Gary ~ What's The Plan For Diamond Lil ? 2006 and Beyond!

[phil65]

Don't F with Kilroy!

[Bcook]

Why is this thread still going?
217 pages, Who has time to read all this?
Most photos have been hacked off anyway.
Organize please!

[Cvairwerks]

Bcook: It still going because numerous forum members have a ton of time and interest invested in this a/c, as well as some financial investment too. Gary was huge part of this board and willing to answer any type of question about maintenance, fabrication or operation of warbirds and Reno racers. Gary gave heart and soul into anything he did and would give you shirt off his back if it would help get you or your project back into the air. We are all poorer for his loss and some continue to greive for it. Gary was normally a one man crew and managed to accomplish one heck of a lot by himself, but look out when he got help. Under his leadership and with great effort, he managed to get DL up to the quality she is today. Without his effort, she would probably be sitting in the hangar at Midland still waiting for the love and care he had and infused into her and the the crew she has today. I unknowingly crossed paths with Gary at least once or twice over the years and wish that I had been able to get out to Midland and spend some time playing airplanes with him and soaking up what I could from him that I haven't experienced in my 31+ years of building and maintaining combat aircraft.

This thread and the one on Fifi and the one on Chuckie will probably stay active for years to come. There are small projects and big ones described and discussed within as well as some of the joys and heartbreaks of playing with old iron. Within are descriptions of how things were carried out and sometimes the whys and whynots for things.

It's a shame that things happend beyond the control of Gary's family and estate, losing many of the photos to the great bit bucket in the sky, but the words can help paint your own pictures for what he ws doing.

The threads may be long and some of the stuff dated, but you don't have to read them if you choose not to. They will probably remain up and active as long as members choose to keep them active and Scott allows.

BTW...not flaming you or lecturing, just presenting my thoughts and feelings.

[dred]

The thread is fine as is. Nobody is being forced to read it.

[the330thbg]

any word on the supposed repaint?

Perhaps a new nose?

LOL!!!

Thanks,

S.

Attachments

[Steve Nelson]

I'm fine with the nose, but a stock canopy would be nice. Of course, I'm not the one wh'd have to pay for it..

SN

[the330thbg]

No, I love the nose as well!

Classic!

Bomb bay doors and stock canopy.., but again.., no one wants to pay!

[ktst97]

The post by Cvairwerks is a classic example of gathering one's thoughts, injecting personal emotion, and putting it all in a well-authored, imformational post.

My ex-wife bought an experience flight for me aboard Diamond Lil. I now really want to have a similar flight aboard Ol' 927 (or whatever name the aircraft gets). I read this thread page by page while Gary was posting, and I will continue to read it as long as WIX continues it.

[Rocketeer]

So how's the B-24's nose art coming along?

[K5DH]

no one wants to pay!

Nonsense! We all want to pay. We just don't have the ability to pay!

Whatever happens, I just hope they keep Kilroy. . .

[Rocketeer]

How's the Liberator looking these days?

[flyingsailor]

How's the Liberator looking these days?

Ol' 927 is up and operational, waiting for some riders. In about a month when "FIFI" heads to Florida for Spring Break, it will be Ol' 927 turn in the maintenance bay. Hopefully there will be minimal squawks and we can make some cosmetic changes and additions. We hope to have the LIBERATOR out of maintenance by mid-April.

Chris

CAF
B-29/B-24 Squadron
Public Information Officer
www.commemorativeairforce.org
www.cafb29b24.org

[Quest Master]

No, I love the nose as well!

Classic!

Bomb bay doors and stock canopy.., but again.., no one wants to pay!

They already have a complete set of bomb bay doors.....they bought them from me!

[CAPFlyer]

The problem with re-installing the bomb bay doors is that the aircraft will have to be placed in a jig to ensure that the aircraft does not loose its shape while the modification is made as there were modifications made to the structure when the bomb bay was removed that will have to be reversed to be able to return the interior fully to bomber configuration, just as modifications to the control runs will need to be made when the upper gun ring is re-installed.

[B-29/B-24 MX Officer]

927's new scheme will be unveiled this Saturday, April 21st at noon in Cavanaugh Flight Museum's south hangar.

Sorry for the lack of updates...