B-26K Counter-Invader Restoration ("Special K")

[A26 Special K]

[quote="A26 Special K"]
Well, we didn't have a winner on the location in the picture, so think about the west end of Galveston Island, Tx. How about San Luis Pass?? We were out doing some B-25 training offshore and it was a great place to practice steep turns, etc. Lone Star Flight Museum's B-25 is such a joy to fly!! They have it really set up nice and have just completed a major restoration of the interior. Go by to see the B-25 and the rest of the substantial collection while sending the kids to the beach or to the waterpark right next door to the museum. It's just a fun place to be. We plan to take the K down there for visits and hope to do some formation work with some of the airplanes, especially the Skyraider. Who would be up for that? JR

[A26 Special K]

While Tim and David B are working on the aileron gap seals, Jim S is finishing up the oil tank for the left engine. Ray got it painted last week so now all the fittings can go back on. This is another item off the to-do list. JR reports we are up to about 78% completion at this point of the restoration. Fantastic work!! The other JR

[A26 Special K]

See anything familiar on the cover of this new book?? Sometime ago, the author contacted us about using a picture of K which was taken back in the 80's. Well anyway, the book was recently published and he kindly sent me a copy. I saved it to read while in the sandbox. Couldn't put it down. While fictionalized about covert operations in Africa and how a K gets involved, the story is based on enough historical facts to be very believable. The Tom Clancy style of equipment details woven into the fabric of the story is still alive and well. Charles may have even improved on it. So let me recommend this book to you as I have just ordered a second copy from Amazon and written a review which you can read on that website. Yes, the book is that good. I felt like I was back in the cockpit of the AN-2 and the A-26. Give it a try!! JR

[A26 Special K]

JR and Ray worked today on the left nacelle. I still chuckle over the fact that the Americans invented the aeroplane, the French got to name most of the parts and the Russians took credit for it. But I digress... We are looking at the top of the wing behind where the oil tank goes with the cover removed. These vent lines run to the back of the nacelle. JR got new hoses and fittings on the fuel tank vent so that is now ready to go. The rest of the fuel system is about complete and has been leak checked. All fuel selector valves now work properly. We have one fuel pump out for overhaul. Should be back perhaps by next weekend. Keeping fingers crossed. Ray got a lot of the nacelle metal work done. Still has the one piece that will need heat treatment. He said maybe it will get finished this week. It sure takes a lot of dedication to put in extra days working in the heat of the hangar. Several attaboys are due!!! Thanks guys! The other JR

[A26 Special K]

Tim, David B and Rand did a trial fitting of the right aileron and found some problems with one section of the gap seal. The manual does not show it real well or really explain how to get the zippers fastened. It can't be done with the aileron in place. So more puzzle. It finally became clear that two inspection panels on the underside of the wing could be used to access the gap seal area... barely, howsumever, instead of one long zipper that goes from one end to the other like we thought, it turns out to be two zippers that start about in the middle of the seal. Go figure... Always making something simple into something complex. Where have we heard that before?? JR

[A26 Special K]

Rand has been busy with the refurb of the ordnance selection panel. The red blocks can be selected to arm each pylon separately or together for the drop or firing. Look out hogs!! We are getting closer!!! JR, and the Ace Wild Hog Extermination Co.

[A26 Special K]

Guess this purty well settles the question of the tail code on the vertical stabilizer. This picture shows K in Macon, GA, when she belonged to the Georgia State Forestry Dept., before the crash landing in 1978. This is just the way she came from the boneyard at DM. The Forestry Dept. had obtained three K's with the intent of converting them to firebombers, but that never happened. The three airplanes were sold off and K was supposed to go to Canada's Air Spray, but the crash landing changed that plan. When Rob S. found her and talked Denny Lynch into buying and restoring her, it was a very close call. She was destined for the scrap yard otherwise. We want to thank Rob and the Lynch family again for saving K. This is just an incredible story of survival!! K was the last off the OnMark assembly line and the last flying example left. We are indeed fortunate that it didn't go a different direction. JR

[Landskroner]

new here
nice story

[rdennard]

JR... do you have any information on the other two planes that the Georgia State Forestry Dept. purchased and subsequently sold?

