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

[A26 Special K]

BUBA got new shoes today. Overhauled wheels came from the most awesome craftsmen at the Aviall shop. Some of the K crew helped the CAF guys slide BUBA's toes into the new ones and they fit perfectly. Should be good on that item for quite awhile. They still need to do some minor adjustments on the carbs so may try to do some engine runs this week and then start training the next group of pilots. The next airshow is at Cedar Creek Lake on July 5 so everything should be good to go by then. EEEhawww.. bring on the P-51's.. let's have a race!! Speakin' of races, the ladies Air Race Classic ran this past week and the winners will be announced tonight at the awards banquet. The number 11 team that Yoda helped with some weather guesses got the call that they were in the top ten so we are anxious to find out how they came out in the end. If some of these ladies were fighter pilots, I sure would hate to go up against them. Talk about fangs out and nailed to the floor boards... whoa, they take the competition very seriously. Glad it is over and everybody came out ok. JR

[A26 Special K]

While BUBA got new shoes, WE got home made cherry pie specially made by David B's Paige just for our K crew. It was going so fast that I had to grab a piece before having one of Hawkeye's great burgers that he grilled for us today. We had a joint feed with the Vintage Flying Museum folks and everybody had a most enjoyable time!! We voted to have more of these pies!! Thanks Ms P... Wow... JR

[A26 Special K]

And if that didn't make your mouth water, then these seedless watermelons that Steve W brought and put on ice might do the trick. They were the sweetest melons that I have ever had. It doesn't get any better than this. K crew votes to have more of these as well. What a great way to cool off after working in the heat of the hangar all morning. Thanks Steve!

JR

[A26 Special K]

Gap seals have come back from fabrication. Thanks Ms K!! Big Tim thinks he has all the geometry figured out as to how to install these and still have room left to get the zippers closed. Sure hope so! It is a real bear! JR

[A26 Special K]

Tim and David B spent quite a bit of time on the gap seals today and getting them ready for installation of the ailerons soon. These gap seals turned out to be another example of something simple that turned into complex. So simple the maintenance manual barely addresses them. Who knew?? JR

[A26 Special K]

Larry has been spending a lot of overtime on the panel and avionics. The warning lights gave us fits all last week. There is an offhand reference to fire warning lights being in the Engine shutoff T handles, yet no mention of them could be found in the Illustrated Parts Manual or the Maintenance manual. So we wrote a note to start checking with some of the Nimrod guys and they came back with the answer that, indeed, there were no lights or other fire detection system.... except look out the canopy and say "Yep or Nope". We are working on the fire extinguishing system right now as well so we were surprised to find no detection system. The B and C models had detection so how the change was made to the K is anybody's guess. Oh well! Mark 1 Eyeball is good enough apparently. JR

[NImrodA26]

........Larry has been spending a lot of overtime on the panel and avionics.

Wow! I'll say he has. Looks a lot different than it did when I was there in May. Nice job. Looks like a new airplane. That armanent panel is awesome too!

[rdennard]

WOW!!! Larry gets an attaboy. I'm not sure I ever saw an instrument panel looking that good.

[A26 Special K]

Randy... Bob... thanks for the attaboys! Glad you like what we are doing. Larry, Stan and Rand have been heavily involved in the restoration of the cockpit. Ray made the new panel that is painted red with stripes and labeled each light position with letters by hand. It has been a team effort. Larry has gone above and beyond in leading the charge. I can't wait to see the finished product. It was a hoot to put on the headset and hear the tower for the first time on the new radios. Stay tuned!! JR

[A26 Special K]

Meanwhile on the other end of the hangar, Arnold has some competition for the left seat of the DC-3. Captain Inu appears to be taking command instead of being our Floor Managar on the K. I suppose all work and no play makes a dull boy, but I am not sure he can see over the instrument panel for take off and landing??? He may need a little help from Arnold on that one. JR

[rdennard]

You guys are all doing a great job... wing-tip to wing-tip and nose to tail. I wish I could be there to contribute.

[Ken]

Forgive the links, but I believe anyone following this thread will enjoy these 3 photos:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Ai ... 68043c83aa

http://www.airliners.net/photo/On-Mark- ... 68043c83aa

http://www.airliners.net/photo/On-Mark- ... 68043c83aa

[A26 Special K]

Thanks Ken for posting those links. The pictures reminded me that I have been saving one that John Kerr sent to me some time back. We were saddened to learn of his passing on another WIX thread. He had an interest in the A-26 and had collected several pictures especially of when the airplanes were in the boneyard in Tucson. I have been posting them from time to time. But this was one has some real nose art. It was 17648 nee 43-22732 in the 609th SOS at NKP. Trucks were what they were after and trucks were what they got! Here's to John K... Rest in peace! JR

[A26 Special K]

JR captured this panorama shot of the aileron slot and gap seals. We only wish we had this much room to work with. It distorts the width of the aileron slot considerably. Anyway, we are hopeful that Tim and company can start hanging ailerons in the morning. The ailerons are the last of the control surfaces to mount. It would be a good day to drop by and see how we are coming along. Google map the Vintage Flying Museum hangar at Meacham Field in Fort Worth, TX. It is on the SE corner of the airport but is outside the fenced operations area. The DC3 will probably be making some noise in the pattern as well if not too windy. Come see us! The Other JR

[A26 Special K]

It was a magnificent day here in the Republic of Texas!! Ray just about has the nacelle/firewall repairs done. Looking good!! Thanks, Ray. A great deal was accomplished in spite of the hot weather and humidity. One of our guys is going for the type rating in the DC3 soon so there was some training done after the tour passengers were let off. Incidentally, one of the passengers, Wayne, is a former Central Airlines pilot.... the airline and airplane that I had my first ride with in 1955. He went on to Pan Am then Delta airlines and finished up as a checkairman on the 747 there. There were some great stories exchanged. I mentioned that I was still looking for the first Flight Attendant, Pam, who I had hoped would wait for me to grow up. Guess it is too late?? More pics to follow. JR