A place where restoration project-type threads can go to avoid falling off the main page in the WIX hangar. Feel free to start threads on Restoration projects and/or warbird maintenance here. Named in memoriam for Gary Austin, a good friend of the site and known as RetroAviation here. He will be sorely missed.
Sat Jul 07, 2007 12:54 am
Gary,
A while ago, when I was working dayshift, I had to change an IDG(integrated drive generator) on a 757. I won't bore you with the details of why or how important is was to get it done, but the biggest problem was having to stop every 5 minutes to answer he "when's it gonna be done" questions from every supervisor that could find a reason to be out there. I finally anwsered "It will bedone one hour after the last person asks me that question. Now go away and let me work". It probably doesn't help much, but it helped me at the time.
RICK
Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:33 am
Thanks y'all. I reckon the best way for me to get folks off my back is to just get the airplane flying. I know that most of the time, folks don't have any acidity when they ask me about when it's going to be done, but at the same time, they don't realize that they're just one of many that ask that very question. Either way, all of this is just a feature of me being tired, grumpy, and whiney. It'll all get better soon enough and I'll be able to start on whatever my next project will be.
On that note, it's back to work now on that stinkin' entry door.
Gary
Sat Jul 07, 2007 10:48 am
You've done an awesome job, so far, and I, for one, love the paint scheme change.
I'm not prepared to sift through 150-some-odd pages to find out if this has been answered: isn't the nose too long for a B-24A? If so, are you going to shorten it at some time in the future?
Sat Jul 07, 2007 11:07 am
Wolverine wrote: isn't the nose too long for a B-24A? If so, are you going to shorten it at some time in the future?
Yup & nope.
This airplane did have the short nose, but in 1945, Consolidated installed an RY-3 nose to the airplane. There's a little more to the story, but that's the basic answer. If you get the latest Warbird Digest Magazine (on news stands now), there's a pretty informative article on the airplane, which also makes mention of the long nose on it. Oh, and it's only 14 pages to go through vs. 150+.
Gary
Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:20 pm
retroaviation wrote:
This airplane did have the short nose, but in 1945, Consolidated installed an RY-3 nose to the airplane. Gary
Wonder why they put the long nose on it? Seems like a lot of effort for little gain...
Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:35 pm
Don't forget that this was Consolidated Vultee's company airplane--they seem to have modified her whenever something new was designed for production. The different mods done to this and the other transport Liberators could fill a large (albeit boring) book. As to the effort needed to add the long nose and late model greenhouse, it was simply a matter of using new pieces off the assembly line and matching them up to the existing fuselage. Wish we had that luxury!!
Scott
Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:04 pm
APG85 wrote:Wonder why they put the long nose on it? Seems like a lot of effort for little gain...
I thought that AM927 was used as preproduction test bed for some of the RY-3 and C-87 Subassemblies. Is that right? Or am I all FUBAR'd?
Shay
____________
Semper Fortis
Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:48 pm
Shay,
Consolidated did try out new stuff on Ol' 927 from time to time, so I'd say you aren't FUBAR'd, but the airplane was MUBAR'd(modified up beyond all repair!!).

In fact, I'm MUBARing the old girl some more as soon as I finish this post.
Scott
Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:02 pm
retroaviation wrote:Wolverine wrote: isn't the nose too long for a B-24A? If so, are you going to shorten it at some time in the future?
Yup & nope.
This airplane did have the short nose, but in 1945, Consolidated installed an RY-3 nose to the airplane. There's a little more to the story, but that's the basic answer. If you get the latest Warbird Digest Magazine (on news stands now), there's a pretty informative article on the airplane, which also makes mention of the long nose on it. Oh, and it's only 14 pages to go through vs. 150+.

Gary
I've got every issue of WD from #1!
Yeah, I saw the reference to the long nose, but since this
is the only B-24A out there, I thought I'd ask anyways. It'd be fun to see a short-nosed B-24 some time in the future. I can always dream, I guess.
Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:07 pm
You know Gary, they got that neato chop saw out in Tucson. I'll bet those boys would be glad to cut a couple of feet out the nose for you. It'd just be a cut and splice job then.
Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:11 pm
Do you intend on putting the cockpit glass back to a more traditional configuration in the future?
Rich Dann
Sun Jul 08, 2007 4:23 am
hi garry i think you need one of these up there
this was seen today at the liberator restoration at werribee just outside malbourne australia,the work they are doing is wonderful great job so far i look foward to seeing her finished

.
paul
Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:00 am
ltdann wrote:Do you intend on putting the cockpit glass back to a more traditional configuration in the future?
Rich Dann
Yes, I'd very much like to do some more work on that. We did install some of the greenhouse windows this year to give it a touch more authenticity, but frankly, we just didn't have the time, money, or manpower to do the rest of it like I wanted.
Gary
Sun Jul 08, 2007 4:37 pm
I WANT A WEE LIBERATOR! That is an awesome vehicle to behold, and I could actually operate it legally!
Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:43 pm
Gary,
Understand exactly what you are saying about the gawkers who ask about it being finished.
Some on the current project are referred to as "Captain Blister"..... why?, blisters only come out after all the hard work is done.......
Have you also noticed when things are being taken apart there are millions (slight exaggeration) of helpers but when they are going back together the helpers can be counted on the fingers of one hand - that is until they can be photographed in front of something finished?
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