B-58 55-0666 Begins.

[Spectre_I]

Latest update:

We've been pushed back until after January 2017, so nothing new until then. Meanwhile, our F-16A is coming along nicely.

[Chris Brame]

January? Sorry your guys will have to deal with a cold hangar in an Illinois winter. How much disassembly did they get done since the 3rd when they removed the wing tips? Are the folks running Chanute shutting down all recovery/scrapping for the winter?

[Spectre_I]

January? Sorry your guys will have to deal with a cold hangar in an Illinois winter. How much disassembly did they get done since the 3rd when they removed the wing tips? Are the folks running Chanute shutting down all recovery/scrapping for the winter?

From what I understand, the company moving it got pulled off for a more "important" move for NMUSAF. Don't know what it is. As far as I know, they haven't got any further on disassembly. I haven't heard any news about closing for winter. we've been told they'll be back at it sometime in January (but we all know how that works). Meanwhile we have plenty of other projects we're working on and will be able to get a bunch done.

[Pat Carry]

wow, the F-16 is looking pretty darn awesome!

[Spectre_I]

Still on hold, but that doesn't mean work hasn't begun. Looky what we found laying in a boneyard. One problem solved.

[DH82EH]

Whoa
Merry Christmas indeed! Talk about a total score.

Was that between the rows of Unicorns, or beside the piles of rocking horse poop and hens teeth?

Andy

[sandiego89]

Still on hold, but that doesn't mean work hasn't begun. Looky what we found laying in a boneyard. One problem solved.

Wow, what a find! I know the nose strut was badly cracked, were the mains damaged as well?

[Spectre_I]

Still on hold, but that doesn't mean work hasn't begun. Looky what we found laying in a boneyard. One problem solved.

Wow, what a find! I know the nose strut was badly cracked, were the mains damaged as well?

Yes. When they broke the nose gear, they busted a main at the same time. The other one is fine.

[markboss]

What a great plane to save, and have in your museum!

[sandiego89]

Spectre I: Yes. When they broke the nose gear, they busted a main at the same time. The other one is fine.

Thank you Spectre. That photo really makes you appreciate the engineering that went into the landing gear. The tires are so compact.

I recall from Jay Miller's excellent B-58 book the tendency for lightly loaded B-58's (especially without the pod) to perform a less than glorious wheelie. Think they resorted to concrete weights chained to the nose gear. I imagine the braces at her former museum kept her firmly on all three gear.

I deeply appreciate your behind the scenes posts, and look forward to the updates! Request lots of cockpit photos when you get to that stage. Thanks as always- Dave

[Chris Brame]

'666 had no engines so maybe that balanced it out; Curt Arsenau told me last year that one of the surviving B-58s has had its cockpit filled with cement to keep it level.

[Spectre_I]

Spectre I: Yes. When they broke the nose gear, they busted a main at the same time. The other one is fine.

Thank you Spectre. That photo really makes you appreciate the engineering that went into the landing gear. The tires are so compact.

I recall from Jay Miller's excellent B-58 book the tendency for lightly loaded B-58's (especially without the pod) to perform a less than glorious wheelie. Think they resorted to concrete weights chained to the nose gear. I imagine the braces at her former museum kept her firmly on all three gear.

I deeply appreciate your behind the scenes posts, and look forward to the updates! Request lots of cockpit photos when you get to that stage. Thanks as always- Dave

Oh, my pleasure! They do have a tendency to sit, as do a surprising number of aircraft. Get 'em a tad off the center of gravity and splat. I once crawled into the rear of an S-2 to inspect the metal. The whole darn thing sat on it's ass.

As far as the cockpit, I'll be happy to see it 6 months. I wouldn't be surprised if it's well stripped. If so, we'll do our best to reconstruct them.

[6trn4brn]

With regards to the concrete in the nose, the Hustler on display at Grissom may be the one you are referring to. From what I can remember, she had a rather substantial fire in the cockpit on her final landing. When they pulled her over to her final resting spot, they filled the cockpit area with concrete to keep her sitting level. Many times I would walk around and under her, see all of the corrosion slowly eating her into oblivion and the cockpit area beginning to buckle. Sad fate for such a beautiful girl.

[carseneau]

As part of the restoration team I was able to view the cockpit areas on the B-58 during a maintenance inspection. It's been a while but as I recall the front and rear cockpits are pretty well striped but not sawsall striped as we have seen in some other aircraft. Entry was made through the rear canopy (very heavy) and we were able to crawl through the center cockpit to the front. Pilot and co-pilot seats were in the front cockpit and seat was still in the rear but center section was modified to hold various banks of electronic test equipment as I was told 666 was used as a test bed for what I don't know. There were dozens of cannon plugs wrapped in plastic bags secured with rubber bands when electronics were removed.
Your team is very fortunate to have found a replacement front gear. Hopefully main bogie and be repaired for static. Always hoped to be able to put her back on her feet but we didn't really have a decent way to lift her up to get the bogie repaired not to mention the time and money thing.

[mustangdriver]

Yup, the Grissom bird has the concrete due to the fire.