Warbird Information Exchange

Work is progressing well on the cable project. Another small problem was found with the right engine prop control, but it's already taken care of. We are getting so close to flight that our paint team located the paint codes for the tan, gray, and O.D., so the verticals can be painted to match, and all the tan is going to be gone over as well. Then once that is done, just before flight, the dreaded tramp stamp has to go on behind the pilot's windows.

Airsho '09 is looking good for us now! Gary A., I do hope you will come by to visit the Rose so we can thank you again for getting us started on all this!!!

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Mike

Mike, if you can track down Wade, he did the last frabric/paint on the rudders...

Lynn

Lynn,

I believe that actually the rudders were recovered and repainted just a few years ago in the San Marcos hangar. At least that's were they were
painted. They used paint that was on hand there. That's why the paint doesn't match. The O.D., for example, was left over from the previous paint for the P-39.

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Mike

Roger that, bet you all remembered to burn holes in the bottom of the rudders to let the water drain out unlike the time I remember......

Lynn

Sounds like a trap to me.......perhaps a tricky way to get me to show up to my own lynching!

Gary

Gary,

There may be a few in the CAF who don't appreciate what you did for the planes, and those who fly them, but the Yellow Rose Squadron are VERY thankful for what you did for her. Grounding the Rose was the best thing that ever could have happened. In the very short time you were able to look her over, you showed our new maintenance officer what to look for and how to find things that needed attention. Lynching, no, hero's party would be more like it. Your grounding of the Rose gave the maintenance crew the time to really dig into her, and what you found on your inspection gave enough concern to get on the job and get it done right and fully.

I think it would be safe to say that you have a lot more friends and fans in the CAF than those who are on the other side of the fence, like ten to one or better! I do hope that you won't avoid us, and our planes, just because of those few. I think Spanner will echo this, "We love ya, man!"

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Mike

Well, as the old saying goes......"One "oh sh*t" gets rid of ten "atta-boys."

But as far as avoiding y'all......no way! If I'm down in your neck of the woods, I'll be sure to stop by. That's a neat ol' hangar y'all have there, with cool old airplanes and great people to boot. So nah...I don't think you've seen the last of me there.

Gary

Gary, that's great to hear! We are kicking around having a BBQ sometime this Fall. I'll be sure to let you know when, just in case you happen to be in the neighborhood!

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Mike

Remember to give Gary about three months heads up on your party...........it's a long way to Yee Haw, Texas and you can't get there from here!

Just go to Luckenbach....keep going a bit, when you hit 35, then hang a left, just up the road a bit.

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Aviation Illustration Website
http://shepartstudio.com/illustration/

Lukenbach is a vast improvement over Hee Haw!

"Hee Haw"!! I thought he lived in "Yee Haw"

He's livin in two different places , so that explaines the state of dissolushinment he's in

Just trying to confuse the Guys In Black (helicopters) so they can't find our fearless leader. Hee Haw is miles away from Yee Haw.

Oh, and I'll try to remember to invite my dear ol' Cuz and the rest of my
kin there in the secret owner's bunker as well!

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Mike

I hate to post this, for fear of jinxing us, but so far Murphy has been leaving us alone and it appears the Yellow Rose could be flying in a matter of DAYS!!! OK, perhaps I'm being a little optimistic, but Ray Clausen (Maintenance Officer) and I were going over what little is left to be done, and the punch list is very short now, and we both agreed that it sure looks like she will be in the air sometime this month!

The cable and pulley project is almost completed, just minor details left to attend to on it, then it should be about time to start "buttoning" her up!

I can't stress enough what a great job our maintenance crew has done. They have really used this down-time to dig deep into the Rose, and if something was found that wasn't quite right, it was fixed.

Again, if it wasn't for Gary Austin taking the bold action of grounding the Rose, and showing our maintenance folks some things to look for, a lot of this would most likely not have been found or corrected, shy of a catastropic incident. Yes, it's been a while since we were able to make an airshow, or fly-over, but the rewards returned in repairs far outweighs what little benefit that might have been gained from those appearances. I think the Rose will be ready for the next 60+ years now!

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Mike