Warbird Information Exchange

Lynn: Yes, we still have the donation bomb. Wanna come by and feed it?

Spanner is right, it's not that Gary missed a thing or two, it's that he didn't have time enough during his short visit(s) to give the aircraft as complete of a looking over as he was able to with the 29 and 24. Thankfully he was able to teach some of us out in the field what to look for, and motivate everyone to look closer, then clean gunk away and look again!

Once again, thank you Gary for all you have done for the CAF and for warbirds across the world. Your love for these birds shows!

On to the Yellow Rose:

It looks like, if conditions permit, the wing will depart San Antonio around 4pm today (Friday, May 1st), and arrive at the CenTex Wing hangar about an hour later. The plan is to hang it Monday. Ray wants to give everyone a chance this weekend to see the work, and QUALITY of work that has been done to it. With luck, she will be back in the air sometime this month. But if not, that's OK too. The one promise we are keeping is that when she gets in the air, she will be 100% ready to fly, and everyone will be safe flying in her. No rush, no shortcuts, no deadlines.

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Mike

I just got off the phone with our maintenance officer. Things are on track for the wing to arrive later today. Saturday will be spent going over it to make sure it's ready to hang. Possibly a few brackets to bolt on still. Monday, May 4th, should be wing reattach day. Then it's mostly installing a flap, hooking up control cables, checking tension and getting the rigging right. The Rose could be in the air within a couple of weeks, and by the end of May seems to be a for sure deal!

We have discovered a couple of control cable pulleys that need replacement. Ray is supposed to get the part numbers to me later and I'll post them, just in case anyone has a couple that they can spare.

Once Ray gets time, he's going to start posting on WIX (he lurks now, when he has time...which has been rare lately). There will be some good, first-hand information then about what we found, and what other B-25 operators should check.

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Mike

Off to check out the wing! I'll update on Monday, May 4th.

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Mike

I fed it many times in many ways.....

Lynn

Yeah Lynn, but it's one of those things that's sort of like my 14 year old boy...never seems to get enough to eat!

Good news is the wing arrived Friday at the CenTex Wing hangar in San Marcos, TX. The workmanship was unbelievable! It could have just come off the NAA line in '44! It should be displayed in a museum...if it wasn't needed to get the plane flying. It's almost a shame that this high-quality work will be hidden now for a long, long time.

The not as good news is the wing will not be mated today (Monday, May 4th) as planned. HOWEVER, it should go on this Wednesday. Our Maintanance Officer checked the parts manual and ordered new bolts for the attach angles. The book called for AN-6 bolts. When the wing arrived it was discovered that the bolts need to be AN-5 bolts! Yes, we then gauged the old bolts to confirm this. So a word to the wise, don't believe everything you see in print!

It's still looking like she will be in the air again between the middle to the end of this month!

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Mike

Cous, who rebuilt the wing?

Roger that as there is plenty to chew on....

Lynn

I wouldn't figure you would have had much help this weekend in San Marcos. Kelly was at Temple !

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"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

Rick, you would really be surprised if you saw Kelly in the hangar. She doesn't look anything like when she's doing her "spokesmodel" gig! She is one of the hardest workers in the hangar, and not afraid at all to get some grease under her nails!

Cuz, a squadron member has a machine shop, and lots and LOTS of contacts in the aviation world. Most of the wing work was done at his place, under the supervision of our maintenance officer (A&P). Most of the riveting, etc., was done by a couple of aeronautical engineer types from a couple of aerospace companies in San Antonio.

Told to me second hand, but Rod Lewis is having the same thing done to his B-25 at Aero Traders. He said it was costing him a "small fortune" to get the work done. If he considers it a small fortune, what would we call it? Needless to say, if it wasn't for all the donations of material, time, and labor, the Rose wouldn't be flying for many years still. As it is, we are only out a few hundred bucks for some rivets and bolts! We have truely been blessed by these angels!

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Mike

Bluehawk, no disrespect meant ! I know she's one of your hardest workers. She kept apologizing for the way she looked when we were there with the bombers. Said she usually has her work clothes on and covered in grease ! We thought she looked just fine, didn't bother us a bit ! I think it's a wonderful thing, how she spends time with all of you geezers, gives you guys a reason to get up in the morning and go to the hangar and do something productive !

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"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

Rick, no offense taken! And oh, we enjoy seeing her doing her bit at airshows as much as anyone! I just wanted everyone to know that she's more than decorative, she's functional too! LOL

And by the way, I'm not a geezer....YET!!!

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Mike

Bluehawk,

For those of us who might not be able to get to your donation bomb in person, is there maybe an address we could send a responsible adult a check to?

Pulling for you down here at GCW,

SPANNER

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Support Your Local Warbirds! KBO!
The only reasons the airplanes matter is what the veterans did with them... and why.

Hey Spanner, I didn't think about that! Thanks for bringing it up!!! If anyone would care to make a donation, but can't make it to the donation bomb, they could send a check to "Yellow Rose Squadron, CAF" at 1841 Airport Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666.

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Mike

Wing didn't get put back on today. The correct bolts have not made it to the hangar yet. Next try Friday, May 8th?

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Mike

I mean to swing by for a quick visit with my old friends Yeller Rose and the P-39, but unfortunately won't be able to do much more than stick my nose where it don't belong and maybe keep somebody from getting something done. Reckon anybody'll have the doors cracked Monday afternoon (11th) so's I can sneak in for a peek?