Warbird Information Exchange

This IS what it is all about. I was visiting the Collings bombers and was talking to a person by the name Walt Copper who flew B-24's during World War II, but he didn't see combat. He stayed stateside and flew training missions which would take him to both coasts. He spoke how he flew only B-24D's and never got to fly the J model. I never thought I would have such a great time listening to a veteran. I truly felt better about myself after listening, I learned things I never knew before that day.

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"Keep 'em Flying!"

Great post Gary,
I had a similar experience the first time our museum hosted a stop on the Collin's bomber tour (over twelve years ago!). I had spent the night before "modifying" some fence posts with a sawzall in the rain to allow clearance for the B-17 wings. After the planes came through our gate without problems (due to the mod) I was on top of the world. Later that day one of the many WWII veterans who attended came up to me and thanked ME for not forgetting them! I told him it was I who owed him the thanks for his service and sacrifice! This has happened several more times over the years and I still get the same feeling. It's what keeps me doing what I can for our museum and others that help preserve history (especially when I'm off in a swamp, being attacked by bugs, drowning in sweat while trying to take apart something that was put together before I was born) (No, I've not been to PNG......at least not yet).

Keep up the great work Gary!

One thing we can never lose sight of as warbird enthusiasts are the reasons we have what we have. These aircraft would not be such precious commodities if it were not for the sacrifice of the people that built, maintained and flew them. The difference in the number of Veterans that used to visit the Bombers when I started in 2003 has dwindled at an alarming rate. Please take the time to listen to thier stories because it is they that made these machines what they are today. Thanks Gary for improving "Lil". The people that maintain them today are just as vital as the guys were 60 years ago.

Jim Harley

Thank you all for the kind responses to my earlier post. That was just a little insight as to what makes me tick (and work so hard to get these ol' clunkers flying).

Now back to a regular update......

With my deadline getting frightening close, I decided to move forward with the tailgunner's lower fairing and not smooth it out as much as I'd like. In hindsight, I wish I'd have put some more effort into making it just perfect, but I'm just out of time and have got to move on. So, after an initial priming of each part for the fairing, I started riveting them together. This was a pretty easy, straightforward task that I was able to do on my own with no assistance. It's just a matter of riveting each section, on one at a time, starting at the bottom and working my way to the top on each side........



I made sure I had numbered each piece of sheet metal as they were removed initially so that it would help with reassembly. You can see that they all look similar and it would've been tough to figure out what went where had I not numbered them........



Every little project can be different on how many clecos you need to hold your pieces together while riveting. This one required me to put a cleco in every other hole and then shoot a rivet in between them. Once the first set of rivets were in place, then I removed the clecos and filled those holes with rivets. Once that piece was finished, then I just moved on to the next one, and so on...........





I came across one little mistake I made when shooting the second piece of aluminum on. I had not broken the edges of the skin over slightly so that there wouldn't be any edges sticking up. That is one of those "got in a hurry" mistakes. I got lucky, however, and only the corner of the sheet was sticking out. So I was able to just put a little bend in it with a pair of pliers before shooting the rivets in that area. It laid down just fine once it was all shot together. I made sure I put that required bend in the remaining sheets.

Here's the corner sticking up........



Just a little tweak with the little pliers......


And the end result after shooting. It's better to be lucky than good........



Shooting these skins on wasn't that big of a deal, but with this picture, you can see that it's nearly impossible for a fat boy to suck in his gut while having a picture taken, while shooting rivets. ...........



Here's what it looked like all shot together while on the airplane.......



And with the fairing removed, about to be primed completely.......



And finally, the pictures from this morning, after the primer had cured overnight. I will only have it clecoed onto the fuselage for now. I need to fabricate the gun mount and door tracks before I make this a permanent part of the airplane, but you can see it's starting to look like it belongs there (even though it's not as smooth as I'd like ).........







Gary

dings and dents add character!!!! how many square inches on the rest of the plane are perfect? great job gary!!!!!!!!! happy new year!

Roger that Gary, it does make it better day when you hear them speak. I was going to run the Yellow Rose one Saturday when a old man walked up with that look in his eyes. He smiled and said that he flew B-25's in the Med's. I told him that I was going to run the engines to check the hyd system and could use his help with the checklist. Before I was finished asking him, he was in the right seat with the checklist waiting for me. With the engines running, you could see in his eyes, history was passing him by once again. Yes, its really great when a vet tells you thank you and you tell them, no, thank you.

Lynn

Gary, just from looking at the old photos for the B-24A vs the "Lil", the look, the feel, is definitely right on the mark........ Keep rockin' bro! Alan

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Just call me Al.

When I see people doing great work like Gary, It inspires me even more. His posts lead me to becoming a Col. in the CAF, and active in my local wing.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Well done Gary. I think it looks "spot-on".

I wondering if you breifly detail what your goals, schedule and dealines looks like?

Basically give us better idea of what pressures you are under.

Thanks

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Well, the "unveiling" of the airplane will be on May 12 (yes, of this year), at the Gathering of Twin Tails, here in Midland. However, I am hoping to have the airplane flying in April so that we can get our crew training out of the way, along with having time to work any bugs out before the unveiling.

What's left? Well, I'd rather not get into that right now. Too depressing. I think y'all get the picture of how much work is left to do if you've read any of the updates I've posted. There is a point where I will just have to stop on some of the less important projects and save them for next year. Obviously, safety is my biggest concern with the airplane, and if I don't finish some of the cosmetic items, then so be it. I don't want to disappoint anyone by not having the airplane finished cosmetically, but it's more important for me to get it back in the air...safely.

Man, I think I'll go bash my head into the wall now. Thanks Shay.

Gary

Don't go bash your head, Gary. You're right on track! Safety is the #1 concern with the a/c, so if cosmetics have to wait, they have to wait.....I'm sure that those who know understand that completely!

Hang in there Gary, you're doing a fantastic job!

Gary,

Lookin GOOD m'friend..... And I wouldn't worry too much about dings and dents.....find me one plane that doesn't have them and it probably is either in a museum or belongs to a hangar pilot who only takes the thing out to wash it

Paul

Gary ...

Tell us what you mean by "The Gathering of the Twin Tails"?

Paul

Hey Paul, not to steal any thunder from Gary and Bill, but this is planned as a one day fly-in type event (at this time). With the main purpose of unveiling the "Lil" and showing off her new lines, paint, markings, etc....... Just remember, twin tails provide can interesting selection of aircraft... Alan

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Just call me Al.