06-24-2024
The righthand center section leading edge in its “Dinosaur Bones” jig, looking inboard. The nose spar has been drilled off against the skin, and the ribs which sit between the nose spar and Spar #1 have also been positioned and drilled off against both the skin and nose spar. (Image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.) Center…
06-21-2024
Fuselage frames are going back into the upper rear fuselage jig. Here we can see Frame #9 through #14, with Frame #9 at image left. Frames #9 through #12 have had their repairs completed, while Frame #13 (unpainted) is awaiting the fabrication of a repair piece, before it too is painted with primer. Frame #14…
06-20-2024
A newly fabricated center wing flap rib with an original doubler fitted over the spar cut out. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.) Center Flap Progress: Jayden Malloy has continued to make solid progress rebuilding the SBD’s central wing flap, an effort which he began back in February of this year. While he had to refabricate…
06-18-2024
The topside wing center section skin lying between Spars #3 and #5 prior to its removal. The triple row of rivets towards the bottom of the image marks where the skin mates up with Spar #3. As is quite evident from the numerous whitish-grey blotches on the skin’s surface, significant corrosion was spread throughout this…
06-11-2024
The US Navy received nearly 1,200 Culver PQ-14 Cadets from Army Air Forces stocks, redubbing the aircraft as the TD2C-1 Turkey. This wartime image shows TD2C-1 BuNo.69547 scud-running with a human pilot aboard circa 1945. (U.S. Navy photograph) Training One’s Aim: While some may have been a little perplexed by our acquisition of a rare…
06-01-2024
The Museum’s A6M3 Model 32 Zero basking in the sunshine on the ramp outside the Legend Flyers workshop at Paine Field in Everett, Washington during September, 2022. Note the row of Boeing KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft on the horizon. Boeing’s main assembly plant is located on the other side of the airfield to Legend…
05-29-2024
The ribs and stringers for the righthand leading edge forward of the nose spar. Primer-painted, they are ready for fitting. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.) Riveting the Leading Edge: Pioneer Aero’s engineers have made great progress with rebuilding the SBD’s inboard wing leading edges over the past few months. All of the components for the…
05-27-2024
Rebuilding Spar #4: In a similar fashion to Spar #5, which we covered HERE, Pioneer’s Craig Cunha and a colleague carefully removed Spar #4 from the wing center section structure. They then disassembled it into its component parts, assessing each for its potential airworthiness. Bead-blasting each part revealed a good number which could be restored…
05-24-2024
Pioneer Aero’s William Lowen removing rivets from the upper rear fuselage’s starboard aft side. While this may seem a simple task, it requires intense focus to avoid damaging the skin and underlying structure. At this point, it is assumed that the structure is restorable while the skin, at the very least, is a perfect pattern…
05-08-2024
A wartime image of a Mitsubishi A6M3 Model 32 in flight. Except for the tail markings and some of those on the fuselage, the Museum’s Zero would have looked remarkably similar to this example. (image via Taizou Nakamura collection) Introduction: As our Museum Members, supporters, fans and followers are probably well aware, the Military Aviation…
05-06-2024
Rebuild Overview: The team at Mil-Spec Restoration has been hard at work on the restoration of the Museum’s GMC CCKW Fuel truck. Their efforts this month focused on the engine, transmission, radiator and chassis. Engine & Transmission Details: The engine is now fully rebuilt and has undergone testing to ensure its full operability. The restoration…
04-26-2024
Having drilled out the attaching rivets, Craig Cunha (left) and Stephen Fox (right) begin lifting the trailing edge spar (No.5) from the SBD’s wing center section. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.) Spar Removal: Recently, Pioneer Aero’s engineers successfully trial-fitted the newly-manufactured wing center section skins which mate up with the rear spar (Spar No.5) on…