Worlds only USMC Mitchell PBJ-1J Restoration CAF's Semper Fi

[Dan Newcomb]

No not that much actually. There may be some folks that are under the impression that all we do is throw money at Carl and then bolt the parts on but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The overwhelming majority of labor has been in structural repair. If you look back a few pages you will see how we hand built the formers for example. We replaced hundreds of square feet of 2024, as well as new stringers, frames and thousands of rivets.

Paul Allen we ain’t.

D

[craigwadsworth]

Hey, how about an update!!!!!????

You're killing me waiting!

Beautiful project and great work being done....

Craig Wadsworth
Maintenance Director, 1941 Historical Aircraft Group...

[RickNelson427]

Just found this site today by accident while surfing and must say I am impressed. I have been following this and the MN CAF's B25 for years and it seems like the only way I can find pictures of some of my brother's work is to see it on sites like this. Until Don Hinz's untimely death I had occassionally helped with the restoration of their Red Tail P51. After he was killed I could just never go back again but was thrilled to see it once again flying and doing the Tuskegee veterans proud. Previous to that I had helped the MN CAF in the 70's with my dad on their B25.

Jeff Nelson from Custom Connections is my brother and was instrumental in teaching me the finer art of anal details which has a lot to do with my success in my restoration business today. I can see by his and these photos it has paid off for him as well. I have never met anyone as dedicated and safety minded as he is. Sometimes it gets irritating but he will not stop until it is done and done right and that goes for anything he does. I look forward to watching this project progress and my hats off to all those who are working on this Mitchell.

Below is one of my company's restorations shadowed by Mike George's Illinois based "Worry Bird" P51 who graciously allowed me to 'use' it for the day. He has again offered up his Corsair to do another photoshoot with a customer's Camaro coming up soon.
Rick

[cooper9411]

Just found this site today by accident while surfing and must say I am impressed. I have been following this and the MN CAF's B25 for years and it seems like the only way I can find pictures of some of my brother's work is to see it on sites like this. Until Don Hinz's untimely death I had occassionally helped with the restoration of their Red Tail P51. After he was killed I could just never go back again but was thrilled to see it once again flying and doing the Tuskegee veterans proud. Previous to that I had helped the MN CAF in the 70's with my dad on their B25.

Jeff Nelson from Custom Connections is my brother and was instrumental in teaching me the finer art of anal details which has a lot to do with my success in my restoration business today. I can see by his and these photos it has paid off for him as well. I have never met anyone as dedicated and safety minded as he is. Sometimes it gets irritating but he will not stop until it is done and done right and that goes for anything he does. I look forward to watching this project progress and my hats off to all those who are working on this Mitchell.

Below is one of my company's restorations shadowed by Mike George's Illinois based "Worry Bird" P51 who graciously allowed me to 'use' it for the day. He has again offered up his Corsair to do another photoshoot with a customer's Camaro coming up soon.
Rick

Eenie meenie, miney mo

[JohnCFord]

Well, I can afford gas for one of them...

~J~

[Dan Newcomb]

I know it has been awhile so this update may get a little long winded. The holidays are over and now we start a new year on the PBJ. We made tremendous strides last year and wait until you see what we will accomplish this year! We have a fabulous crew of dedicated hard working guys with thankfully understanding and supportive spouses. After years of sometimes frustrating days and nights of hard work and especially in the early days, seemingly small progress with little funding and a pile of parts two stories high the fruits of our labors are finally coming to bear. We are no longer talking in terms of years. If the money comes we can do this in months. Eighteen to twenty-four is doable.

Since my last update we now have the left outboard aux fuel tank and it is just about ready to be installed. This tank must be installed before the left wing can be permanently attached. Work on the left wing is almost to the point where we can go up with it. The wing should go up for good in the next few weeks. Flaps and ailerons are being painted and will go up soon after. Jeff Nelson will be out to finish up the wiring in the coming weeks. We have several more tanks to buy and install, hydraulics, rigging, painting, a new nose gear to install, bomb bay doors, a nose to finish, avionics, rigging, props and engines to rebuild. The next several months should certainly prove interesting.

Outside of the project I will celebrate my ninth anniversary with the SoCal Wing next month. It hasn’t all been work! It has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I have met some of the most interesting and wonderful people and many of them have become close friends. Our PBJ crew has become an extended family. Over these years I have had some wonderful flying experiences as well. I finally got that Mustang ride! I remember the day when I took the stick of the SNJ and orbited over the Reagan Library and my oh so brief but memorable stick time in the Paris Jet when for the first time I heard the words “maintain 200 knots in the climb”! I think of my many formation flights and memorial events riding in the back of Marc’s T-34 and how he generously shares his plane giving rides to others. My best flight however was in a B-25 flying down a canyon and out over the beach on a beautiful spring day. Here are some shots from yesterday as well as a few taken a couple of weeks ago at our hangar after an event we hosted celebrating 100 years of naval aviation. Fortunately one of our members brought his airplane from work. We launched him just after sundown and the few of us on the ramp witnessed a high-speed pass followed by a maximum performance climb that I will never forget.

