Worlds only USMC Mitchell PBJ-1J Restoration CAF's Semper Fi

[vg-photo]

Not just the PBJ guys, Dan. Even us shutterbugs get misty at that sound too.

[Dan Newcomb]

I will be heading down to CMA tomorrow to work on the PBJ after taking last week off. I will also check on the status of the aircraft that are going to Chino’s POF event. I believe the C-46, Hellcat, Bearcat and Zero will be going. I will be at Chino on Sunday the 20th and will take as many photos as my 2gig memory card can handle. All of the Bear’s exhaust stacks are being replaced with new ones and hopefully she will be ready in time. I will update in a couple of days.

[Alan Brooks]

OK Dan, we rolled out the B-24A, along with lots of pics....... So, we need a new update .... Alan

[Dan Newcomb]

Thanks for asking Alan. Not much to report on the PBJ as we hit a few stumbling blocks. We are trying to replace a stringer in the nose section that supports the flooring next to the crew hatch. It isn’t a standard angle that can be purchased and our first attempt at bending it failed. We succeeded the second time around and sent it out to get hardened. We continued shooting rivets on the right wing and the cable guys are working their magic on the control runs. Not much to see on the PBJ so the photos I am attaching deal with other planes. The C-46, Hellcat and Zero will all make it to Chino next week for the POF show. The Bearcat is a couple of weeks away from flying as work on the oil coolers and the replacement of the exhaust stacks continues. Our SNJ 290 is getting a new engine after the crew discovered the splines on the propeller hub are shot. With all of the work we all have to share the load. This time of the year we have got to “keep them flying” as they say. Several of us are going to Chino next Sunday and the Nikon will be with me.

[bdk]

Our SNJ 290 is getting a new engine after the crew discovered the splines on the propeller hub are shot.

I've heard that chroming of the splines can be done on the crank to repair that in some instances. If you need another crank call Dennis at Sun-Air Parts (http://www.sunairparts.com/). I happen to know that he has a core right now...

See you at Chino!

[Dan Newcomb]

We had a good day yesterday! We were finally able to put the rear lower panel in place on the right wing. We put the front panel up April 17th and it took a month to shoot up so I expect about a month to finish the rear panel. Soon we will be in a position to hang the right gear. What a day that will be as we have been on jacks for over two years. As some of you know this area of the wing was so totally trashed with corrosion and about all we were able to save was the upper skins and thank God the spars and castings. About 80% of what you are looking at is brand new.

The boys get ready to install the aft skin.



Up she goes


Now if we can figure out how to remove Ken's head from the bay..

[mustangdriver]

She is looking great. I can't wait to see it in the air.

[Eric Friedebach]

About 80% of what you are looking at is brand new.

That is amazing.

Thanks for the update, Dan.

[Dan Johnson II]

Any reason this thread can't be stickied like the Ol 927/Diamond Lil thread?

Fascinating watching these birds come together.

[mustangdriver]

Yeah that would be cool.

[Andy in West Oz]

Bloody nice work you guys are doing there.

Off I go to the South Cal website to peruse the px!

[Dan Newcomb]

Well, it certainly was an interesting day yesterday. As I drove over the pass at 0530 I wondered as I always do about what the CAF had in store for me that day. As I have said a million times one NEVER knows what will happen on any given day at the hangar. I guess some day I will get used to it. I can’t believe that more members just don’t come down and hang out. You never can tell what will be going on. Not only do you never know what to expect in the way of visiting aircraft but also you never know who or what you will run into. I can’t count the many times that I have pulled into the lot to be confronted with crews shooting movies or videos or commercials. I have met or rubbed elbows with several of the famous or infamous at CMA. I guess because we aren’t that far from Malibu and LA several celebrities find us convenient for their private jets. So purely in the interest of fair reporting and I won’t admit to being a fan of hers, but I will admit to being the typical curious male, I witnessed the tightest packaging of female pulchritude in a pair of jeans and low cut top that I could EVER in my wildest dreams have imagined. The woman was sitting across from Marc and I as we had lunch at the Waypoint Café. The woman was waiting for her jet. The woman was Pamela Anderson. Oh! I almost forgot! Now to the point of this story. Dave Price showed up in the Mustang and flew around for a bit. The SNJ guys pulled the engine off of 290. The shop got a new band saw! Marc and I banged rivets and then I had a pleasant two-hour drive home. Hey! It was just another day at CMA.



Dan

[Eric Friedebach]

Now Dan, you wouldn’t be trying to convince folks to come out and volunteer would you?

[Fouga23]

Pam Anderson huh? I used to have a crush on her before she got all the plastic done

[mustangdriver]

Pam Anderson! That's real nice Clark!