Another project?

[tbm3fan]

Back in 2011 we got a call from Pensacola offering us our choice of Wildcats for our museum. We were told these were projects pulled out of Lake Michigan when the newbie pilot crash landed in the water. Below are pictures of our project.

Of course projects aren't new to us. The F-8 Crusader, pulled out of the desert was a project. The FJ-4 Fury was a project. The HUP-1 was a project. The Sikorsky Sea King was a minor project in that metal was good but equipment was one of the issues. One guy, Joe who flew in them, handled both the HUP and Sea King by himself. Impressive work including putting back in almost all the equipment correctly.

The TBM was a moderate project while our F-4 Phantom is another project. You should see how magnesium reacts to the environment over time. Isn't pretty as it turns to dust.

 

[tbm3fan]

Yesterday, the 19th, was the official completion date for the plane.

 

[tbm3fan]

I won't full size these so you can browse sections of the plane

 

[tbm3fan]

Cockpit

 

[tbm3fan]

Finished engine

 

[tbm3fan]

Finished exterior

 

[saforwardlook]

Oh my! Only 6 years to restore it? What did you do with that pile of dust AKA as the engine to bring it back? When can I drop off a couple of my simple cars to have restored!

Could it ever fly again and if so, what would you have to do to be able to trust it?

Very nice!

 

[tbm3fan]

Full plane

 

[tbm3fan]

Oh my! Only 6 years to restore it? What did you do with that pile of dust AKA as the engine to bring it back? When can I drop off a couple of my simple cars to have restored!

Could it ever fly again and if so, what would you have to do to be able to trust it?

Very nice!

Well it would have been four years but the first two were wasted in a way. The first two guys incorrectly placed the fuselage panels which resulted in the side hatch for equipment access to be across a frame rib. They wouldn't change it so they were relieved and the final crew took it over. The final crew had been around longer but were on another project. The lead fellow was very much a very precise guy and he could drive some crazy. Some quit for awhile and came back. He quit for awhile and came back to finish. Stress levels could get contentious I heard. We lost one volunteer to a fatal heart attack.

As for the engine it took three engines to make a complete one. We acquired stuff through trades as our head of Aircraft Restoration and Volunteers likes to take whatever is offered or donated to the ship. If we can't use it he will try to trade it around the country for what we can use. All the control surfaces were repaired in the lead guy's shop as he had done race engine design and work for Mercedes and Porsche. Engine also done in that shop.

Gauges done by another guy who did like to drink. He was asked to leave the ship after one event when he had some choice words for the wrong person after some drinks. Luckily he had finished the gauges. We also have our own paint chemist as a volunteer. He created the paint used for the restoration of our 3"/50 cal twin mount and bulkhead area. He mixed the paint for the Wildcat and will be creating paint for the S2 Tracker, F-8 Crusader and F-4 Phantom when their times come.

Could the plane fly? Structurally the plane is fine. The engine not at this time. It looks great but when feeling around the engine and through exhaust ports I know some valves are not there. Not visible to anyone but not there nonetheless. The biggest thing the plane would need is wiring up. We are waiting on Big John.

 

[1978 NYB]

Nice seeing these old warbirds brought back to life.

 

[chaparral2f]

Do you guys have a Devastator yet? If I remember correctly years ago there was a group trying to pull one out of lake Michigan.

 

[Big_John]

We are waiting on Big John.

I could wire that bad boy!

 

[1978 NYB]

I had some of my men at APG working on the restoration of tanks and trucks for the museum for years. The Army (BRAC) decided a few years ago to relocate the Ordnance School to Ft. Lee, Vs. So, the Ordnance Museum moved with it and all of tanks, trucks, weapons, etc. It was for the best because a deal was worked out with EPA funding to build a building to keep everything indoors. All the tanks and stuff would last about 20 years after a full restoration where as they will be preserved forever being inside a building. I'm glad everything will be preserved.

 

[tbm3fan]

Do you guys have a Devastator yet? If I remember correctly years ago there was a group trying to pull one out of lake Michigan.

There is no group that can pull Navy Warbirds out from anywhere. The Navy contracts out to recover these planes. The guy contracted to pull out this plane years ago was on the ship showing a video of it under water. He has pulled numerous planes out under contract for the Navy. The planes are then transported to Pensacola where they are stored. If someone pulls a plane privately, and the Navy hears about it and they will, the Navy comes after you and seizes the plane. There are no secrets in the Warbird network.

I know of a Dauntless taken out of New Guinea privately up until the Navy found out and said thank you for the plane. Our plane, even though restored by us, still remains property of the US Navy and is only on loan. Now if the plane was sold off by the Navy then the story is different. Our TBM was sold off for $1 and so the museum owns that plane. Look at the link below on a PV-2 Harpoon recovered from a field below Sacramento. Obviously a fire tanker now and not under Navy restrictions. They actually flew this bird out for full restoration.

