Cold days activities

Its been really cold the past week.  High near 12 degrees F today, for example.  Even though I heat the hangar, I don't keep it real warm, especially when it is so cold out (like around 50 degrees F).  So, a lot of time has been spent doing "thinking" and gathering of data in the house where it is nice and warm.

I joined a group called "Avialogs" out of Canada that has old manuals for WWII airplanes and other vintage airplanes.  They had several manuals for the V-77 in pdf, like the maintenance manual, structural repair manual, and flight operations manual.  I also got a pdf copy of the parts catalog from Randy Phillips, who is now heading up the National Stinson Club and has restored a few V-77's himself.  A very helpful guy!   

I dropped all 4 manuals at Fedex Printing and had them printed out from the pdf's and spiral bound.  These will be tremendously helpful as we go through the restoration.

I also played with the panel layout some.  I mounted pictures of various radios and instruments on the back side of the panel so I could better visualize clearance with all the structure back there.  Probably like my initial thoughts on the panel for N678RD, I may scale things back once I price everything.  The pictures below show what I am currently thinking.  Stay tuned!

My grandson from Seattle, who is 11 months old, is visiting for Christmas.  So, I installed the seats temporarily and we tried on the cabin together.  It has a nice feel to it!  I'll take him for a real ride in a few more years!

Randy and Conrad

Randy and Conrad

Various manuals

Panel shot

Reverse angle

First look at wings

Wade spent a little time looking the wings over and marked various areas that need repair with blue tape.  The left wing needs more work than the right based on what has been looked at so far.  I spent time today cleaning and getting organized.  A lot of parts went to the loft for safe keeping.  I put a lot of the second engine parts in plastic tubs and threw away the worn out boxes.  I also located all of those parts in one area.

I sorted through a few boxes today and came

across a bunch of instruments

Left wing.....zoom in to see blue tape better

Near left tip.  Various structural members bent.  

Probably a ground loop in its past.

Trailing edge also needs some work

Bent rib.  This could be a result of the move.

Right wing.  Damage at aft tip rib 

happened in the storage unit in Florida

when a piece of scaffolding fell and hit it.

Not a lot of blue tape so far. 

Dent in leading edge of right wing we found once 

we removed the padding from the leading edge.

Getting naked

Willie woke me up early today, so I decided after taking him out, to work on the Stinson some.  I removed the fabric from the wings.  I also cleaned out the remaining loose parts (fairings, etc.) from the fuselage and vacuumed it out.  I then put the front seats, cardboard panel, one control wheel, and the rear seat platform in to envision what it might look like some day.

I also carried all the control surfaces to the loft to get them out of harms way.  I also put the cowlings up there.  So, a little progress.

Front seats and controls

Part of rear seat structure.  

Area behind it is for baggage.

Right wing

Left wing

Parts in loft

V-77 Home

Jim and I were up early and ready to roll as the sun was coming up on Friday morning.  We were on  our way to see Ed and load up the Stinson V-77.  Ed is quite a guy.  He soled in a J-3 Cub and went on to be a Pan Am pilot, starting on Convair 240's and finishing as captain on the 747.  He also served in the Korean war flying F9F's.  Another fun fact is he supported early space flight efforts at Cape Canaveral on behalf of Pan Am.  He is also an A&P mechanic on top of all of that.  I hope I can move like he does at age 87!

Getting to Ed's was challenging in a 26 foot truck.  He lives at the end of a sandy road and there were a lot of trees and fence posts to worry about.

We loaded the stuff in his garage first.  This included the fuselage, control surfaces, cowlings, and a lot of engine parts in boxes (almost enough for a second engine).  We finished in about 3 hours and went for lunch, thinking the remainder would be easy.....turned out it would be the hardest part.

Ed's storage unit is surrounded by grass, so that was a challenge using the engine hoist.  We had some boards which helped provide a firm surface.  We finally had the engine out of the storage unit and in position.  We hoisted the engine up and I backed the truck under it.  Getting the wings in was a big challenge as well.  They are really heavy since they are made out of steel (my other plane is aluminium) and it took everything Jim and I had to move them.  We also had to lean them over about 30 degrees to get them out of the unit and then into the truck because they are so wide.  We eventually got everything in just as it got dark.

We hit the road for Atlanta to stay with my brother Steve and his wife Janet for the night.  We left Ed's about 5:30 PM and got to Steve's about 2:00 AM.  We were on the road the next morning after some sleep, a hot shower, and a great breakfast about 8:30 AM (EST) and rolled into Stearman at 2:00 AM (CST).  So, lots of driving, but good company to share it with.

Today we unloaded everything starting around noon.  We were done by 2:00.  We recruited lots of help and that really made the difference.  So, everything is in the hanger awaiting the next step.

