B-26K Counter-Invader Restoration ("Special K")

[avenger2504]

Found a picture of the Harvard that Pete Bryce owned up here. Has the same number on the side. Do you suppose there was more than one with the number 79 on it? Pete Bryce also owned a Lockheed Electra, among others.

Wow Not everyday i see a bit of my country's history on here! ex-RNZAF Harvard NZ1079 retired with her 17 airworthy sisters in 1977 and sold at auction in 1978. Amazingly this was the ONLY one to end up in the US. The rest stayed here or ended up in Australia!
The red and white checkered cowling is for our Air Force Display team "The Red Checkers", (sometimes rudely called the Red Chickens! A lot of people think its becasue of the red and white checks but actually it was because the first team was formed by Instructors from the Central Flying School and the Pilot Training School, RAF CFS Instructors were known as "Checkers" so becasue the pilots were all Instructors thats where the name came from.
This website tells the history in a bit more history and there is a photo of the 1968 team standing in front of..................NZ1079!
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Air ... eckers.htm

And now back to the A26! Well done by the way makes my little project look small in comparison!

[A26 Special K]

Well, thanks for that update and background on the NZ T-6 in our hangar. I have passed that along to the guys who work on it and fly it some for the owner. They were impressed. Cheers, JR

[A26 Special K]

Well, it was a very busy and productive weekend at the hangar even though our Floor Mgr took a siesta in the middle of it. Isn't that just like managment to bring in a cushion for the bed and sleep on the job?? Wish I had his position! Sometimes though we get a lot more done when he isn't watching. JR

[A26 Special K]

The right main gear is out now and has been completely disassembled. First reports are it looks really good. The guys are working to clean it up and get it ready for paint. Replacing some O rings looks to be about the worst of it. Much better than the left side so we may be able to get it all back together fairly quickly. The brake is in the overhaul shop and the verdict on it came back good as well. Looks like they might make the 7 Dec estimate for completion. Joy!! JR

[A26 Special K]

Mark and several others worked on the gear and started the NDT on various components. So far no cracks have shown up. JR

[A26 Special K]

As components are cleaned, checked and prepped for paint, they start on the top shelf and work their way down to completion. Just our way of keeping track of where we are with the process and what is left to do. JR

[A26 Special K]

Lou and friends removed the belly skin just aft of the bomb bay bulkhead to see what was there. In WWII, there was a remotely controlled turret and the outline of it was still visible where it was removed. At one point, there was a target tow line that came out from the covered hole near the center, but that had been changed by OnMark apparently when the airplane was also configured for recon cameras. It appears there was a strike camera mounted there at one time. See next pic. JR

[A26 Special K]

This junction box is labeled for the strike camera in the area aft of the bomb bay bulkhead and the rear gunner compartment. That compartment held many of the camera controls for recce work, but the strike camera was probably automated to run with bomb release by the pilot. Anybody have the dope on that? JR

[A26 Special K]

Greatest Generation Aircraft's
CHRISTMAS Night At The MuseumThursday, Dec. 6, 6-9 pm
Vintage Flying Museum Hangar
505 NW 38th St, Hangar 33S, Fort Worth

Catered Buffet
Cash Bar
Visit w GGA Pilots & Crew
1940s 16mm News Reels
1940s Christmas Music
Free Tours of B25, A26K & Huey
Raffles, B25 Will Fire UP...and more!!!
Tickets:

$25 per person, GGA Members & Active Duty Military, $20
OR
Want to take a Christmas light flight on the C47 & attend the party? Just $119 Per Person
Aviator Santa will be there for photos!!!
To book, call 817 659 9249 or email
greatestgeneration@yahoo.com or sign-up online now at http://www.gga1.org
Have fun and help support the restoration of historic aircraft!!

[A26 Special K]

Not that we would ever get up high enough to require oxygen, but we think it would be cool to get the system functional again! These tanks are mounted to the inside top of the fuselage in the tail behind the aft gunner's compartment. This would be above the inverters and radio stacks. This will have to be something we do after we get flying again. Too much other stuff needed before we are due to fly over the Air Commando Association Memorial Service at Hurlburt AFB next October. I wonder if we could fill those things with laughing gas and rig it so it drops on the wild hogs. Might slow em down a bit so we don't have to waste so much ammo chasin' them around or risk collateral damage out at the ranch! JR and the Ace Feral Hog Extermination Company of Texas!

[A26 Special K]

This is the section removed from the belly where the aft turret used to hang. The round mount with the antenna connector in the middle is of interest. This was where the FM Homing antenna was mounted. It was scraped off during one of the back in the day left gear collapses. We have obtained another antenna from Regal Air in Colorado and will mount that sucker up before long. We need a good place to hang towels when we are camping out at airports like Oshkosh and such. JR

[A26 Special K]

So far, response has been good for our Xmas party at the Hangar on Dec 6. We have received about 125 reservations so this should be great fun. We will have a 1940's Xmas complete with news reels, music and Aviator Santa to take your picture with. Food will be served and there will be a cash bar. All of our aircraft will have open cockpits for tours and we plan to start up the B25 so everybody can hear and see what an R-2600 sounds like. Pilots and crews will be available to chat with about their airplanes. The DC3 is available for rides over the Xmas lights of Ft Worth and Arlington's Interlochen area as well. It will go from 6 pm to 9 pm. Please make your reservations with Dana. Her number and/or email address can be found on our website. http://www.gga1.org Please help us restore the A26 and support the museum. AND have a good time with friends while you are at it!! JR

[A26 Special K]

Talk about a quick turn. Brake shop at Aviall sent picture today of our right brake all finished and ready to pick up. Unbelievable 7 day turn around on a complete overhaul. They had experience with the other side brake and all the parts needed this go around, but their crew had a special reason to get it prepped and ready for the MAN. See next picture... for the rest of the story!! JR

[A26 Special K]

Wayne is the MAN!! He is a VN Vet and he wanted this brake from a VN era airplane to be the last brake project that he did before retiring from Aviall. His last day is Dec 7, but the team got it prepped so fast because they wanted to give him time to finish it before that date. Talk about teamwork, they got it done in record time. Too bad the HeiferBoys can't take a lesson from them. Many thanks to the guys at the brake shop. We are seriously indebted to you guys... and Wayne in particular for helping us out. We will make sure yall are invited to see the A26 fly! Mah best! JR

[A26 Special K]

In other news, the "Towel Rack" antenna for the FM radio was mounted on the belly by Mac M. today while Arnold and Inu worked on the completion of the extension of the pneumatic line up to the west end of the hangar so the B25 area would have a goodly amount of air when it comes time to get started on its winter maintenance. This will take place after the final DC3 flight on New Year's eve for the season. It will need some maintenance and then the folks we can spare from the 26 will start on the 25. Three big airplanes take a lot of TLC. We can always use more hands. OR don't forget to come to our Xmas party the evening of DEC 6 from 6 to 9 pm. Your support will go a long way to help us keep them flying. We are offering Xmas lights night flights in conjunction with the party. http://www.gga1.org for more information. Yours truly, JR