Warbird Information Exchange • View topic - PV-2D Harpoon 84062 (Tanker 101) comes back to life

 

[tbm3fan]

Those guys above, in Stockton, are impressive. Shots below at discovery (2010), three months later and today. Impressive in the sense that they pulled the plane out, like many of our cars are, then got the engines and controls working in three months to be 5000 feet in the air without pulling over to the shoulder. Fortunately no body damage or corrosion issues for them to deal with first.

 

[mopar_4life]

That is so awesome. I love these old planes. Its on my bucket list to learn how to fly them.

 

[chaparral2f]

I think I remember that one, has the Navy gotten a TBD Devastator yet?

There is no group that can pull Navy Warbirds out from anywhere. The Navy contracts out to recover these planes. The guy contracted to pull out this plane years ago was on the ship showing a video of it under water. He has pulled numerous planes out under contract for the Navy. The planes are then transported to Pensacola where they are stored. If someone pulls a plane privately, and the Navy hears about it and they will, the Navy comes after you and seizes the plane. There are no secrets in the Warbird network.

I know of a Dauntless taken out of New Guinea privately up until the Navy found out and said thank you for the plane. Our plane, even though restored by us, still remains property of the US Navy and is only on loan. Now if the plane was sold off by the Navy then the story is different. Our TBM was sold off for $1 and so the museum owns that plane. Look at the link below on a PV-2 Harpoon recovered from a field below Sacramento. Obviously a fire tanker now and not under Navy restrictions. They actually flew this bird out for full restoration.

Warbird Information Exchange • View topic - PV-2D Harpoon 84062 (Tanker 101) comes back to life

 

[tbm3fan]

I think I remember that one, has the Navy gotten a TBD Devastator yet?

Here:
There are no surviving aircraft in museums or private collections, nor are there any currently under restoration. However, below are four crashed aircraft that are known to exist and are the closest to a complete airframe in the world. It is not known if anyone will recover and restore these aircraft, as there has been no news on the recovery off San Diego since 2011.

TBD-1, Bureau Number 0298
Ex-VT-5 / USS Yorktown (CV-5) "5-T-7", Jaluit Lagoon, Marshall Islands.
TBD-1 BuNo 0353
Ex-NAS Miami, Atlantic Ocean, Miami, Florida.
TBD-1 BuNo 1515
Ex-VT-5 / USS Yorktown (CV-5) "5-T-6", Jaluit Lagoon, Marshall Islands.
TBD-1 BuNo 0377
Ex-VT-2 / USS Lexington (CV-2) "6-T-7", Pacific Ocean, Mission Beach, California.
Not even Pensacola has one. As to why Pensacola has not gone after the one off Florida or San Diego is beyond me. If I had known of the question before hand I could have asked the contractor today what the situation is.

 

[chaparral2f]

Here:
There are no surviving aircraft in museums or private collections, nor are there any currently under restoration. However, below are four crashed aircraft that are known to exist and are the closest to a complete airframe in the world. It is not known if anyone will recover and restore these aircraft, as there has been no news on the recovery off San Diego since 2011.

TBD-1, Bureau Number 0298
Ex-VT-5 / USS Yorktown (CV-5) "5-T-7", Jaluit Lagoon, Marshall Islands.
TBD-1 BuNo 0353
Ex-NAS Miami, Atlantic Ocean, Miami, Florida.
TBD-1 BuNo 1515
Ex-VT-5 / USS Yorktown (CV-5) "5-T-6", Jaluit Lagoon, Marshall Islands.
TBD-1 BuNo 0377
Ex-VT-2 / USS Lexington (CV-2) "6-T-7", Pacific Ocean, Mission Beach, California.
Not even Pensacola has one. As to why Pensacola has not gone after the one off Florida or San Diego is beyond me. If I had known of the question before hand I could have asked the contractor today what the situation is.

I believe the TBD is the only significant aircraft missing. The Navy I think even has a Brewster Buffalo in it's possession

 

[tbm3fan]

I believe the TBD is the only significant aircraft missing. The Navy I think even has a Brewster Buffalo in it's possession

I remember that particular plane. It was found in a Russian lake in 1998 and in 1999 there was talk around the Hornet that the finder might donate the plane to the ship when it arrived in the States. Time went by and then I heard that Pensacola managed to get their hands on the plane. They had no ownership rights since the plane was owned by the Finnish Air Force. Nonetheless, they got the plane in the end and then loaned it to Finland where it is today.