Dan

[the330thbg]

and he gets paid to do it!!

Gotta love it!

[Dan Newcomb]

Hi Rick,

I’m going to apologize for not commenting earlier. If your work on cars comes close to the quality of work your brother puts out you would definitely be in the very top tier! That Chevy is gorgeous! Yes your brother has “anal” down to a science and he is quite demanding. In this instance however he has fallen in with a crew of misfits that share many of your brother’s traits and as long as the CAF allows us our little corner of the world, (it is best to keep us isolated from human contact) and we can continue to find the funds, we will prevail!

Dan

[RickNelson427]

Dan, no apologies necessary. I am just glad to have found the site and follow along with the restoration of this significant warbird. Though I am a HUGE enthusiast of the warbird movement and all things included I unfortunately cannot bring much to the forum in the way of help. Warbirds are in my blood as are muscle cars, unfortunately where I live the cars are easier to make a living at.

As far as who is the better between us, I am just as anal as my brother and I think we both have equal amounts of awards and magazine coverage. I have been on live radio and one of my restorations was used on the TV show American Trucker so I have him beat there...... All kidding aside the two cannot be compared. I could not do the type of detail work he performs nor could he restore cars the way I do. For that reason we continually rib each other over our talents and choice of vehicles. I drive a Chevrolet, he drives a Ford.

I wish I lived closer as I would be over there checking out this restoration weekly and likely begging to help on it. Maybe on my next visit to see Jeff and his wife we can take a road trip and come see this bird and his work. I should check it over before they allow it to fly anyway and give my ok.

Keep up the great work and it has been a pleasure to follow along with all of you!
Rick

[Dan Newcomb]

I must admit this is the hardest time of the year for me to get motivated for the drive down to CMA. Getting up at 0500 is never fun but when it is pitch dark and 27 degrees it makes it a wee bit harder. The sky was clear so I wouldn’t have to worry about ice and snow and the thought of enjoying a few hours of nice Ventura County weather made me feel better. As I cruised along Interstate 5 I called ATIS to check the weather at CMA and was informed that it was only 2 degrees Celsius. With that inspiring news I turned up the climate control and jacked up my seat heater and forged ahead.
We had a full crew with the exception of Bucker Boy who is in MIA doing a PC. Our main goal for the day was to install the right aft main fuel tank. This is the heaviest tank that we will install due to it being the old style self-sealing type. All of our other tanks will be the new, thinner and much lighter bladder tanks. Using this older tank, which has been certified and is in virtually new condition, saves us many thousands of dollars. By virtue of the older self-sealing tank’s design it is very ridged which calls for a tight and precise fit. It took hours of horsing and prodding and coaxing but by the end of the day the tank was up and in place. Full installation should be completed by next week.
Jerry is getting close to finishing the left wing attach angle. John is cranking away on the fuel system. Alan is working on the fire extinguisher system. Dave is working on cleaning one of the main fuel doors prepping for paint; Mike is getting ready to paint the ailerons and Ken is working on a wing repair. Several of our guys work two or more days a week. I’m starting to feel out of the loop being so far away but until Marc buys me a home in Simi I’m still resigned to a once a week trip to CMA.

[Alan Brooks]

Dan.... You guys are just amazing! It will not be long before you guys get to make some noise with that beautiful bird....
alan

[Dan Newcomb]

Yesterday we had a full crew with the exception of Scott who had to fly. We continued focusing on the left wing repairs and fitting up the aileron. We also ordered our oil tanks. We will hang the wing for good in a few weeks. Also we obtained new glass for our top gun turret. We will remove the turret and place it on the ground so that it can be completely cleaned and spruced up before we install the glass.

Dan

[Dan Newcomb]

To all of you that have followed our little journey, this coming Thursday will indeed be a very special and significant day. We will hang the left wing permanently. This will be the first time that both wings have been permanently attached in 18 years! This wing assembly is the last major structural component to be completed. Yes we still have a lot of work to do but if we continue to come up with the bucks we will be flying in months.

We will have folks photographing the event and believe it or not one of Santa Barbara’s premier artists will set up his easel in the hangar and produce a painting! I will do a complete update with photos!

Stay tuned,

Dan

[JOHN MILLER]

[Django]

Now that's exciting!