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

[Dan Newcomb]

Congrats,

She looks just like my favorite pictures of a beautiful women strutting their stuff in the hot SoCal sun.

RICK

Speaking of hot California sun.

Our beautiful scale model of Semper Fi was a casualty. We didn’t realize (silly morons we are, i.e. yours truly) that plastic in a glass case could melt! It does. R.I.P.

Dan

[Dan Newcomb]

Also I want to thank the person who put the 100-dollar bill in our donation jar! I hope you read WIX. It helped ease the model meltdown a little!

Dan

[Dan Newcomb]

Yesterday was my first work day since the roll out at the air show. Finally, after 29 months under the right wing I would be working on a different part of the airplane! Finally, after over two years, I would move to the other side of the fuselage, the side that faces east, the side with a beautiful view out the hangar doors and all of that fresh air! I would no longer feel like the troll living under the bridge. Finally out of the darkness of the west wall and the ugly view of the metal shop. Finally I would be out of hibernation! Finally…what? They BACKED the plane in? You want me to work on the left wing now? We are going to rebuild part of the left wing? But that means the same old scenery. Oh well! I guess it isn’t so bad being tucked away on the west side after all. It is private and I get enough sun light on my drive to and from Bakersfield. I am very familiar with the guts of a PBJ wing so even though it is like working in a mirror there should be few surprises. Right now I am thanking God that PBJ’s aren’t biplanes! Someday, someday, I will run out of wings to rebuild and noses to rebuild and fairings to rebuild and flaps to rebuild and floors and skins and landing gear and tails and engines and………fly! Someday.



See you next Tuesday,

The Troll

[Eric Friedebach]

Finally, after over two years, I would move to the other side of the fuselage, the side that faces east, the side with a beautiful view out the hangar doors and all of that fresh air!

You SoCal guys…

Up here in MinneSNOWta I never even open the hangar door between October and April unless I really have to, LOL.

[Obergrafeter]

Where would you hang that trouble light if you didn't have all that corrosion?

[bdk]

What are the plans for manufacturing that former? Will you guys send that out or do it yourself? Pound it out over a mandrel or brake form and then curve it in a die with a press? Just curous about the process you will use!

[Dan Newcomb]

When we replaced the hat channels on the right wing we farmed the work out ( I think you know the guy he has a little operation in Chino lol) and it cost us thousands. Each one is a different length and the curve varies with the wing. We only have to replace six on the left side and will send the work out. We can do 90% of the work but unfortunately these are beyond our capabilities to manufacture. We have the talent but lack the necessary machinery to do the job right. This area of the wing structure carries the highest load and we won’t do anything to compromise the strength of the structure.

[Dan Newcomb]

Here is step one...

[b17engineer]

Dan,

Are you going to be at Airsho this year? If so, I will bring you the long ago mentioned clecos. Otherwise, I'll give them to someone else from the wing.

RICK

[Dan Newcomb]

Dan,

Are you going to be at Airsho this year? If so, I will bring you the long ago mentioned clecos. Otherwise, I'll give them to someone else from the wing.

RICK

Hi Rick,

I can’t make the show this year. Please stop by and give them to one of the guys at the C-46. Ask for either Bob Goubitz the pilot, or Gene or Charlie the crew chiefs. I will let them know to look for you. Thank you so much for the donation. The rumor is that China Doll will go into the hangar for a few months this winter to have some skins replaced and, as you know you can’t have too many clecos!

Thanks again,

Dan

[bdk]

( I think you know the guy he has a little operation in Chino lol)

I guess that is why he hasn't finished my stuff yet!

[Dan Newcomb]

I felt like I was back on the DC-8 line in building 80 at Douglas Long Beach yesterday. We had multiple air hoses strung and 4 guys drilling and hammering at the same time. The sound of progress! If it was only possible to work more than once a week! All of the corroded hat channels have been removed from the wing and are ready to be sent out. Jeff and I started shooting the rivets on the lower skin at the front crew door area. I’ll be out of town next week but I am planning on being at CMA on the 18th.



Dan

[Andy in West Oz]

That's some fine work you guys are doing, Dan.

[Dan Newcomb]

I am back from Texas and will be going down to CMA tomorrow to work on the bird. I understand fellow wing member Jason Somes is doing well after the crash at Reno. I will pass on more info when I get it.

Dan

[Second Air Force]

Dan,

That is good news pertaining to Jason, thanks for keeping us WIXers posted on his progress.

Scott