How about some George pics

Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:27 pm

landing gear extension indicator on top of wing

landing gear well

Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:30 am

ALLRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am still waiting for our "reunion"!!! This is the airplane that my father was part of the Early Restoration team. This is the George that was on loan to the NEAM back in the late 70's. Dad did a lot of the documentation work of her origonal markings. If I remember right, her records only showed like 20 hrs of flight time!!!! Dad started to do the restoration in the hangar where we kept our N3N in the winter. While dad was messing around with the N in the spring to get it ready to fly. I would get some "stick time" in the george!!! I have a couple of pics of it, one of me and its on my web site...........I dont know how to post on here yet but if you want to see it check out.
http://linehaulrvn.tripod.com

go to the about me at the header and click on it. If you like military history, check out the complete site to see what I do when not messing with airplanes.

Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:35 am

if someone wants to copy the pic and post it here, you got my permission!

Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:16 pm

Here ya go

Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:50 pm

I still havn't figured out how to post pictures on this website either. It is so easy on other websites. If people could easily post pictures I think you would get much more interesting participation (at least from me anyway).

Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:56 pm

great pics!!!!! but a dumb question........ :rolleyes:

why do so many george pics from ww 2 or post war restored george's have wrinkled almost shoddy looking sheet metal work?? it can't be the fact that it was a later war type to enter service!! i've seen other late war japanese birds that didn't have that wrinkled skin look. am i crazy?? or should i get my eye glasses prescription re-evaluated??

Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:10 pm

Something just dawned on me. I was looking at the skin for the wrinkles that were mentioned and to me it looks like that they left the underside bare metal????? with the pic at the tail, you can see the reflection of the diamond plate. I am about 80% sure that it was painted before restoration. Believe it was a egg white or something like that. Would love to see more pics of this george!!! I will get with dad and post more info.

I do remember them finding Japanese wrenches in the wing, they were very thin. I know my uncle lost a wrench somewhere in the fuselage. He says he wants to go there and ask for it back!!

Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:18 pm

The restoration of this airplane was completed by Gosshawk Aviation and it was on display in the Champlin Fighter Museum until that museum closed its doors. In talking to the folks at Gosshawk their comment was that the wrinkled skin was a result of the very light guage of aluminum used by the Japanese to keep the weight down. I can assure you this restoration was to the highest standards. (in fact I believe that the USAFM stated that fact)

Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:45 pm

The George they restored is #35, that is at the smithsonian at the Hazy building next to the "Enola Gay". This one is #13, at the Naval Air Museum.

Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:19 pm

i believe the standards etc, as to the sheet metal quality are as to what the previous contributor stated & i thank you for the enlightenment regarding the issue!! i've learned alot!!

Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:40 am

For images it's

Of course, you take out the extra spaces...meaning no space between the url and the brackets. When you post it, you shouldn't be able to see the tags (which are the [img] dealies...) Images hosted by tripod and angelfire won't work, typically.

I just might post my George pics of #35...they're not that great though. It's in bad lighting 'cause it's right under Enola Gay's wing. But yeah, I do believe the skin was wrinkly on that one too.

Fri Mar 24, 2006 2:28 pm

N3Njeff wrote:if someone wants to copy the pic and post it here, you got my permission!

Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:15 pm

Thanks for posting Eric..................cute bugger i am!!! Think that was taken in the spring of 1979

Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:36 am

how many N1K1-J/N1K2-J's are left in captivity?

thanks.
henry.

Sat Mar 25, 2006 5:12 am

N1K2J Shiden-Kai "George" 5312 USA PV USAFM, Dayton
N1K1 Shiden-Kai "George" 5341 USA PV A 343-35 NASM, Steven. Udvar-Hazy Center, VA
N1K1 Shiden-Kai "George" Japan PV Nanreku Misho Koen/ Leisure Land, Shirobe City, Shikoku Island
N1K1 Shiden-Kai "George" 5128 USA PV USNM, Pensacola, Was formerly on display at New England Air Museum

(Info from preserved axis aircraft site)