PB4Y-2 restoration?

[TAdan]

How about pre-war? Yellow wings and a striped tail? j/k

I look forward to seeing this one come together.

[Steve Nelson]

I'd certainly prefer seeing her in a tri-color scheme, but for an outdoor display aircraft, overall gloss dark blue would probably be easier to maintain.

SN

[YAF340]

The color will go to Corsair Blue after repair work is completed. The moving of the planes is a ways off. We received landing gear on the same truck as the turrets. We will rebuild the gear before installing. The first group of buildings will not include room to move any of the airpark planes. Thanks - Joe

[Steve Nelson]

What's wrong with the landing gear that's on the plane? I thought it was OK.

SN

[Pooner]

Reported to be damaged: cracked, broken, re-connected with brazing rod several years ago and not deemed safe for moving a/c around field. Replacement gear set found in Arizona.

[Steve Nelson]

Thanks for the info.

Now all she needs is a stock canopy. It'd be great if you guys could team up with the folks at Lone Star, Pensacola, and the Ol' 927 crew and have a run of B-24/PB4Y Greenhouses made.

SN

[Pooner]

Perhaps one of the neatest pieces of NOS parts I'd ever seen was a brand-spankin'-new B-24 greenhouse canopy that Jay Wisler at Warbird Parts and Memorabilia, Tampa, Florida, had scored years ago.

It'd never been installed on an airplane and had sat around for 50 years in the original box. For a few years he had it listed on his parts catalogue for $1,500 or something like that, and I always thought "it's a shame one of the H & P boys didn't buy it when they were making money hand over fist and tuck it away when they quit working the -4Ys to do a restoration."

But my views of aviation preservation have been a day late, and a dollar short. You've heard of Nostradamas? I'm his retarded half-brother, Nostradumbass.

Anyway, Ed Kaleta bought it and it's now installed on he B-24 D he did for Hill AFB a few years ago. At least it ended up on an airplane (as opposed to Pooner's shop.. another story, I guess!).

While I've sat in the seats of the tanker -4Ys and the restored B-24, I guess I have to admit the modded "one piece" windscreen did indeed offer a better view, but there's something about all them cages and bars in the stock product that I really do like better. From the outside, looking in!

Anyway, if there was one that escaped the scrappers like the one Don Lambert found and ended up trading to Wisler, maybe someone will find another... there's always hope!

[YAF340]

The Pilot side gear is in bad shape at the top side mount, the ground crew had to be very careful when she was moved to the air park. The front gaer is not from this plane, but we have one to install once it has been gone thru. We have lots of work, any workers out there! Thanks - Joe

[famvburg]

I suppose this one has the R-2600s & not R-1830s. If so, will it keep the -2600s?

[YAF340]

We do have the 2600's. At this time no plans to change out. Would require a lot of parts that we don't have. Also we do not have the plexi-glass for the turrets, however we are working with that now and will have a few sets and domes made. Joe

[Steve Nelson]

Last time I saw her she also had two different sizes of props. The blades on couple of the originals had also been spliced together. When the aircraft was "disassembled" (no NMUSAF comments, PLEASE!) the engines were loaded on a railroad flatcar, sitting on the mounts. Any prop blades that hung over the edge were simply sawn off. If anybody out there has a few old non-airworthy Ham Standard blades laying around I'm sure Yankee would take 'em off your hands.

I wish I lived a little closer..I'd love to help out on the project. I'm just a model builder, but I'm sure there's plenty of "unskilled" work that needs to be done.

SN

[6trn4brn]

Sounds like you have quite the project ahead of ya there Joe! Might be a dumb question after reading about how badly she was treated in her move, but if money were not the only determining factor, how realistic would it be to get her airworthy? Is she forever grounded (spars cut?)?

When I take on much, much, much smaller restorations, I like to take lots of pix before I start anything so that I can go back and look at my accomplishments...for my own personal use. I for one would really like to see what you are starting with, the work in progress and the final results of what seems to be many hours of your hard work and perseverance ahead. Are you doing this on a volunteer basis or are you a paid employee?

Thanks for your patience in answering my seemingly mundane questions

[Steve Nelson]

I certainly don't want to hijack Joe's thread..I'm sure he has far more detailed info than me. I was told the fuselage longerons were cut in such a way that the entire fuselage would have to be rebuilt from the ground up to make it airworthy. As I said earlier, the plane was a stripped, chopped, battered hulk when Yankee got it..it's amazing they've managed to make it look like an airplane at all!

A little Googling around turned up these pics.

Here's the plane just after she was reassembled about 20 years ago, with the cut-off props clearly visible..



And this is how she looks today..much better, but still a work in progress..





SN

[YAF340]

I have not found or am aware of any fatal flaws. There is a lot of repair work that is pretty involved I love a challenge. The focus has been towards making a Static Display; under the skin there is much to do. We are looking at taking her to a higher level, I'm not sure that includes the sky. I feel it wouldn't be possible without the group of guy's I have for support. I am working to get her sealed up as well as I can right now. Will be building some work stands for the turrets and landing gear soon. Will get the pictures to the right people at YAM next week for all to see.
Thanks Joe
Restoration Department @ YAM is all volunteer, any takers? I can hook you up and get your hands dirty!

[Obergrafeter]

Do I have to pay $200 to volunteer, or just come by and work on the airplane? Just curious if some other organization has the territory of not making sense all to its' self. Not naming names but it is a little farther South than the YAF