Warbird Information Exchange

Our maintenance officer sent this out last week, and gave me permission to post it on WIX. I'm going to try to post the pictures he attached as well, but I'm not sure if it will work. The photos are of the problem ribs.

Mike


"We do not plan to run the Rose engines this weekend (30 MAY 09). We could have but we're trying to move ahead slowly and methodically, checking everything and then checking it again. The oil coolers are in and the last of the plumbing will be tightened today (29 MAY 09). The left engine will get 25 gallons of oil today or Saturday in preparation of running next week.

On Saturday, we plan to do the retract test and check out the hydraulics(except for the flaps). It takes several people to jack up the plane and set up the power cart and when its over, we'll be scouring the plane for hydraulic leaks or problems, so I hope we have some folks show up to help.

I mentioned in the newsletter that we found a couple more places with
corrosion. The photos attached tell the tale. I noticed some missing rivets and looked to see why. I beg everyone who gets within 10 feet of the Rose (or any Wing plane), PLEASE, if you find a loose or missing rivet, tell me or Jim Liles IMMEDIATELY. We know this particular problem was a long time coming, because the rivet holes had been painted over. Even just one rivet can give us a hint of a problem brewing.

As far as fixing these ribs, we removed the left cover panel (and should have the right wing panel off today) in the flap area and found three small external ribs that need to be replaced. We are attempting to locate replacement parts, as this would be the easiest option. We do have several other options, actually. We could repair these - ugly but acceptable, we could make replacements ourselves -
also ugly but acceptable, or (the best way) we could get with the folks who made the rib between the oil coolers and we could make almost perfect reproductions - time consuming though, due to heat treating. We are removing the parts this morning and should know what we're going to do late Monday.

I'll get some word out to you soon after the retract test to let everyone know how it went and when we might expect to start the engines. The fewer hydraulic headaches we have, the sooner that can happen."

Ray Clausen
Maintenance Officer
Yellow Rose Squadron
Commemorative Air Force

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Mike

Also from Ray:

" The same two aft outboard ribs were bad on the right wing. Though not in quite as bad of shape as the left, they will be replaced, also."

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Mike

Latest from our Maintenance Officer:

Wednesday evening, June 3,

Saturday afternoon, we performed the retract test. We'd had some trouble starting the hydraulic pump in the support trailer earlier in the morning, but after lunch, it started up and once we got enough folks around the Rose, we jacked her up and had a good test. It took us a minute or two to get fluid throughout the system, we expected that, but ultimately, we had a successful retract test. Except for the flaps, we checked out the entire hydraulic system.

The one problem we had was electrical. The landing gear position indicator lights didn't indicate! Grant, Jim, and I speculated that something was unplugged in the instrument bay, but who had time to look? There were corrosion repairs from Gary Austin's gig list on both sides of that bay and a lot of work was done in there.

I knew it would be several days before I could get to it as I feel the outer rib fabrication is the priority issue, so I was hoping Scott Campbell would get on it Monday morning. He didn't show but Ron Dietes did. He immediately found one end of a cannon plug (an electrical connector) but didn't see the other. After consulting a simplified wiring diagram (he has a book of complete diagrams at home, but didn't know he'd need them) he went back and found the other end. Once he connected it, the indicator lights started indicating again! One simple connection and problem solved, electricity is funny that way.

When I told the work crew about the adventure, I got a loud, "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. It was me." from one of them. I wasn't looking to blame anyone - didn't matter who did it - but it sure speaks to the integrity of the individual who spoke up in front of everyone. We have a GREAT bunch of people working out here! We thought there was a problem with instrument illumination lights but it turned out that there is no problem, they're working the way they always have.

We finally got the right flap panel off last Monday and found that two of the outer ribs needed to be replaced. That made a total of four. The work crew did an amazing job of cleaning the area enclosed by the panels and they have been alodined and primed.

I've have produced two of the four outer ribs and will be drilling them Friday. Once I get them temporarily installed, I'll finish the third rib, which I started this afternoon. I did the ribs for the right wing first because that wing is rigged and I just need to connect a couple of cables once the riveting is done. We can have it back together pretty quickly. I hope to finish the fourth rib Saturday. I'll re-spool the left wing aileron trim cable while the flap panels are being riveted in. With the riveting and rigging done, we will put the flaps back on.

