Dave~What's the plan for FIFI?

[oz rb fan]

awesome job guy's

[B29B24crewchief]

Great week! After the fun and festivities of the Memorial Day Rollout, it was back to work!! Gear swings are done and no major issues. We got all the tires and brakes off and broke down for there bearing cleaning and repacking, tire and tube replacements, wheel and brake drum, brake pucks, clips and expander tubes inspections. Not to mention, axles, replacing worn and old brake lines, deboosters, banjo fittings and greasing everything gear related. We hope to have everything back together and done by next weekend?? Pics will come as we have time to post.

Dave

[steve dickey]

Dave, could you please give a small narrative on how the jacking process is done on a B-29.
Thank you!

[B29B24crewchief]

Real simple Steve! It's all a matter of having all participants on the same page. We start by putting the 4 wing jacks into place and getting them up and secured. Then we have a nose jack that has to go into the back end of the nose gear well and looks like theres no way this going to work, but it will. Finally, the jack for the tail is just for safety as it has no effect on jacking, only shoring after it's jacked. We start putting weight on the main jacks, inboard and outboard and try to keep everyone at the same speed and firmness on the jacks and structure. What a challenge that is!!!!!!!!!!!! Then as the airplane starts to lift off the mains, the nose starts lifting as well, keeping it level, the whole process takes about an hour but seems to take for ever?? Once it is off the mains and the nose, the tail jack is brought up to a stabilizing level and secured.
Simple right??

Dave

[SPANNERmkV]

Dave and everyone else involved with getting FIFI flying,

Gulf Coast Wing is proud to help with the tires.

TEXAS RAIDERS would not have "made it" as soon as we did without help from all over the world. That included people in and out of the CAF.

We are awaiting your announcement with great anticipation.

Semper Fly,

SPANNER

[CrewDawg]

Great job to all the crew!! I can't wait to see her in the air again. Texas has her own Bomber Command! 3 B-17's, a B-29, a B-24A, a bunch of B-25's, A-26's and a B-26K! I hope that TSA doesn't figure this out!

[B29B24crewchief]

Chuck, thank you, thank you, thank you! I do appreciate the fine cooperation that you have bestowed!!! The tires are awesome and you will be rewarded with two brand new Dunlops when they arrive. We are putting the wheels and brake drums thru a major cleaning, inspection, protective chemical process and finally, priming and painting. It's taken more time than I had orginally planned for but as you know, in the long run, it's better to do it now that later and have other issues down the road. Doing it right the first time makes all the sense in the world!!

HooRah!
Dave

[Brad]

Some of the work since Memorial day.

I still fit in the engine nacelle!




Up on jacks for some work on wheels, brakes and tires.

[B29B24crewchief]

Thanks for posting those Brad!! I just haven't much spare time to do that. I'm glad you put that pic of you in the nacelle. I just can't believe you can still do that?? That's so cool!! If I tryed that, they would have to call that fire dept. to get me out.
Dave

[warbird1]

I absolutely LOVE the diamond tread pattern on the tires. That adds so much more realism IMO than a modern tire. I've seen them on Mustangs and a few other fighters, but I don't ever recall seeing them on a modern flying warbird bomber. So cool!

[b29flteng]

Thanks for posting those Brad!! I just haven't much spare time to do that. I'm glad you put that pic of you in the nacelle. I just can't believe you can still do that?? That's so cool!! If I tryed that, they would have to call that fire dept. to get me out.
Dave

About 30 years ago we had a crew chief who could do the same while the engine's running, to do adjustments. There was a photo of him in there sticking his head out with the engine running.

[B29Gunner]

Hey Dave, do ya'll have any brackets for the torque links?? Sure would save ya some work (save for gear swings) next time you have to jack her up! Let me know if you need a set, I've been looking for some myself..maybe we could have some new ones made up if the need is there?

[flyingsailor]

I just posted a short video of the Memorial Day activities at Headquarters. You can see crew chiefs Dave and Rick in action!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=80277056218

[Brad]

I just posted a short video of the Memorial Day activities at Headquarters. You can see crew chiefs Dave and Rick in action!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=80277056218

It's a family affair! You can see Kristine in the video at :50 and 1:30 and then I'm hanging out of the pilot's window at 4:10

[flyingsailor]

I just posted a short video of the Memorial Day activities at Headquarters. You can see crew chiefs Dave and Rick in action!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=80277056218

It's a family affair! You can see Kristine in the video at :50 and 1:30 and then I'm hanging out of the pilot's window at 4:10

Thanks for all that your entire family has done for the old girl! It is nice having Kristine around.