New TBM Restoration - Wings Are Back On. First Flight Soon!

[shepsair]

Looks like a relocated panel with the artwork on a new TBM. The complete '87' is missing.

Nice scheme.

Mark

[johnrfuentes]

Here is some more pictures of aircraft P87 during the War.










The above will be used to make sure that the aircraft stencil is as exact as possible.

[BillB24]

Hope the experienced TBM restorers can help with this. The TBM-3 pilot's manual and maintenance manuals all describe the operation of the wingfold locking handle (red handle in picture below) as turn 90 degrees and pull out to unlock, then push in and turn 90 degrees to lock. The rod and handle currently installed (photo), which came with the plane, has no mechanisms for turning or locking. It is straight push-pull. Are the manuals wrong, or do we have a different kind of handle installed than should be there ??

Thanks,
Bill B.
Kosko's Krew

[johnrfuentes]

Hi Bill,

As a pilot currently flying the Fighter Factory TBM, I can tell you that the wing fold handle is held in a locked position until the pilot turns it to unlock it and then pulls the handle out to fold the wings. The process is then reversed to spread them. The unlocking of the handle (90 degree rotation) also causes red flags to "pop" up from the top of each wing to warn the pilot that the handle is not in the locked position.

Hope this answers your question.

[johnrfuentes]

Hi Bill,

Helldivers called to mention that the handle you have pictured is the emergency bomb release handle not the wing fold handle. FYI............................

We are looking for the appropriate parts. May have to check with Harlen and John Lane.

More parts to find UGH!

[Jase]

C'mon Fuentes, the thrill of the hunt is half the fun of this silliness!!

[johnrfuentes]

Some of the latest......October 2010

[Warbird Kid]

[labrador retriever]

If your looking for parts for your TBM call Pacificfighters in Idaho they have a million TBM parts, im not joking they have any part for a TBM.

[johnrfuentes]

November 2010



Windscreen Installed




Engine mount and oil tank installed. Primer and some final coat paint in areas as previously noted.

Turret canopy and cockpit canopy Installed.

Work continues at Santa's Workshop a.k.a. Jack Kosko and his team of Elves!

Oh yes, Ray at Anderson Aeromotive tells me the engine has arrived up in snowy Idaho for overhaul !!

Happy Holidays!!!

[BillB24]

This is a repeat of a previous post that disappeared when WIX re-loaded.

We are in search of fabrication and assembly drawings for the wingfold hydraulic link assembly, the welded tube triangular frame and its end point attachments that the wingfold hydraulic cylinders attach to. We need to fabricate both left and right assemblies, or find a source who can make them for us.


Also in search of a complete set of TBM drawings, on microfilm or (preferably) electronic file format.


Thanks,
Bill Butler
Kosko's Krew
billb24@aol.com

[Jerry O'Neill]

Looks great guys.
Did you restore the turret or was it done out of house?
Jerry

[the330thbg]

Boy, by the smiles in these photos.., the restoration is already a success!!

Congrats boys!

Looking really fine!

[TimAPNY]

you guys have come a long way! It really looks good.

Tim

[BillB24]

To answer Jerry's question about the turret: The members of the old CAF Stars & Stripes Wing (the group that brought the TBM to Frederick, MD) acquired three well-worn turrets from Midland, and built one from the parts. Norm Birzer provided most of the restoration and fabrication effort.


We have taken possession of a set of microfilm rolls of the TBM-3 engineering drawings. However, comma, we do not have the INDEX, either on microfilm or on paper. Tried to get the index from Smithsonian Air & Space archives, but they are not accepting requests until they finish moving to Chantilly. If any of you have an index for that set of microfilm, would it be possible to borrow it, or get a copy if it is on paper ??

Our immediate need is still drawings of the wingfold linkage, the triangular piece that the hydraulic cylinders attach to, and, more importantly, the shape and dimensions of the fittings on all three ends of the triangle.

Thanks,
Bill
Kosko's Krew
billb24@aol.com