I plan one more retract test once the flaps are in place. Not only do I want to see the flaps operate, I need to see those indicator lights do their thing correctly. It will take a day, maybe two, to check all of the control cables for correct routing and function, making sure none are crossed, and that they all have the specified tension. Then it will get exciting in the hangar!

The engines are ready to rumble. They each have 25 gallons of oil in them right now. With the wing issues behind us, all that is left is to pre-oil her CAREFULLY, roll her out and fire her up! We will not fly her the same day that we start her. We will check the entire aircraft very carefully after a thorough test run. She has been down for almost a year, after all. You can bet that we won't wait long after she checks out to get her airborne again.

I will definitely get out some announcement out when we set a start date and the date of the first flight. I can hardly wait!

Thanks,

Ray

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Mike

Patiently awaiting Yellow Rose, once again. Jack Jones, one of the sponsors who purchased this aircraft was a long, long time family friend in San Antonio, TX. He LOVED, Loved this aircraft and the CAF in general.

Keep it up boys.., we are all pulling for you!

Cheers

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S.

Latest update, as of the squadron meeting last night (9 JUNE 09):

Parts made and being installed. Expect to do complete hydraulic check and retract this Saturday (13 JUNE 09). One bug in a gear position indicator to track down, but should be minor. If all goes well, engines should run in about ten days (20 JUNE 09)!!! Then the plane gets turned over to me (OPS) to get the crew training and PPE's done.

If all goes well, Oshkosh, by gosh!

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Mike

Just off the phone with the hangar and we are still on track for the retract tomorrow (13 JUNE 09)! Not happy about it being the 13th though!

Flaps will be put on next week, then engines should run on the 20th! Make plans to be there, if you like! We'll try to get video shot and posted somewhere.

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Mike

Guys...congrads on all the hard work done on YR.

What you have done so far is just plain amazing to get her back where she belongs.

Totally off-topic on the bird however.

How many of you miss the early nose art with her amazing uncovered..........

As a youngster those where really amazing to feast on

Hey, at least it's Saturday the 13th and not Friday! Fingers are crossed that all goes well and she takes these last few steps gracefully and you all are back in the air after all the blood sweat and tears! Good luck and Great Job!!!

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

She's hanging over my desk and she looks so purty!

of course she looked like this when I last saw her! even my untrained eye sensed that something was a missin'!

This update from our Maintenance Officer, Ray Clausen:

Saturday, we performed the landing gear retract test and it was a complete success. Everything worked exactly as expected. Grant Lannon gave the instruments and electrical system a good checkout and the gear and gear position indicators are good to go, too.

We did have one minor anomaly. After exercising the landing gear several times, we tested the system for manually lowering the gear. Wayne Shaw thought this would be cool, but he soon understood why no one else volunteered to do it. It was 100 degrees in the hangar and we had to close the hangar doors during the test while the aircraft was up on jacks. There is a handle that you have to pump pretty fast, and for what seems like an eternity, before the gear are in a down and locked position. He really earned his paycheck Saturday! Anyway, after checking the manual system, we decided to test the emergency system. This involves the red handle you see on the right side of the yellow grab handle when you look up into the forward hatch. While activating that, part of the mounting bracket for the handle cracked and broke. The part is small, simple, and easy to reproduce. This was the best possible time for it to break, too.

The four new outer ribs have been riveted in place as solid as could be. They had to be in place before work could begin on the control cables. The control cables are hooked up again on the right wing and we made good progress on the left side. I have to check over the entire control lock system to be sure that all locks are are adjusted correctly and engaging the lock positions as designed. I still need to re-wrap the left aileron trim spool and then check all of the control cables for proper tension. We replaced some control cable pulleys in the cockpit and in the bomb bay and that meant loosening several cables. While doing that, I have to use a special protractor to check the number of degrees that the surfaces move up and down (or left and right, as the case may be) when the controls are operated. It isn't terribly difficult work, but it is tedious and its absolutely critical that it be done right. Once the control cable system checks out and is ready, we will rivet on the cover plates for the flaps and put the flaps back on the plane. Then the operation of the flaps will be tested.

