Air Zoo Visit

[kalamazookid]

Made my annual holiday visit to the Air Zoo about a week ago. Thought I'd share a few photos and news items.

Work continues on the two Lake Michigan recoveries, SBD-2P Dauntless BuNo 2173 and FM-2 Wildcat BuNo 57039. Both are on loan from NMNA and are under restoration to static condition. The Dauntless will eventually be displayed at the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. The FM-2 is destined for display at Glenview. There has been much more visible progress in the Dauntless, which is to be expected since it arrived in much better condition. The only other active restoration work of note is that work has started on the MH1521 Broussard.

A note for those who plan on visiting this winter - it's very difficult to get clear views of a lot of the WWII aircraft currently on display at the main campus. There are weather-related displays blocking the view of many of them. Take this into consideration if you're planning on taking photos when you visit.

The museum will also be celebrating its 40th anniversary with a series of events and new exhibits in 2019. The most relevant to share here will be a fly-in featuring warbirds and other aircraft, scheduled for Sep. 14-15. I'm sure the museum will make more information available as it's ready to release it.

On to the photos ...

The Dauntless has had all of its markings carefully documented and has been stripped.

IMG_8881 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8889 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8890 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

Various subassemblies and parts, including seat, canopy, engine and gunner station.

IMG_8883 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8886 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8895 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

Wings and dive flaps.

IMG_8893 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8896 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8897 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

The Wildcat fuselage remains in a jig.

IMG_8898 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8917 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

Tailwheel and tailcone structure.

IMG_8900 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

More work on the wings.

IMG_8901 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8903 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

Engine components.

IMG_8907 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8908 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8911 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

Various...

IMG_8902 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

IMG_8905 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

Le Broussard getting some TLC.

IMG_8913 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884@N02/, on Flickr

Previous photos can be found on Flickr here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124970884 ... 9613/page1

[WIXerGreg]

I know the original plan for the Wildcat was Glenview, but did anyone there mention that was still the case when you were there? When I stopped there on the way to Thunder last year I was talking with a docent that said there was recently a closed door meeting with some GM executives, presumably about funding the restoration and the plane going to them instead of Glenview.

The Dauntless has come a long way!

[Pat Carry]

Fantastic photos, thanks for sharing. The Dauntless looks great!

[kalamazookid]

I know the original plan for the Wildcat was Glenview, but did anyone there mention that was still the case when you were there? When I stopped there on the way to Thunder last year I was talking with a docent that said there was recently a closed door meeting with some GM executives, presumably about funding the restoration and the plane going to them instead of Glenview.

The Dauntless has come a long way!

I didn't talk to anyone about the restoration and the banner the students from Glenview was still hanging from the project. There wasn't anything to indicate the aircraft was no longer going to Glenview, but that doesn't mean things haven't changed.

[airnutz]

SBD looks great! Thanks for sharing!

[DamonE]

Thanks for posting the images. Great to see the progress and the detail in the pictures, Can you visit on a more regular basis !!

[wendovertom]

OK - mostly because I have never been around a rebuild that. . . total? How does the wooden Jig come out of the air frame once it is to that point?

Tom P.

[Pogo]

Wonderful pix, thanks a million for troubling to post them for us. May the beer fairy leave a tall frosty one under your pillow!

[bdk]

OK - mostly because I have never been around a rebuild that. . . total? How does the wooden Jig come out of the air frame once it is to that point?

Light a match?

I'm guessing they can drill and Cleco all of the skins, rivet some of them (like the subassembly shown in one of the photos), remove the wood, Cleco the larger assemblies back together and then finish the riveting.

Not sure why the subassembly in the photos has so many Clecos installed! Normally you just use enough to stabilize the workpiece.

Clecos are a temporary fastener for rivet holes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleco_(fastener)

[Cvairwerks]

Hard to tell from the photos, but appears that the wood bulkheads are multipiece units and can can be disassembled for removal. Original factory tooling would have been done the same way.

[RHenry]

Pretty obvious that Wildcat engine won't be a runner...