JTSpeedDemon
2019 Build Off Winner!
Yes, that's right. I've been working on World War 2 aircraft! Big step up from go karts!
I've started spending every weekend volunteering at the Vintage Flying Museum in Fort Worth, since I'm planning to become and aircraft A&P mechanic (Airframe and Powerplant). This is very valuable experience I can't get anywhere else, they're fantastic with letting me work on these aircraft! I mean seriously name one other place that'll let a 15 year old boy work on one of a kind warbirds!
We recently said goodbye of Fifi, which was for awhile the only flying B-29 Superfortress in the world, and we also said goodbye to Diamond Lil, the B-24 Liberator. Both will now be staying at the new CAF museum in Dallas, although they will return to our museum for tours and sometimes maintenance possibly.
Instead of the big 4 engine bombers I've fallen in with the Special Kay crew especially. As part of the crew we're doing a bunch of repairs and upgrades to make Kay more suited for tours and long distance traveling. Special Kay is the only remaining airworthy Douglas A-26K Counter Invader in the world. Out of 40 built in the 1960s, 6 remain worldwide, and Special Kay is the only flying one. In short the A-26K was a special mission A-26 that the US military hired On Mark Engineering to upgrade. They rebuilt the airframe to 0-hour spec, put in a better wing structure, fitted tip tanks, added 500 HP per engine, bigger tail, etc. It is a hot rod, and a key tool in raiding the Ho Chi Minh Trail back during the Vietnam War.
Right now we're fixing Kay's nose area, there was an accident awhile back where the gear was loose at high speed since SOMEONE forgot to put a pin in, so we're fixing everything that got messed up. Just the other week I pulled out both carburetors, working with Chuck, one of the primary engine mechanics. It was a 2 man job and hoooo boy it was a great use of my mechanical skills. Yesterday I was refurbishing the nosewheel strut and replacing the nosewheel compartment seal.
Other stuff I've been doing is tail work on the Douglas C-47, an Aeronca T65 restoration, and engine teardown on the A-26B port side engine!
I've started spending every weekend volunteering at the Vintage Flying Museum in Fort Worth, since I'm planning to become and aircraft A&P mechanic (Airframe and Powerplant). This is very valuable experience I can't get anywhere else, they're fantastic with letting me work on these aircraft! I mean seriously name one other place that'll let a 15 year old boy work on one of a kind warbirds!
We recently said goodbye of Fifi, which was for awhile the only flying B-29 Superfortress in the world, and we also said goodbye to Diamond Lil, the B-24 Liberator. Both will now be staying at the new CAF museum in Dallas, although they will return to our museum for tours and sometimes maintenance possibly.
Instead of the big 4 engine bombers I've fallen in with the Special Kay crew especially. As part of the crew we're doing a bunch of repairs and upgrades to make Kay more suited for tours and long distance traveling. Special Kay is the only remaining airworthy Douglas A-26K Counter Invader in the world. Out of 40 built in the 1960s, 6 remain worldwide, and Special Kay is the only flying one. In short the A-26K was a special mission A-26 that the US military hired On Mark Engineering to upgrade. They rebuilt the airframe to 0-hour spec, put in a better wing structure, fitted tip tanks, added 500 HP per engine, bigger tail, etc. It is a hot rod, and a key tool in raiding the Ho Chi Minh Trail back during the Vietnam War.
Right now we're fixing Kay's nose area, there was an accident awhile back where the gear was loose at high speed since SOMEONE forgot to put a pin in, so we're fixing everything that got messed up. Just the other week I pulled out both carburetors, working with Chuck, one of the primary engine mechanics. It was a 2 man job and hoooo boy it was a great use of my mechanical skills. Yesterday I was refurbishing the nosewheel strut and replacing the nosewheel compartment seal.
Other stuff I've been doing is tail work on the Douglas C-47, an Aeronca T65 restoration, and engine teardown on the A-26B port side engine!
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