CAF Centex Wing P-39 News

[sdennison]

To answer the stick and driveshaft question, the posted answer is correct. Here is a photo to help...




One of the P-39's deficiencies was engine cooling. The P-63 corrected that with a larger radiator and better ducting with larger, squared intake scoops.

I will be meeting with the sponsors when everything is here and evaluated to determine how we want to do this project. I expect it will be short of a full restoration but more than just an IRAN. I'll make it look as close to new as possible...

Holy Schnikeys Batman! So how does that silk scarf fit into the open prop shaft world. Wow! Those lads were brave.

[bluehawk15]

Don't worry Cuz, it's on order!

[bluehawk15]

The shaft has a cover on it, it was removed for an inspection, or so a picture could be taken of the driveshaft. The pilots just have to pray that the U-joints hold up!

[bluehawk15]

I'll try to post an engine's view of the driveshaft tomorrow.

[bluehawk15]

If you were the engine, this is what you would see (more or less). You can really see how the driveshaft runs from this angle. More photos posted in the RetroAviation Maintenance Hangar on the CAF P-63F thread.

[bluehawk15]

Ryan,

I saw Mike Collier at the Cobra Den today and asked him about the "X". Apparently that mark was added to the plane later, and not in place when it first rolled off the production line. Mike said the plane is painted, including the red stripe on top of the wings, as it was the day it came out of the factory doors.

He said he personally stripped three coats of paint off of it, including one yellow, black, and white scheme it wore when it was a racer. No doubt that this P-63F has quite a colorful history, even though it didn't see combat!

[51fixer]

The shaft has a cover on it, it was removed for an inspection, or so a picture could be taken of the driveshaft. The pilots just have to pray that the U-joints hold up!

The drive shaft doesn't have U-Joints. The end of the shafts have a flange that bolts up to the engine, nosecase or intermediate bearing.
Rich

[John Kerr]

Dick Phillips asked me to post this for him.

I'm glad to see that the 63F is going to be worked on and able to fly again. One of my most memorable photo flights was out of Breckenridge in May 1988 when Mike brought the 63F, along with Nelson in Bill Hubb's Mustang along side our camera plane for some nice shots. I imagine that some of the WIXers are not aware of some of the P-63F's past history. It raced in the Cleveland Race days as NX1719 #21.
Later it became N443 and then N6763 with the CAF. Here is one photo of each of those ID's.
Dick Phillips

[John Kerr]

Dick Phillips forgot one registration, N448AG, it carried this between N443 and N6763. Here are few more photos
from my collection.

[bluehawk15]

I know the shaft doesn't have U-joints, but that's something I often hear from people who don't know better at airshows. I guess I should have explained that I put that down as a joke.

[Ray Clausen]

Hi,

I just posted a P-63 update and some pictures of the landing gear removal in the RetroAviation subforum.

Ray

[bluehawk15]

Crunching the numbers, it looks like it would be an eleven hour round trip from KHYI (San Marcos, TX) to KOSH. Just fuel, engine replacement, and maintenance cost hours would be $8250. That doesn't count oil, insurance cost proration, or administrative fee paid to CAF HQ proration.

Anybody want to start passing the hat?

[Django]

Congrats guys! Full steam ahead!!

[Obergrafeter]

"didn't know the CAF made such good use of donated mattresses"........you ought to see the cathouse out back!

[mustangdriver]

Crunching the numbers, it looks like it would be an eleven hour round trip from KHYI (San Marcos, TX) to KOSH. Just fuel, engine replacement, and maintenance cost hours would be $8250. That doesn't count oil, insurance cost proration, or administrative fee paid to CAF HQ proration.

Anybody want to start passing the hat?

I was thinking that, but it may be a bit out of our reach. I'd love to see it. bluehawk, where can I get a Yellow Rose T-shirt like in the pic? I looked on the web site but didn't see a link for a PX. Thank you!