Warbird Information Exchange

Looks like Don has a pretty good helper there with the B-1 stand. At least he don't screw nothing up!

how are you going to simulate bomb bay doors?


Aero

Simulate? Isn't the Bombay eventually going to be put back to original?

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Robert Kropp has only the nose framework as far as I know.He does have a ton of B-24 parts. The large sections of fuselage described earlier are PB4Y2 sections. I know Robert pretty well and his hangars are a treasure trove of bits and pieces. Next time I see him I'll talk to him about "Lil" and find out if he has any stuff that the "Miracle Man in Midland" might use. Is that to lofty of a title Gary?

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

Gary;
Has the CAF thought of cutting up the canvas that you remove from the control surfaces and perhaps selling it to help raise funds?

I know it's not the original WWII fabric, but it is off one of the oldest flying "warbirds" and one that was there in the early stages of the movement.
As a momento, there maybe people who'd be interested, especially if they've flown on "Lil".
Just an idea!

This is the best thread going and it really shows the power of the internet.
I'm sure that many of us who are not physically close to you, feel that we have the privilege of watching someone actually work on a "Warbird", especially the fact that the work is modifications to help return it to WWII standards.
Thank you for that and keep it up, EVERYONE IS LOVING IT!!!!
Blue skies,
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Sorry Gary- Midland is a little far for me for a weekend jaunt, but if you ever need a hand in the DC metro area give me a call and I will be there in heartbeat. Now that it has been almost 6 months since I moved away from TX I am amazed at how much I miss the sound of big round engines.

Steve S

You'd get a lot more done if that guy in back of the stand would take his hands out of his pockets and get to work!

I'll try to catch up on a few of the questions here...
The bombay door situation is a tricky one for me. There is no doubt that I (along with everyone else) would like to see the bomb doors back on the airplane. The reality is that it would be an extremely daunting task for me and the facilities we have here at Midland. Not impossible, but very difficult. There is simply no way, however, that I could accomplish such a task in one winter alone. We must get this airplane back out on the road in April to help generate funds for both the B-24 and the B-29. So, with that being said, I intend on making something that will simulate the bomb doors for now. That is not to say that I have given up on the idea of installing the original doors, it's just to say that I just don't have the time to tackle such an issue this winter. One must know his limits and the limits of the equipment he surrounds himself with (a saying I use when flying too).

The difficult stuff take a lot of time. The impossible stuff just takes a little longer.

I will be trying to get in touch with Mr. Kropp this week to hopefully obtain some items of interest for our project. I very much appreciate everyone on this site for helping out with these types of suggestions. This thread has been a good one for me too.

As far as selling the pieces of fabric from the B-24s control surfaces...well, that is certainly something that's been discussed. We also have the same thing from the fabric we took off of FIFI's rudder a year or so ago. I reckon I could also make available to sell, some of the sheet metal pieces from both airplanes that have been removed. We tried selling some of that stuff from FIFI on the B-24 tour this year, but it didn't move that fast. What I do with some of the pieces is give them to the kids that come through the hangar that show an interest in these old airplanes. I know that when I was a kid, that would've been something I'd have kept forever. Anyway, I'll see if we can come up with a price that we can all agree on for the little items like that and put it on the market.

Oh, and BDK, that guy behind the stand with his hands in his pocket is Don. I don't know who the guy is on the floor next to the stand.

Gary

Got a later start than usual today, but here's the tunnel gun plug that the factory put in during their conversion from bomber to transport being removed.......

Doesn't look like much yet...


But with that false bulkhead removed, the original tunnel gun position is exposed........


From the inside, looking out......


Here's what it's gonna look like eventually (in theory )




The next step is to remove the glass section of the nose. Just got a call that the guy that's going to fabricate and install the new glass is on his way here to pick it up. Gonna be another long day. I'll post the pics when that's done.

Gary

Well, I'm hoping to make this current nose section work out as best as it can. We will not be shortening the nose, but I will do everything else I can to make the cockpit glass look as original as possible. This is certainly an area where we'll just have to "make due," but without taking the airplane down for many years at a time for a real restoration, I'm afraid there will have to be some compromises on authenticity.

Gary

Just when I thought this B-24 couldn't get any uglier ......................





Gary

Gary, Great photos, keep them coming! Excuse my ignorance here but what is the difference in the nose piece that is now lying on the floor and the "correct" piece that was asked about by Sasnak? thanks

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Well, the piece you see in those last photos is actually correct. It's the rest of the nose section that isn't exactly right for the "A" model. The early B-24s had a short nose section, along with a greenhouse type cockpit. While this particular airplane was still being used by Consolidated, before the War was over, they went ahead and put the long nose on it, like what a B-24D might have. In order for us to change it back to the original, we'd have to de-mate the airplane just aft of the cockpit, find a short nose section to put back on it, and put it back together.

The reason I have the glass section off is so that it can have new plexiglas panels put in. I will also use this nice access to revamp the bombardier's compartment.

I hope that explanation helps.

Gary

Thanks Gary. Very informative.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Every time you post some more pics, there are fewer parts on the plane. It reminds me of that comic I saw where the guys just started out changing spark plugs but ended up doing a ground up restoration. It's not ugly though, just a "unique" type of beauty. Can't wait to see it at Airsho next year. Great job Gary!!!!!!!!

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.