We would also like to get as much done before the cold weather comes and slows us down some. Speaking of the engine, a brief report that JR got back from Anderson's recently indicated the supercharger was going back together and that seven of our cylinders were bad. Not too big of a surprise, but it sure runs the cost of the overhaul up. It is not too late to make a tax deductible donation using paypal or credit card at our sister non profit so that we can take advantage of the matching funds. Please go to http://www.a-26legacy.org and scroll down to the donate button at the bottom left of the page. The team would certainly appreciate anything you can do to help us get her flying. Oshkosh in 2015 is our goal!!! Help us get there!!! Thanks, The Other JR

Golly, I hate to answer my own question, but it seems there are few on WIX who are conversant with Aggie History. Let me get you up to speed. WTAW was the first radio station in the Republic and was also the first to broadcast a football game, played against none other than our favorite rival, those pesky Longhorns at the traditional Turkey Day meeting. BTW, WTAW stood for "Watch the Aggies Win"!!! The station changed hands several times and the call letters also changed, but it is now back to Woopee TAW on AM 1620. Man, can't wait to fly K over Kyle Field at an Aggie home game for the playing of the National Anthem. That will be one of the highlights of the effort to return her to flight. OSH in 2015 is also a big goal. Overflying the memorial service at the Air Commando Association reunion at Hurlburt AFB is the biggest of our goals, except I want to be in the crowd to watch the expressions on the faces of those assembled for the ceremony. There will never be a more appreciative group of vets and their families of our efforts. That will make it all worth while!! Can't wait... from the Republic, JR

But do you remember the name of the "reporter" allegedly responsible for shutting down The Ranch?????????

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There is no allegedly about it.... but I can't bring myself to say his name. His initials are DMZ in Aggieland. If I remember right, Larry Conner, a co-reporter was his partner in crime in the saddest of all days in Aggie history. And all because MZ was hired at KTRK in '73 to bring the news ratings from 3rd in Houston to 1st. Dom D played the guy in the movie with Burt R and Dolly about the Chicken Ranch but he didn't get it quite right. MZ was much more flamboyant than that. The real Sheriff involved whooped MZ good, pulled his wig off and displayed it like a scalp. Gov Dolph Briscoe, played by D Day Vet Charles Durning got the Gov right though!!! That little dance he did was hilarious. One of my favorite movies... in spite of not having one airplane in it. If Kay had been operational at the time, I would have been tempted to "bomb" MZ's stakeout near the ranch with water balloons. Broomrider, you can say the distardly villian's name, but I won't. Signing off, this is JAAAAY RRRRRRRER reporting live from the Channel 13 newsroom.

You did get the initials correct.......so I guess you get the gold star

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JR: Marvin was flamboyant definitely, but very passionate about what he was doing. The Chicken Ranch debacle probably made him much more aggressive about fighting for the wronged. I never got to talk to him much when I worked at KTRK. He started his career as a radio dj, ended up working for the Harris County Sheriff's Department in the Civil Process area then Fugitive Squad. He was later tapped to started the Consumer Fraud Division of the Harris County DA's office. Jack Heard fired him when he apparently got too aggressive on prosecuting a bunch of car dealers on odometer roll backs. Dave Ward was highly instrumental in getting Marvin hired on KTRK.

A lot of people didn't like him or what he did, but in the long run everyone benefited from his reporting. Hate him or love him, there will never be another just like him..... Marviiiinnnn Zeeeeeee... Eyeeeeeewitness News!

Yup Marvin was quite the fixture here in Houston and he did indeed do many good things. Tapping on his friends in Houston's ample medical centers and other businesses to help children, elderly, and needy was a big one...not to mention his "rat and roach" report restaurant reviews....or "sliiiiiime in the ice machine". All this after a few years led me to eventually forget all about the traumatic La Grange incident. I was going to Conroe HS in '73 and it twer Marvin who spoiled my class trip that year.
We can rest assured that Marvin resides in a hookerless heaven....or he's paying at least double the going rate.

WTAW...I got that wrong, I thought that was the radio station the Nazi's homed in on when they bombed Pearl Harbor...

Whut? Is saying his last name bad luck like Macbeth?....dohhhh!