Right now, we are still on track for trying to start the Rose this coming Saturday, the 20th of June, 2009. The pressure is pretty much all on me to have these last adjustments done and have everything ready for Saturday. We were thinking of starting her up right after lunch, but the pre-oiling takes time and the engine should be started withing two hours or pre-oiling. It would be tough to squeeze lunch in there somewhere and some of the folks at the hangar get downright testy if they don't get a lunch break, especially on Saturdays. I'll get an email out Wednesday evening with more firm plans on it, but right now, I'm thinking we'll prepare everything we can on Friday and and then, on Saturday, begin the pre-oiling on the right engine at about 10:00 AM and charge on until she starts. Whether that means lunch is at noon or 5:00 PM is anybody's guess so you might want to have a big breakfast before coming out!

More updates to come!

Ray Clausen
Maintenance Officer
Yellow Rose Squadron
Commemorative Air Force

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Mike

Here is the latest update on the Rose from Ray Clausen:


Hello Again Everyone!

We are still on track to start the engines of the Rose this Saturday (20 JUNE 09). We began preparations this afternoon (Wednesday, 17 JUNE 09) and plan to have everything in place and ready by quittin' time Friday to get the pre-oiling underway by 10:00 AM Saturday morning. We will begin with the right engine. It has some run time on it but because we've been down so long, treating it like a fresh engine seemed the prudent thing to do.

Once the pre-oil is completed on it, we will move the equipment to the left engine and a team will install the front spark plugs in the right engine. Once the left engine pre-oil is complete, the spark plug team will hit it while everyone else clears the equipment and prepares to move the plane out of the hangar.

Jim Liles and I will check her over one last time once the Rose is outside, and then it will be up to Grant Lannon. We will be checking pressures and temperatures closely and scanning the instrument panel while others outside will watch for any leaking fluids.

If everything goes well, Grant will be released to taxi the aircraft a bit. This will exercise the brakes and give some initial feel for how the controls are working. With that complete, the Rose will be moved inside and checked out VERY closely.

Right now, I can't give any estimate of the date of the first flight. Yeah, I hate it, too, but Professor Murphy is still visiting some weirdness on us.

When we went to hook up the control locks, something just wasn't right. So, Jim and I came in Tuesday and adjusted the entire control lock system. Now, all five locks engage solidly and we will be checking out the pilots and flight mechanics, and eventually anyone interested, in how to properly lock the controls.

Today, while trying to rig the aileron trim cables, something just wasn't right (again). After some checking, we discovered that the control knob assembly was broken. We are working on the fix, but the broken part is the size of a toothpick and has to be welded or soldered. I can tension all of the other cables now, and once the knob is fixed and those cables rigged and tensioned, we can rivet on the flap cover panels and re-install the flaps.

In the last update, I mentioned a broken emergency gear release handle bracket. Turns out there's more to it than that. Both brackets are broken and the nosewheel lock release cable was broken in two. This wasn't a fatigue issue, it was a Wayne Shaw issue! We had told him that the handle would be hard to pull, so he apparently put a little oommph into it. Nobody that was at the hangar today will be messing with Wayne from now on... The replacement brackets have been fabricated and are being treated and primed. We can have the cable made locally and will get right on it. Once this is back together, we get to perform yet another retract test. Wayne can't have any spinach before the next test!

Both of these issues are small and we hope we'll have them fixed quickly. Until they're fixed and tested, we can't leave the ground, but they won't interfere with the starting planned for Saturday. Hope to see you there!

Thanks!

Ray Clausen
Maintenance Officer
Yellow Rose Squadron
Commemorative Air Force

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Mike

Thanks RAY!!!

Most appreciative of the updates!!!!!!!

Can not wait to see her in the air again!

regards,

Stephen and the 330th!

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S.

It would be real nice if you could post some photos.

I do have a slight interest..

All the best,

Dan

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Check out our new website.
CAF SoCal Wing http://www.cafsocal.com/

Dan,

I can't even post words from my house right now. Hopefully I'll be able to get high speed internet out in my area soon though. Right now I post from work, but I can't bring my camera in to download photos to the work computer.

Ray Clausen, our maintenance officer, lurks on here from time to time, so he gets to read everyone's comments. Once he gets caught up on work (in addition to the Rose and the P-39 he works on about a dozen other warbirds) he promises to sign on here himself and post a bunch of photos. His main focus is wanting to share what we found on the Rose with other B-25 operators in hopes of making the fleet more safe and long lasting.

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Mike