[A26 Special K]

JR... do you have any information on the other two planes that the Georgia State Forestry Dept. purchased and subsequently sold?

Bob, one went to the Florence, SC air museum and was subsequently scrapped. Many of the parts were used on the restoration of the AF Museum's K which if memory serves, was the other one. I am not as certain about that one, but Randy or somebody probably knows for sure. Randy has posted pictures of the Florence airplane before and after the scrapping on this thread some time back. He got a few mementos off the hulk. BTW, has anybody noticed that aircraft 17640, the first production K, which resides at the Ellsworth AFB air museum at Rapid City, SD, has new paint? It was green and white, but now is in SEA camo just like we will use on K. Saw a recent video of it on youtube. If you look back several pages, there are shots of it that Randy took in his last visit there in 2012 when it was still green. JR

[A26 Special K]

Larry is busy testing the bucket seat again. We are starting to get the picture that maybe we should go with something a little more stable. Anyway, he is busy installing instruments and finishing up the avionics. Has started eyeballing the engineering needed to install the Bendix King Lift Reserve indicator system. Mainly it is a matter of figuring out where to place the sensor. We have a spot on the nose in mind as being much simpler than trying to pull wire thru the wing for a mount out there. Will see how that plays out. BK suggested the nose as the first try. We ran into a glitch with the HSI system so that is taking higher priority right now. Always that "simple things turn out to be more complex than first estimated!!" JR

[NImrodA26]

Bob, one went to the Florence, SC air museum and was subsequently scrapped. Many of the parts were used on the restoration of the AF Museum's K which if memory serves, was the other one. I am not as certain about that one, but Randy or somebody probably knows for sure. Randy has posted pictures of the Florence airplane before and after the scrapping on this thread some time back. He got a few mementos off the hulk.
===================
B-26K/A-26A #64-17671 was scrapped at Florence Air & Missile MUseum in 1999. That was a private museum, and was on airport property. Several years previously, the AF Museum had swapped out the engines and paddle blade props for 676 which they were restoring for the museum in Dayton. I'm not sure how much more they got from it. The landing gear from 671 went to Hurlburt Field for installation on 666 when it was taken off the concrete pedestal and placed back on it's gear. Other than the few parts I retrieved in June of 99, I suppose the rest was scrapped, except for the tail section, which was last reported being seen in Rockford, Ill.
So part of it still lives on. As was reported previously back in this thread, Joe Maynard flew 671 to NKP from England AFB in 1966. It, along with 676 and 666 were three of the original 8 aircraft deployed.

[A26 Special K]

Our metal magician, Ray, spent some extra hours this week drilling out bad fasteners on the stress plate at the top surface of the wing just outboard of the left nacelle. I'm sure that you can picture that spot with this brilliant description??? Anyway, we appreciate all the extra hours Ray has been devoting to this highly important phase of the restoration and trying to wrap up the metal repairs. On the other subject, Bob, I hope between Randy and me, we got your question answered. I think he on the road somewhere between Yellowstone and home base. Me, I am Toronto bound until Sat. Will be back just in time for lunch. How's that for good timing?? Well, except the guys are expecting me to bring it. Guess I better not be late. As hot as the hangar is getting, I suppose some Blue Bell ice cream would be in order! JR

[A26 Special K]

As we are approaching the remembrance of D-Day at Normandy in 1944, thought it would be appropriate to show some of the signatures of people who were there for the front row seat. This signature is on the inside of the fuselage wall of GGA's C-47 as are those that follow. A salute goes to these men for what they accomplished then and have continued to do so by making it this far. All of the signatures are from guys who have taken a ride on the airplane. It is amazing to see them reach back in their memories to when they were young men in a most exciting time. JR

[A26 Special K]