My first warbird . . . kinda

[Tulio]

Steve T, Dave, and y'all guys:

Thank you for your kind words.

I am learning a little every day about the process of restoration, and I have not even started yet with the actual restoration!

I know that I wlll need parts for basically everything, either new or re-built, but it will take not only time, but money, both in short supply.

The idea of installing a removable canopy was discussed with Dennis and Dave, it would be nice for those cold Texas winters, when the days are nice and you want to fly... earlier this year, I had a blast (in more ways than one) while flying in a Stearman. Cooooold!

Thanks for any leads in the future, for parts and components; they will be appreciated.

Saludos,


Tulio

S

[Dan K]

Oh dear, as much as this pains me I'm afraid I'll have to agree with the col. on this one.

Good, noble, and true Tulio: Anyone who thinks Texas is cold in the winter still has some serious life experiences before him! I recall visiting El Paso one January and witnessing the entire city (including airport) shut down because the ground was covered with a little bit of white snow dust. It was a pretty pitiful site...especially when I arrived home two days later and had to dig out the drift that had buried the front of my home and garage.

Of course, the real fun is the cold...

[Jeffrey]

lol, you lot ought to see what happens here every 3 or 4 years when we get about 15 minutes of snow on top the local hills. every man and his dog drives miles to see it and none of them have the foggiest idea how to drive in it if they are lucky enough to get there while it is still on the ground.

the tow truck operators love it and the cops shudder at the thought.

[Scott Rose]

Thats okay, I'm in Massachusetts and every year, without fail, these people drive like they've never seen the stuff. I'm from California and I have a better ability to drive in it.

Back to the topic at hand, if you have a project that is listen in the registry could you make sure the info is up to date, and if it's not then let me know. Pictures of the project in whatever state it is in are welcome.

If you have a warbird project of a type not covered in the registry let me know and I will see about adding the type.

[Tulio]

Okay, Y'all:

I have had my share of cold winters; I have been in Mint-soda three and a half months during winter; I have been in Mont-Real during one of the nastiest winters on record, I visited our northern provinces of Maine and Niu-Ham-Pshire also during winter. : ) [I guess I found out why the Colonel "moxifies himself for winter" while trying to walk uphill to his restaurant, and kept sliding due to the ice covering the streets and sidewalks] : )

Having had these life-threatening experiences, I can tell you that winters in Texas, although mild, also pack a punch. We have had ice storms that have shut down the state, not because of a couple of milimiters of ice, but several feet deep; our winters in the northern part of the state are nasty, we have blizzards in the Panhandle and Amarillo is no stranger to cold and nasty weather.

BUT, my comment had to do with flying in an open cockpit airplane, when the ground temperature is 32F. You know the story, the higher you go, the colder it gets. Plus wind . . . chill!!!! : )

So, given that I am a real COWARD when it comes to cold weather, I guess the canopy will be a must, if I can manage to make it removable. . .


Saludos!

Tulio the Icee man

[dj51d]

I have had my share of cold winters; I have been in Mint-soda three and a half months during winter

So you've only been up here for half of our winter?

[Tulio]

In MN, Summer is just a slight rise in the temperature! : )


I really like MN and WI; I am always looking to go to back to work there.

Saludos,


Tulio

Tulio--

Remembered something. Twelve years ago, so perhaps a longshot, but when I visited Texas in 1992 I ran across a complete (but dilapidated) PT-26 Cornell in the compound behind an A&P school in Houston. Houston Community College/Rice Aviation. Could that Cornell still be there now...?

S.

[Don Martin]

Hey Tulio, Ya'all have some kind of winters down there in the Republic! I can remember driving back to Oklahoma( I was stationed at AL-TOOS A.F.B. just nawth of Vernon, TX) and I drove from The Great White Republic back to Okla. in the Blizzard of '79. Me and my Mass. buddy made it half way across Penn., after picking up the storm in N.Y., when we finally got tired of plowing through a steady foot of snow on the road with my poor old Dodge station wagon, and we turned south. Some place in Kentucky we picked up your southern winter ice storm. We drove through Tenn., Ark., and Okla. on that wonderfull STUFF! Even spent one night on an off-ramp turned parking lot! Had to drive across an iced over field to get back on the highway at daylight. No one else was trying to move! Had to hammer the ice off the car the next morning! It was kind of strange to be driving 40mph and passing everything in sight! Cars and trucks were just sliding and spinning of the road all around us! Had a great time!

[Dave D]

"Guest S." Now you have really got my attention. Would you happen to remember how complete the PT-26 was down in Huston and would you happen to have any pictures of it. I would love any and every bit of information that you can fish out for me. Thanks a ton!

Dave D.

[Tulio]

Hi, Guest!

I know where Rice Aviation has been (at least two different locations through the years) and now the school has a different name (Acorn or something like that).

DaveD: One of the locations is on the North Side of the Beltway 8, near Houston Intercontinental Airport; you can either go by driving on the feeder road or, if I am not mistaken, Greens Road also will take you there.

The other location should be in or around the William P. Hobby airport, South Houston.

I have seen tonight, an old photo of a PT-19, modified and painted to look like a Me-109!!!! : )


Yup, we have had a few bad winters in TX, but most of the time, Xmas is still warm enough to wear short and sandals.... Freeze your butt off, Colonel and other assorted Northurners and disciples of Frosty!


Saludos,


Tulio

[Steve T]

Tulio/Dave D--

Sorry, "Guest S" is me...forgot to log back in! I also asked Steve Dennis about this PT-26 and he thinks it may have gone to Colorado. And yes, I did take several pix of it back in '92. Was in the blue/yellow livery with AAC rudder stripes; the blue fuselage was quite a dark colour (albeit faded from years of exposure), the prop was metal, and the nose wore the number "26" (suitably enough for the type) in white. The same school had two Aero Commanders, a Cessna 310, a Cherokee, a T-39 Sabreliner and a rather decent-looking DHC Beaver, plus assorted bits & pieces. Not sure which of Tulio's Rice Aviation locations this actually was; memory fails. Next door, if it helps, was the Kitty Hawk Restaurant...and a Bede BD5 was on a pylon by the street!

I might be able to track down the negs from that trip, though I know some of them went missing years ago. Dave--email me if you'd like me to make some reprints...

Steve T

[Dave D]

Hey thanks for all of the information guys I appreciate it. Steve, I have sent you a PM. Thanks again guys.

Dave D.