L/H wing painted
Leg in paint booth
Engine fitted
| December 01 | |
“Twas the day before Xmas - well nearly…
We’ve held off on a newsletter hoping to have some painting completed, but alas - not quite finished. However, the painting will be completed over the Xmas period. Still, lots of progress. We’re not going to show everything off or you’ll be waiting until 2002 before your computer gets it downloaded!
Tony Banta’s P-40 is going together fast. While to the untrained eye there doesn’t look like any hope of making it to WANAKA, we reckon it’ll be there. The L/H wing has been fitted out, the leg and brake is finished and the paint’s on.
|
|
|
|
|
L/H wing painted |
Leg in paint booth |
Engine fitted |
The engine has arrived and has been fitted. Most of the interior is fitted out with only the panel and items that need the wings on to finish, need completing.
|
|
|
|
|
Fuse in paint shop |
Windscreen |
R/H Wing finished |
The windscreen is on, the canopy complete and internally painted. The fuse is in the paint shop this week and should be out next week ready for final fit on tail feathers, etc.
The R/H wing is ready to come out of the jig and all the control surfaces are finished and being covered in Ceconite.
Fuel tanks are almost complete and the rear seat conversion is structurally complete and only awaits the removable panels.
Wing and Fuse go together third week of January, then it will look like an airplane.
The Lavochkin is also progressing rapidly. Hydraulics and Pneumatics are complete and machinery has come alive with all gear and flaps operating as expected with the assistance of an external hydraulic power source.
The front cowls are almost completely serviced and ready to go. Some of this stuff is really agricultural in its original condition and we may just have to go back and “westernise” it a bit. We’ll do it before Wanaka if we have time - after Wanaka if we don’t.
|
|
|
|
|
Front cowls being fitted |
Elevators & Rudder |
Wiring in cockpit in progress |
All the control surfaces are structurally complete and have been trial fitted. They are now being covered and painted and should be ready mid January.
Wiring is almost complete, instruments have arrived and been fitted in the new panel.
Both wings are finished, flaps and fuel tanks fitted, and painted and ready to fit.
|
|
|
Wing ready to fit |
Jerry Yagen’s P-40E is also progressing. The R/H wing is built up to #3 spar, just awaiting the arrival of stringer to complete this section. It will be going straight into the main wing jig as soon as we get the stringer.
|
|
|
|
|
R/H Wing to spar #3 |
Fuel tank shells |
Fuel tank fittings |
While we are waiting for the stringer we have been completing more wing components and most items, except skins, back to Spar #5 are now ready for assembly.
While we were making components for Tony’s fuel tanks we have made a set for Jerry also. Jerry’s tanks are now ready for final fit-out and assembly.
We said in the last newsletter “watch this space”. Well, how about “watch this space again”. We’ll send out another newsletter at the end of January. Should be able to show you a couple of aircraft that look like aircraft.
In the meantime - Merry Christmas to all and hopefully we’ll see you at Wanaka at Easter.
All photos copyright, not for publication.
