chook
Flying Officer
Posts: 64
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Post by chook on Sept 12, 2020 16:26:45 GMT 12
Hi, in my quest to find Corsair parts I have stumbled on what is a pair of Grumman part number 22031 power plant junction forgings. I believe they were used on Avengers, any use to your awesome project?
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Post by kiwi285 on Sept 22, 2020 9:25:50 GMT 12
Sorry for the late response - I have only just seen this. I will ask around tomorrow when I am down there and see whether we can use the items.
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Post by kiwi285 on Sept 29, 2020 7:25:13 GMT 12
We have made a start on painting the aircraft with some warmer weather now about. This is coming on well with the upper surface of the wings the largest area still to receive their final colour. Dave is still working away on equipment for the rear compartment and attached is a photo of a panel that he has created with the help of some decals made for us by Marty Cantlon. Marty has been a great help in creating the stenciling for this aircraft and 2505. We really appreciate your help with these items.  250920 (2) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  250920 (3) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  250920 (4) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  20200821_155142 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 29, 2020 8:48:49 GMT 12
Looking great!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2020 14:05:03 GMT 12
She's looking fantastic Mike, what a transformation from when she arrived. Incredible. When I saw photos of her at her last home I thought she was beyond saving.
Bravo all!
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Post by baz62 on Sept 30, 2020 15:06:08 GMT 12
Yep looking good. I hope the wing roundels and bars will be the correct size this time as they are much bigger than the fuselage roundels.
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Post by baz62 on Oct 1, 2020 11:47:11 GMT 12
Hi Mike
I'm trying to find your email address as I have an American rebuilding an early TBF-1 to fly asking about parts, in particular firewall forward. Maybe message or email be and I'll pass on his email address. Or you can see what's available for him and I can pass it on?
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Post by kiwi285 on Oct 1, 2020 15:13:27 GMT 12
address is mikefeisst@xtra.co.nz
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Post by kiwi285 on Oct 23, 2020 16:00:33 GMT 12
Been away for a couple of weeks but have arrived back this week. The painting is progressing and Bruce and the team working on the hydraulics are battling with a wing fold problem at the moment. We have prepared the two 500 lb bombs and have been able to attach the bombs to the bomb bay pickup points using the correct bomb carriers. Just waiting for them to be painted now and then we can hang one up and leave the other on the bomb trolley for display. The wing fold doors have been painted so when we get the wings into flying position we will attach these and figure out where to pickup point is for the retract wires.  211020 (2) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  211020 (3) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  211020 (4) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr |
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Post by davidd on Oct 24, 2020 9:50:51 GMT 12
If you want to get a little more exotic, the RNZAF occasionally toted one of the standard US 2,000 pound bomb. These bombs appear to typical members of the American GP type, based on standard US Army types, with box tail, and would be from the AN M-34 or AN M-66 series. I presume these required an appropriate standard US bomb carrier of some description, which were no doubt locally available for the purpose.
Just remembered. I saw the remains of a US 2,000 pound bomb at Rabaul (Kokokpo Military Museum) in 2001; interestingly it had been detonated, but the large, curled over exploded remains of the main casing was still impressive. If this was indeed the remains of an AN M-34 of M-66, the main body (excluding tail fin) was 70 inches long, and diameter was 23.3 inches, wall thickness half an inch, so relatively thin casing. Could be equipped with a selection of fuses (nose and tail) to suit the employment and target, which also included a hydrostatic fuse for low-level operations against ships and submarines. The weight of the filling comprised about half the weight of the bomb. Typically, I failed to take a photograph of these remains!
David D
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Post by kiwi285 on Oct 24, 2020 18:31:18 GMT 12
Thank for the info David. Not sure whether I knew that the RNZAF Avengers ever used 2000 pounder's
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Post by davidd on Oct 25, 2020 10:10:58 GMT 12
Yes, these bombs can be read about in the pages of the squadron operations books, as well as other official documents in use at the time, including American command diaries, etc. Another interesting fact on RNZAF Avengers flown on operations from Bougainville between late March and late July 1944 was that on at least one occasion (perhaps two), a number of the RNZAF TBFs were flown by USMC crews on operations, simply because the American squadrons were temporarily short of aircraft on those days, and the NZ squadron/SU had a relatively light "work schedule" on the day. The aircraft were viewed as "Allied assets", to be used to best advantage to further the aims of the great cause.
David D
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Post by aircraftclocks on Oct 25, 2020 13:38:08 GMT 12
Just found in a June 1944 intelligence summary, 31 Sqn completing a mission with a loading of 2000 lb bombs. I am sure I will locate more as I dig deeper.
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Post by kiwi285 on Oct 26, 2020 16:22:34 GMT 12
Thanks for the info everyone. I will do a search for info on the 2000 pounders to see what size they were and any other info. Maybe we can make a dummy one for display.
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Post by kiwi285 on Nov 1, 2020 6:41:09 GMT 12
We had a great day on Friday and the team have now managed to get the wing fold system working as it should. With the painting virtually complete we pushed the aircraft out of the hangar after lunch and had the wing extended and locked within minutes and she made a great sight. The aircraft artwork for this aircraft will portray two different aircraft. On the starboard side will be 'Plonky' and on the port side will be 'We never Miss'. A big 'Thank You' to Marty Cantlon for all of his work on the Avenger with all of the insignia being hand painted on and during the build, all on the stencil work he has performed, that has greatly enhanced the presentation of this restoration.  301020 (7) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  301020 (9) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  301020 (12) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  301020 (14) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr |
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Post by saratoga on Nov 1, 2020 7:00:40 GMT 12
Very impressive restoration. Whats next?(just joking)
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Nov 1, 2020 7:08:15 GMT 12
Absolutely fantastic!! Well done all
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 1, 2020 8:19:08 GMT 12
What a stunning site that is, fantastic! Well done to everyone involved.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 1, 2020 8:22:40 GMT 12
When you go back to page 1 of this thread just over three years ago, the transformation is utterly amazing.
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Post by planewriting on Nov 1, 2020 9:25:59 GMT 12
When you go back to page 1 of this thread just over three years ago, the transformation is utterly amazing. Also look at page 4 which gives an extensive overview of the corrosion etc of the aircraft on arrival in Tauranga. Although I was not directly involved with the restoration, I did some historic research for the display board. I feel very privileged to have watched the transformation while working twice a week in the Archives Library based in the same hangar. Truly amazing and what's more, it all seemed so straight forward. The (highly experienced) team simply, came along twice a week, got stuck in, then went home about six hours later. For many of the 20 or so involved it was simply an extension of their careers into their retirement years. At the outset they armed themselves with a copy of the plans, decided what needed doing, in what order and who among them had the skills to complete each task. |
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