KitLog pro

Powered By Kitlog Pro v2.0

Jims RV-8
' style=
Date:  3-10-2018
Number of Hours:  0.00
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Working on the B-29, "FiFi" #1

My EAA chapter and prior year Oshkosh buddy Greg said that a few guys were going over to Mecham airport to "work on FiFi" and asked if I wanted to go? Well, of course I did!!

It ended up being Greg, Joe, Norm and me - all from the EAA Chapter. We met at Greg's house and drove over together. All we really knew was that FiFi was coming out of her winter storage and needed to get ready for the upcoming airshow / touring season. When we got there, there was probably 8-10 people working on a few different airplanes, but things hadn't really gotten going yet, so we were told to have a look around. There were probably 10 aircraft in the hangar!

"Special Kay", an A-26 was getting ready for paint and getting her end of winter work done and the guys were hoping to have her painted in time for Oshkosh. She is so named because she is the only K-model A-26 currently flying, in her original (factory) configuration. Greg and I were able to talk with two of the mechanics prepping "Kay" and one mechanic actually worked on A-26's back in Vietnam.

"Diamond Lil", the B-24 is in the process of getting her new engine. My uncle was a B-24 navigator so I have a special place in my heart for the B-24 and ironically, his sweetheart was named, Lil. Glad to see her getting ready for the flying season with her new engine.

After a while, we gathered up and were given our orders...basically, FiFi needed to be cleaned. After a year of touring, she had collected quiet a film of av gas and oil from those engine and general dirt and dust from resting over the winter. The first thing you notice about FiFi is the sheer size of a B-29 - really impressive! Standing next to the main tire - it comes up to my chest!
' style=

engine nacelle - partially cleaned

engine nacelle - partially cleaned

' style=

B-24 with her new engine ready for install

B-24 with her new engine ready for install

' style=

FiFi is huge!

FiFi is huge!

' style=










Copyright © 2001-2024 Matronics. All Rights Reserved.