Warbird Information Exchange

With all this talk about "If you could own a warbird" or "If you could build a warbird".... it got me thinking.

I'm curious to know how many of you here on WIX do have the mechanical know how to do what's required to maintain and/or restore airplanes.

Obviously there's some guys on here that do it for work, some volunteer their skills, but still. How many of you could confidently say "I can do metal work and repairs," or "I wouldn't need any help doing fabric work"?

For me, I've got no skills really. I never took any airframes courses, but I've done some volunteering at my museum doing "grunt work" on some restorations. From that work I've figured out that I'm a fast learner.

How about everyone else out there?

Cheers,

David

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

I can fix it!

Robbie

Done it, doing it, don't always get it right the first time. The secret is to know when you've done it wrong!

A&P school is a good starting point to build from.

I work professionally as an A&P Mechanic. I have volunteered and done sheet metal work on a TBM Avenger. Would love to do more as soon as grade school, high school and college bills are paid up.....

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

All I do is sheet metal.All I want to do is sheet metal.I will leave the rest to those that know what they are doing.

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Hang The Expense

At work I do everything but composite repair, paint and coatings, avionics and weapons systems programming and testing and engine runs. If it's anything else on the aircraft it's my job.

Love it.

Have restored three airplanes to flying status. Built my anphib floats and certified them with the feds standard catagory (14,000 rivets). Am an A. and P. and an IA (hold an Inspection Authorization) four year degree, EAA auth Tech Counselor, ect.. Great fun, and love fabric work, sheet metal, and well all of it but elec and avionics.

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Fly low. Fly slow, Fly safe.

i have been very luky. helped build a ME262(white1) 2 navions, 2 rv-6,2 erocoupe,t-craft model-20 ranchwagon 1of 2 flying.i am now working on a zenith ch-801.i will be looking for a new project in a few months.i also have A/P-I/A.bill

I built my RV-6 from an early kit. Other than preformed ribs and bulkheads, and a few weldments, everything else was up to me.

In addition to the airframe, I also rebuilt the engine from a runout, wired all of the electricals, and did the painting.

One of my homebuilding friends once said:

"It isn't skill or talent that gets the job done, it is the committment to do so."

Or something like that.

I believe this captures the essence of any building or restoration project. You can always learn the skills, but it takes dedication and the willingness to spend 10 hours researching something, practicing, or whatever before you spend an hour putting it right.

SHOWOFF

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Hang The Expense

No matter how bad it is, I usually size it up, and from the movie Doc Hollywood; "I think I can fix that!"

B29 B52 EC135 KC135 737 747 ABL SF C40, and many newer

I think us structural guys welcome any questions, though there are few people that are working on an airframe that don't already have the experience.

I'm admitting nothing! Every time someone finds out I can do something they expect me to do it!

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

I'll work on anything that converts money to noise (under supervision) but airframes are out of my area.

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

Being a systems guy, I know you are completely wrong in your outlook. Sheetmetal repairs stay with the airplane for the rest of its life. Changing greasy parts and working on engines like I do is just routine maintenance. Sheetmetal work is an art--what I do is just swap parts, rig stuff, and fix leaks. I tip my hat to you of the skilled mechanic set.

Scott