June 2009

 “XP-82 Restoration Project

#44 83887 Twin Mustang Progress Report

Another month has gone by so quickly.  If this keeps up, I’m going to get older.

LH & RH duplicate panels aft of pilot seat

Work Progress

The last batch of heat treating of thick, .063 and thicker, cockpit, engine mount and other parts, was completed at the beginning of June.  Most of these parts have now been sub assembled and fit into the LH fuselage for drilling, with more sub components going in each day.

Dual dynafocals - engine mount

We have just started to receive parts from Underwood Machine Shop in Atlanta, with more being worked on as we speak.  Peter Lesche (NJ) is having quite a battle -- he’s winning -- with our horizontal spars.  Vic Peres (Erie, PA) completed our second set of dual dynafocal engine mounts and twelve aluminum nuts -- a beautiful job and at much less cost than I expected.  

Duplicate panels aft of pilot seat

Tom Wilson in Atlanta came to Douglas and we sub assembled the aft fuselage tail extensions.   Both of these severely damaged sections -- the last four feet of the aft fuselage(s) which holds the verticals, horizontals and tail wheel assemblies -- came from the Alaska wreckage.  He had the bent up pieces softened, and he reformed all of the longerons and ribs back into shape so that he could duplicate the parts.  

We didn’t get any of the rear fuselage extension(s) from Soplata, so getting these pattern parts out of the Alaska wreckage was a real find.  Tom W. will have completed these twelve longerons and doublers by the time you read this newsletter and then be on to the duplication of the ten main fuselage longerons and doublers.  When we get these ten back from Tom (through heat treat), all of the skins will start going on the LH fuselage permanently some time this August or September with the right fuselage assembly to follow closely behind.   See an article on Tom Wilson in Warbird Digest #26 May-June 09.  

Lefthand fuselage ribs and intercostals

Work is going along well ahead of schedule even though we have only four full-time and three part-time employees.

Goings On in Douglas, GA - DQH

The WWII Flight Training Museum at the Douglas Airport just had its second fly-in pancake breakfast at the hangar.  The temperature got up to 103, but everyone had a great time looking at all of the warbirds, especially our XP-82.  The next fly-in will be in October, and we will let you know once the date has been confirmed so that you can plan to attend.

The Curtiss P-40 E is almost complete.  The D.A.R. (Designated Airworthiness Representative for the FAA) is coming to inspect it on 8 July.  Mr. Brooks has hired Elliot Cross, an excellent test pilot, to fly off the required hours for certification.

Bumps in the Road

Kleko will be missed

Kleko, our beloved hangar mascot and often ‘employee of the month’ went to cat heaven earlier this month.  She will be missed dearly.  Surprisingly, a couple of weeks later a tiny orange tabby female kitten about two months old showed up on our front porch.  She is really laid back and lovable.  We all know that nothing will ever replace Kleko -- with her clock-setting 3 p.m. afternoon howls for food -- but the new arrival, Allison, as in V12-1710, is already making herself at home.

Allison joins our family

Everyone -- Please come see your XP-82 as pictures will never do this project justice!

Thankx.

Tom