Aircraft

[Texas Lawdog]

I got started sanding fenders when I was old enough to hold a sanding block.

[Texas Lawdog]

They've got "FIFI" squeezed in the hangar among 8 to 10 other aircraft, including a B-25, another A-26, an AT-6, and 2 C-47s.  That B-29 is a biig plane. She looks good after the recent overhaul and refinish.

[Texas Lawdog]

I was talking to one of the B-29 mechanics yesterday at the hangar. They are doing maintence on the engines in preparation for leaving on an Air Show tour in a week or so. He was asking me where he could buy a Texas flag for "FIFI". I had won a 3 X 5 Texas flag as a door prize at the NCOWS Convention in March. I told him that I had one and I would donate it them because I am a Texan and a Squadron member. If anybody gets to see "FIFI" on tour this summer, you will get to see my Texas Flag.

[Leo Tanner]

That is neat Pop.  We just had our air show but I hope to see Fifi soon with your flag.  Lil just went through a case of old family pictures and found some of her grandfather when he was on a crew at Curtis Write.  Guess he worked on the Spirit of St. Louis and later became a pilot flying folks up to Alaska.  His plane was sabotaged by some rail road men and he went down.  The pictures she found are worth sharing, I just have to get my scanner set up.

[Texas Lawdog]

Leo, It is neat over at the hangar beacause I get to walk under "FIFI's fuselage every time I walk across to the restroom on the other side.

[Texas Lawdog]

Check out the Vintage Flight Museum web site.  There's a good picture of "FIFI" and there is a photo of what our A-26 will look like when it is finished.

[Texas Lawdog]

I volunteered to go down to Waco in the morning to bring the spare parts for the A-26 that were left in Waco.  We're taking a couple of trailers and we're gonna get a rental truck. We're gonna haul back as much stuff as we can haul back.  There are supposed to be 2 spare engine down there. They will have to wait another time. I am enjoying the restoration on the A-26. It will be neat to see it fly after we get it done.

[Texas Lawdog]

We brought back 3 engines, 2 of which are just cores. on a trailer. We filled up the rental truck with loose parts. The other trailer had engine stands and landing gear parts. There are still parts down there, so another trip will be needed to get the rest of the stuff. We have a hangar rented at Meacham Field to store the parts in. It was a long day and I slept all night for a change.

[Texas Lawdog]

I'm waking up with my second cup O Cawfee this morning. We will have our monthly Squadron meeting about 10 am.  I will probaly stick around for a while after the meeting. I don't know if they got the rental truck unloaded, if not, I'll help with that. We've still got another truck load of stuff down there, including a spare turret and periscope. They have a target date of July 1 for the plane to be finished in Breckenridge. The next project is for us to recover the control surfaces and get them ready for installation on the aircraft at Breckenridge.

[Texas Lawdog]

We un loaded the Truck after the Squadron meeting yesterday. I am a little sore in my lower back from the lifting and twisting. We are making progress on the restoration. We will make another trip to Waco next week to get the last of the spare parts. We've got about a month or so to get the control surfaces recovered and ready to be installed back on the aircraft.

[Sod Buster]

If anybody gets to see "FIFI" on tour this summer, you will get to see my Texas Flag.

I checked out her schedule and it appears she will be in Hampton Roads, VA , Andrews AFB (MD), and Farmington, NY at Republic Airfield - all in May (This month).  Since I drive past Republic evert time I go to Long Island, I may have to stop by. 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I'm all excited now!

It looks like the Indianapolis/Mt. Comfort Airshow will be held this coming weekend (May 14 & 15) and thanks to my old buddy Dutch, I may have some tickets!

Fifi isn't scheduled to be there, but plenty of planes will be there for my inspection, including the Blue Angels and a team of F-16s called the Viper West team.

Awesome!

Even if I can't be there, my backyard is right in the flight path to the airport (about 6 miles from me as the crow flies) and there are always many planes coming & going as well as practicing routines right over my house!  I'll have to get out my binos to watch the goings on this week!

This is the only thing that interests me as much (if not a wee bit more) than shootin' cowboy iron!

[Leo Tanner]

Livin under a flight path is fun.  We've been getting a lot of low flying large props going over lately.  The sound is not a problem, it is a joy.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I'm with you, Leo.  I NEVER tire of the sound of a powerful radial crankin' overhead ... no matter the time.  (Uh ... water-cooled as well, but they aren't as common and sound more like some newer craft.)

And when the Angels or T-Birds (BOTH are regulars at our show - they seem to rotate the off-years) are practicing - which they will be prob'ly Thursday & Friday, I get chills.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Nothing gets my attention quicker than the sound of a quartet of radials! They are a rare sound here, thus they command a look see if heard...............Buck

[Texas Lawdog]

Hopefully our A-26 will be at this years AirSho in Midland. That will be a thrill for me, seeing something that I personally help restore.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Dang.  The Sunday show ... which was the ONLY day I could attend, was cancelled due to rain.

Bah humbug!

[Arcey]

Rode out to Pungo huntin' for a juvenile Bald Eagle. Didn't find 'im.

Was near the museum so I took the free parkin' lot tour. The first thing I didn't see was Chuckie. They've either taken her somewhere or she's in the new hanger.   Double entry doors were open but all one can see is a cinder block wall.

The Junker(s) tri motor was sittin' out behind the Fighter Factory 'n a couple guys were fiddlin' with the landin' gear. There's a partial view inside that hanger ' best I could tell there were three airplanes in there. A three bladed prop was hangin' from a hoist. Saw one had the cowl off. Not much else. The third new buildin' looks like a warehouse or parts 'n supply depot. Land on both sides of the parkin' lot has been cleared 'n leveled. Neat stacks of steel beams, girders 'n such sit to the sides.

Only other new things I saw were a series of Burma Shave signs goin' in.

[Texas Lawdog]

I think that "Chuckie" may be down in Florida having some work done.  I"ll do some checking and found out something.

[Arcey]

Do check if ya find the time. Guess I coulda asked at the desk but I wanted to look at the fields one more time before I went back to Kempsville. Dumb ass bird's hidin' somewhere close.