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

Airnutz, I like the picture you so eloquently drew of MZ in whatever zone he was relegated in the afterlife as being hookerless or paying double the rate. Now, that right there is plum funny. In reality, MZ is something to talk about from the past, sorta like the Aggies playing TU Longhorns on Turkey Day. It will not happen again in my lifetime. On the positive side, if MZ hadn't closed the Chicken Ranch and ended another very long tradition in Aggieland which if you recall was all male until the mid to late 60's, there would never have been the great movie or the play. So personally, I don't really hold it against MZ, but don't tell anybody! My real girlfriend named Kay might get jealous! Hookerless in the Republic, JR

The latest report from Idaho shows seven bad cylinders however the heads appear to be serviceable. Four rear and 3 front cylinders will receive new barrels. Guess that is better than expected. Would not have been surprised to hear that all 18 were bad. Some of the guys will be working at the hangar tomorrow, Friday, to try and make sure we are ready when the engine comes back. Of course, Saturday will be regular work day for the team. Folks are always welcome to drop by and say hello. JR

Friday's work team consisted of JR, Rand, Larry, Stan and Arnold. Here Larry has been sanding down the pilot's yoke to get it ready for paint. It will have to be done in place as it is very difficult to remove unlike the copilot's side. Both will go back with a semi-gloss black paint as the original had. Meanwhile, Arnold and Rand worked on installing the newly returned oil shutoff valve. It presented a problem though when tested. The motor was trying to run, but the valve didn't move. Back to the drawing board....a suspected case of perhaps the wiring being backwards?? They will figure it out before long. Larry got the new fuel flow gauge ready to install. It is exactly like the Dash One manual shows with two types of scales: pounds per hour and gallons per hour. No mental math required to convert pounds to gallons as a result. The old gauge just had pounds per hour so that wasn't the best for us slow minded pilot types! Tomorrow should be a beautiful day to work on old airplanes so drop by. The EAA Ford Trimotor is on display at American Aero FBO just up the ramp. They are selling rides today and tomorrow, Saturday. It was a hoot to see it take off awhile ago just like back in 1928 when American Airlines flew them out of their home office, Meacham Field. The Other JR

Seven cylinders got new barrels inserted for the right engine. The heads and fins are serviceable and cleaned up just fine. Can hardly wait to hear all 18 singing like a choir! A choir made up of Harley's maybe?? Work continues tomorrow with the team hitting a flap repair, nacelle prep, QEC work, cockpit clean up and finalizing the oil cooler installation. JR said the oil shutoff valve is gonna have to go back to the overhauler as the motor runs but the valve is stuck. It cost just over a $1000 to overhaul so we want it be right. The fuel flow gauge is not checking out either so that will have to be looked at some more. Again, simple little things that turn into projects it seems. Why should we expect anything different?? A lady's makeover can't be rushed, but golly, a little more cooperation from her would be appreciated! Ever have that feeling while waiting for your gal to get dressed to go out?? I suppose the wait will be worth it... she will be a knockout!! The Other JR

Just returned from Ft Walton Beach, FL... oh, I could get used to that place, but anyway, we had a great reunion with the A-26 people from the various squadrons that flew them in the unpleasantness in SE Asia. The picture is from the banquet where we presented our latest report on the restoration. This is just a few of the folks that I could get in the pic. Heard some great stories and saw many old friends. The Nimrods of the 609th SOS were probably the most prevalent in number. This reunion was a tremendous opportunity to find out even more about their operations. It would simply blow you away to hear about them. We can't wait to finish Kay and get her out on the circuit to start sharing their stories. The pressure is on to finish, but we have to do it right. So stay tuned!! Back in the Republic, JR

JR any idea when and where? No info to go along with these photos. Thinking somewhere in Korea?

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Hi Mark, some interesting A-26 photos you found there. Too bad there was no info to go with them. Some of the A-26's may be black which was mostly a Korean war scheme although some were black that were based on Formosa during WWII. Judging from the 3rd picture, it appears to have been taken from an L-19 Birddog. The wing shape is very familiar. That puts it post WWII. The C-47 seems to have USAF on the wing. Just have to blow the pic up to see if that is really there or is my imagination. If it is, then another vote for post WWII. There is a T-6 in one shot. Don't usually see those on a combat base unless it was used a FAC Mosquito or maybe a base hack. So I am going to conclude it to be from the Korean War era. With that said, this newly constructed base could very well be in Korea, but we can't rule out Japan totally either. In the early part of the Korean war, A-26 staged out of Japan, but I am under the impression they used existing bases. Maybe some of our colleagues can shed more light on this. Good find, Mark. Thanks and glad to be back in the Republic! JR