Warbird Information Exchange

A quick update of the museum's current restoration projects.

The B-52G is about half done. The fuselage has been completely repainted with the wings yet to come.
PBY and B-52 by James, on Flickr

The original nose art has been recreated by artist Shayne Meder.
Valkyrie by James, on Flickr

We are currently removing several thick layers of paint from the PBY.
PBY_2 by James, on Flickr

The PBY wing center section is about ready for repainting.
PBY wing_2 by James, on Flickr

And the trailing edges of the wing have already been done.
PBY wing trailing edge_2 by James, on Flickr

Repair to the PBY horizontal and the original damaged piece.
PBY horizontal repair by James, on Flickr

Recovering the Catalina's control surfaces.
PBY contorols_1 by James, on Flickr

Front half of the PB4Y-2.
PB4Y-2 front half by James, on Flickr

Back half.
PB4Y-2 back half by James, on Flickr

Privateer cockpit.
PB4Y-2 cockpit by James, on Flickr

Privateer Engines.
PB4Y-2 engines_1 by James, on Flickr

PB4Y-2 engines_2 by James, on Flickr

Recently arrived C-27 Spartan.
C-23 Spartan by James, on Flickr

The also recently arrived TC-12 Huron
TC-12 Huron by James, on Flickr

Our most recently finished repaint. A-7E Corsair II.
A-7E Corsair by James, on Flickr

And finally the next project for the paint shop after the Cat and Privateer are out.
A-6E Intruder by James, on Flickr


Edited to correct C-23 to C-27

Original R-1830s for the Privateer..Sweet! Although the cowls appear to have B-24 nosebowls..considerably different from the Privateer. Please tell me she'll be displayed indoors..that flat paint won't last a week in the Arizona sun.

SN

WOW -- the Privateer and Catalina are such familiar birds to me I recognized 'em instantly. They're looking awesome. While half heartbroken they're gone from here, it's great to see 'em getting the TLC they so richly deserve. Thanks a million for posting, you really made my day!

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Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas

PIC, Ford 6600 pulling Rhino batwing up and down the runway

I believe you mean C-27 Spartan.

Also, that C-27 has to have set some sorta record for fastest time from delivery to museum display!

For those keeping score, according to Wikipedia the first one was delivered on 25 September 2008. Assuming today's date of 25 February 2016 for the arrival at Pima, that's a period of only 8 years and 5 months!

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

Thanks for posting James.
The folks at Pima do a lot of amazing work.

Andy

I think it is the angle I took the photo from that makes them look that way. They have the different sized intakes of the Privateer rather than the identical ones on a B-24.

And yes I intended to write C-27. Not C-23.

Two different airplanes. The aircraft Pima has is a C-27A; 1 of 10 aircraft acquired in 1990 by the USAF for use in Central America (based at Howard AFB, Panama). Your link is to the C-27J which is a nearly all-new aircraft. The C-27J is still in service with the 38 units purchased for the USAF being moved to the US Coast Guard and Special Operations Command after DoD budget cuts forced the abandonment of the Light Cargo Aircraft capability by the USAF.

So the PBY is going into RCAF or RAF Canso paint? Cool!

August

Yes, it will be returning to its original RCAF markings. It is one of the first amphibian Cats delivered to Canada from Consolidated in December 1941. It flew anti-sub patrols in the North Atlantic with Number 5(BR) Squadron.

James

Great choice of a scheme!

Both the Cat and the Privateer have come a long way since I saw them on Galveston last summer.

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Had God intended for man to fly behind inline engines, Pratt & Whitney would have made them.

CB

http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/Desrt_Wings.html

Thanks for the update James. As usual lots going on there in the desert.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Thanks for the clarification..on closer inspection I do see the different sized intakes, and also the fact that there are no "splitters" in the middle of them (guess I should clean my glasses!) It'll be great to see a PB4Y-2 restored to completely stock configuration. Hopefully the museum can eventually get a stock windscreen as well.

SN

<duplicate post..sorry!>

C-27J, I like. Nice power to weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSw7iGDpl4

PC

Nice catch, thanks for the correction!

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster