GregP
13th August 2007, 02:20
Hi All,
Thought I'd give a brief update of a couple of projects in Chino.
First, the Planes of Fame Bell P-59: Our Bell P-59 is nearing the time when they paint the cockpit in preparation for cockpit finish work. The sheet metal work is ongoing and we have some very skilled people making fuel and oil lines for the overhauled engines.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/P59_Cutaway_Engine.jpg
The image above is of our "cutaway" engine. Basically it is a Whittle engine. Air goes in at the right side into both of the air intakes. It then gets whirled outward by the compressor into the square manifold pipes and is directed into the cans. Each can consists of a can within a can. The outer can serves as heat insulation for the very hot inner burner can.
Cold air goes around the outside of the inner can. As the air bleeds into the inner can, fuel is sprayed in and ignited, and it exits to the right, makes the turn through the decreasing-diameter pipe, passes through the jet turbine and out the exhaust.
Pretty basic, but seemed like a worthwhile pic to throw some arrows and text into.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/P59_and_Engines.jpg
The pic above is of the two GOOD engines that were going to go into the airframe when all the fuel and oil lines are fabricated and installed. You can see some of them already installed on the end of the engines.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Bell_P59.jpg
The airframe hasn't changed much since we mostly remove bad panels, fabricate them, and replace them, rendering the airframe much the same as it looked before. Work is currently being done on the flap area where the Zinc Chromate colored paint shows.
My own project (I am one of four working on it and I am not the project leader) is out Hispano Ha-1112 Buchon. This particular aircraft served as the entire Luftwaffe in the 2000 movie "Pearl Harbor." Near the conclusion of fliming, Steve Hinto was setting up to land in England and noticed tat the starboard brake went all the way to the floor when he tested it before landing. Needless to say, he touched down absolutely straight and in perfect trim, but the Buchon will never roll straight on pavement during a landing. He was hoping it would swerve to the right, thus making him use the left brake, but it was not to be. It swerved left and groundlooped, tearing off the starboard gear and settling on the belly.
Below is the starboard wing.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Hispano_Starboard_Wing.jpg
I threw in a yellow arrow to show the doubler we have fabricated and installed, but it is NOT complete yet. The wing rib is not absolutely straight yet, and Steve Hinton (who is an S & P) will have to inspect the conmpleted doubler and pronounce it good before we are done with that simple repair. If it is NOT up to standard, we have to drill out the root rib, fabricate some new parts and begin to replace it. There are other items needing repair in the wing that are not obvious.
Below is the instrument panel.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Hispano_Instrument_Panel.jpg
Note the plaque that says Me 109G. The fuselage is shown below.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Hispano_Fuselage.jpg
It is sitting on a cart on blocks, just waiting for us to fit the engine mount and then the repaired langing gear. Once it is on wheels, we can roll it around, making work a lot easier.
As you might have noticed in some recent posts, Montana and Romantic Techofreak have offered to help us by contacting the Technik-Museum in Germany and asking about teh Merlin, 3-blade prop, and spinner they have there for the Buchon.
Who knows, maybe TGPlanes will serve as a medium to help actually restore a WWII-era aircraft to flying condition! Hope so!
Meanwhile, many thanks to both Montana and RT for their assistance! :)
Thought I'd give a brief update of a couple of projects in Chino.
First, the Planes of Fame Bell P-59: Our Bell P-59 is nearing the time when they paint the cockpit in preparation for cockpit finish work. The sheet metal work is ongoing and we have some very skilled people making fuel and oil lines for the overhauled engines.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/P59_Cutaway_Engine.jpg
The image above is of our "cutaway" engine. Basically it is a Whittle engine. Air goes in at the right side into both of the air intakes. It then gets whirled outward by the compressor into the square manifold pipes and is directed into the cans. Each can consists of a can within a can. The outer can serves as heat insulation for the very hot inner burner can.
Cold air goes around the outside of the inner can. As the air bleeds into the inner can, fuel is sprayed in and ignited, and it exits to the right, makes the turn through the decreasing-diameter pipe, passes through the jet turbine and out the exhaust.
Pretty basic, but seemed like a worthwhile pic to throw some arrows and text into.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/P59_and_Engines.jpg
The pic above is of the two GOOD engines that were going to go into the airframe when all the fuel and oil lines are fabricated and installed. You can see some of them already installed on the end of the engines.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Bell_P59.jpg
The airframe hasn't changed much since we mostly remove bad panels, fabricate them, and replace them, rendering the airframe much the same as it looked before. Work is currently being done on the flap area where the Zinc Chromate colored paint shows.
My own project (I am one of four working on it and I am not the project leader) is out Hispano Ha-1112 Buchon. This particular aircraft served as the entire Luftwaffe in the 2000 movie "Pearl Harbor." Near the conclusion of fliming, Steve Hinto was setting up to land in England and noticed tat the starboard brake went all the way to the floor when he tested it before landing. Needless to say, he touched down absolutely straight and in perfect trim, but the Buchon will never roll straight on pavement during a landing. He was hoping it would swerve to the right, thus making him use the left brake, but it was not to be. It swerved left and groundlooped, tearing off the starboard gear and settling on the belly.
Below is the starboard wing.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Hispano_Starboard_Wing.jpg
I threw in a yellow arrow to show the doubler we have fabricated and installed, but it is NOT complete yet. The wing rib is not absolutely straight yet, and Steve Hinton (who is an S & P) will have to inspect the conmpleted doubler and pronounce it good before we are done with that simple repair. If it is NOT up to standard, we have to drill out the root rib, fabricate some new parts and begin to replace it. There are other items needing repair in the wing that are not obvious.
Below is the instrument panel.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Hispano_Instrument_Panel.jpg
Note the plaque that says Me 109G. The fuselage is shown below.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m313/GregPascal/Feb%2007/Hispano_Fuselage.jpg
It is sitting on a cart on blocks, just waiting for us to fit the engine mount and then the repaired langing gear. Once it is on wheels, we can roll it around, making work a lot easier.
As you might have noticed in some recent posts, Montana and Romantic Techofreak have offered to help us by contacting the Technik-Museum in Germany and asking about teh Merlin, 3-blade prop, and spinner they have there for the Buchon.
Who knows, maybe TGPlanes will serve as a medium to help actually restore a WWII-era aircraft to flying condition! Hope so!
Meanwhile, many thanks to both Montana and RT for their assistance! :)