I really appreciate what Jim did to help make this happen.  We both underestimated the task, but between us figured out how to get it done.  Quite a friend! 

It was also neat to meet someone like Ed, which just re-enforces what I determined in my first restoration.....its really about the people you meet and the stories you hear as much as it is getting the airplane back to flying condition.

The road to Ed's

We exchanged money and got to loading

Fuselage

Fuselage in truck

Where we went for lunch

What a view!  Must be why so many retire here! 

This is Crescent Lake.

Wings in Storage Unit

Engine on truck using hoist

One wing on

Everything in....now to climb out!

Me and Jim....mission accomplished

Me and Ed

Steve, Janet, the dogs, and me (R to L)

Took several of the airplanes out of the 

hangar to make the move in easier

Wrestling the engine off the truck

Complete with the unloading!

Wade, Seth, Kumar, Jim, Kevin, 

Ron, and Randy (L to R)

One wing in garage where I park

(control surfaces laying on top of wing)

One wing in hangar on south side

Fuselage up near the north wall

View from the loft

Jim and Randy’s big adventure

My friend Jim flew with me on Delta Airlines today from Wichita to Daytona Beech.  We got here in time to make it to U-Hual before they closed.  So, one less thing to worry about and slow us down tomorrow.  We went to Lowe’s and got some additional items to securely tie things down, and then hit a Bar-B-Q place for dinner.  Now at the hotel.

It’s interesting driving a 26 foot truck.  Definetly have to be careful on the turns.  We took I-95 back to the hotel and we know the truck will at least do 65 mph 😉.  It was dark when we landed at Daytona this evening, so more pictures tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

In Wichita ready to go

Top 10 list

Several have asked why restore a Gullwing Stinson?  I have loved the art deco look of the airplane since I first saw one.  When I was around 16, we visited a local friend who had a V-77 fuselage in his garage.  It’s size was very impressive.....anytime you have to use a ladder to get in, you know it’s big!

So I put together my top ten list of reasons to restore a Gullwing Stinson:

1. Debbie said okay
2. Can’t afford a Beech Staggerwing 
3. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for one, and sized my hangar just in case
4. Great parking at Oshkosh
5. Room for 5 to travel in comfort like in an old Packard
6. A round engine....can’t beat the sound
7. All metal primary structure......built like a tank
8. When we show it at airshows, we can be proud that we will have done most of the work
9. By starting with the bare bones and doing most of the work myself, I’ll really know the airplane when finished
10. Another chance to help preserve aviation history while expanding my mechanical knowledge and ability, like learning to rib stitch or maintaining a radial engine

Here is a picture of the airplane Wade found on the internet from long ago:

Time for round two

About 10 years ago, I somehow convinced Debbie we should restore a Stinson 108-2.  This blog has chronicled that journey, plus all the fun we’ve had flying it since.  Now we embark on the next chapter.

We have purchased a Gullwing Stinson for restoration.  It is a 1943 V-77 that saw service in the British Royal Navy during WWII through a lend lease program between the U.S. and Great Britain.  So, it qualifies as a war bird!  After the war it came back home and went through a refurbishment program at the factory for civilian use.

It is in Florida and I plan to pick it up and U-Haul it home in mid-December.  It is in decent shape compared to N678RD.  So, maybe it won’t take as long.  Stayed tuned and we’ll chronicle this restoration, too.

What a finished V-77 looks like

Fuslage

300 HP Lycoming radial engine and prop

Wings

Aviation day

My mechanic from Wichita, Wade, is here in Seattle getting training on the new 767 Tanker for the USAF.  We were both available today so we hit a lot of aviation related places at Paine Field.

We started with the Museum of Flight restoration center and then toured the Boeing final assembly building, home of the 747, 767, 777, and 787.  Then we did lunch at Azteca, followed by a great tour of the Historic Flight Collection.  Next up was Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection.  Then the Boeing Everett Modification Center where the 767-2C becomes a Tanker.  Finally, we went to the Future of Flight center.

I took a lot of pictures.....here are a few. My favorite spot today was the Historic Flight Collection.  Take a look if you are ever in the area.

TravelAir 4000, which Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna, 

and Lloyd Stearman developed.  The Beech 

Staggerwing is in background, Walter’s first design

on his own (and best in my opinion).

DC-3 at Historic Flight

DC-3 cockpit

B-25 cockpit at Historic Flight

GB QED at Historic Flight 

Wade and me 

Staggerwing cockpit

Staggerwing at Historic Flight 

That’s how you carve a pumpkin!

Goodyear F2G-1 Corsair at 

MOF restoration center 

Cockpit of Comet 4C At MOF

Restoration Center