REAL MAN TRUCKWORKS & SURVIVAL
VEHICLES, CAMPERS, and BOATS => Build Threads => Topic started by: JR on August 07, 2015, 03:45:47 PM
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Kinda a build thread so I thought I would through it in hear. Got a call last week from a Lt at the Sheriffs dept where I used to work. The Vacaville Airport has a Jimmy DoLittle Museum and they need a had with some fabrication.
Got out there today with kids in tow and I will be making a few towing hooks for a PT17 and a Lockheed Harpoon. The PT17 was a Jelly Belly show aircraft and still in flying condition, the Harpoon is not.
Should be lots of fun and I get to play around with my favorite ERA of planes! In fact my first plane ride was in a PT17 at the old Orange county airport about 45 years ago.
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That's Cool.
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volunteering is a joy
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My dad solo'd in a PT-17
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Cool! Looking forward to the updates.
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I am also looking forward to updates. I have 2 hours towards my private pilot license. Which essentially means nothing other than I dig airplanes. 8)
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Love the WW2 era aircraft, there's something visceral about the sound of a radial engine in a P47 or B17, or a P51 in full on war emergency mode just letting the noise flow..
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I'm not an aviator but one listen to a Merlin V12 will make your blood pump.
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I'm not an aviator but one listen to a Merlin V12 will make your blood pump.
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Yep, we have a local P-51 that buzzes around all the time. Did a little reading up on the Harpoon and it was quite a plane. Did a lot of damage to shipping and had five forward mounted 50's besides the bombs and rockets.
When I start the work I will open up another thread.
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Not sure why I would start another thread, this is another thread!
Got inside while I took some measurements and got a few good shots. Wasps were buzzing around so I had to be careful.
So here is a few of the Harpoon. It will not be restored to flying condition but I believe it could.
I managed to get inside as the belly gunners window was missing.
How would you like to be in that seat for 8 hours. Modern hydraulic landing gear pump,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,for the 40's ::)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Ventura
http://www.warbirdalley.com/pv2.htm
The above links covers it and variants. The Harpoon was redesigned from the Ventura and produced in 1943 and used by many countries.
Basics are;
Wingspan; 65' 6"
Engines; 2 x 2000hp Pratt-Whitney R2800 Radials
Crew; 6
Armarment; 6-10 .50 machine guns (2 forward-2 upper turret-2 belly) later had 4-5 more in the nose for shipping. 1 torpedo or 6 325lb bombs, 8 wing mounted rockets
Speed; 230 mph-322 mph
Range;1600 miles +
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Still waiting for a couple parts for this, so I started on the PT17 dolly.
Simple, just a piece of 1.25 sq tube about 8 feet long. Small bend in the middle to clear the rudder, a pin that goes into the tailwheel and handle. Al in all, about 1 hours work then cleanup and painting.
It is .095 wall, the handle is just a 1 in tube and the pin is a 3/4 bolt with the end tapered.
The Miller 212 and the Cutmaster 42 worked great! My PC 18v grinder made cleanup easy to with a flapper disc.
I think it needs a little gusset on the bend first.
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very cool! Good for you.
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Just for comment, I am nuts about WWII aircraft. I live near the Nut Tree airport which is really small compared to most, but they host a few shows a year focusing on that era.
It is nothing to see a P-51, B-25 or B-24 land here. In fact yesterday I heard a familiar radial rumble and saw a Bearcat going by. It was doing at least 300 and didn't even seem like it was pushing it. We are on the way to Reno from the bay area. I need to get to the races again!
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Just for comment, I am nuts about WWII aircraft. I live near the Nut Tree airport which is really small compared to most, but they host a few shows a year focusing on that era.
It is nothing to see a P-51, B-25 or B-24 land here. In fact yesterday I heard a familiar radial rumble and saw a Bearcat going by. It was doing at least 300 and didn't even seem like it was pushing it. We are on the way to Reno from the bay area. I need to get to the races again!
So much for the FAA rule, "Max speed below 10,000 is 250!"
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Maybe they forgot to adjust their altimeter and still had it set on "sea level", thereby technically within the guidelines (as flown by a Clinton)
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Maybe they forgot to adjust their altimeter and still had it set on "sea level", thereby technically within the guidelines (as flown by a Clinton)
Good point (NOT)
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One done, 1 to go.
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The first one was about as simple as it gets. The next one is almost 16ft long, uses a pintle and pin one the tail wheel and can be towed.
Basic frameup
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Looking good JR!
Don, I thought about you the other day when I was on a regional Embraer 145. Don't ask me why. I cannot recall. I remember the flight was waaaay bumpy on the way up and there was a question I wanted to ask you about, but have since forgotten. It was bumpy enough that I at least checked to make sure the goody bag was in the seat pocket....
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Looking good JR!
Don, I thought about you the other day when I was on a regional Embraer 145. Don't ask me why. I cannot recall. I remember the flight was waaaay bumpy on the way up and there was a question I wanted to ask you about, but have since forgotten. It was bumpy enough that I at least checked to make sure the goody bag was in the seat pocket....
I don't like the ERJ's
Cheap Brizialian made jets
I flew the CRJ, Canadair Regional jet which is like a Mercedes by comparision
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Got the thing all welded up and capped the end. Pretty happy with the welds
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JR, you use shielding gas on those?
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Nice welding there JR!
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RN, yea, I think that is mig
Those are definitely good welds!
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Miller 212, .023 shielded 75/25
thx
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I thought they looked clean...
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Got a little more done today. This thing is more work than I thought, but cool.
Made plates to mount the pintle;
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Bent to match the frame, tacked on and added a swivel wheel.
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Now I have to bore the 1.5 inch rod for a .750 SS rod to go through the tail wheel.
Had to rebuild the cross slide first though. Bushing hand fallen out and the whole thing was corroded from a water leak. Ended up using a slab of granite with 320 grit glued down as a hone surface. Came out OK but it needs a little paint still.
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Then I have to mount these wheels so the pin sits at around 10.5in (22in dia tail).
The tow bar can be pulled by hand, or the hooked up the swivel wheel is off the ground for towing. Hooked up to the plane for towing, all the wheels are "up" 8)
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Productive time. Any other planes out there or just those 2?
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Looks good!
I see you have one of those Rockwell sawhorse/vise things....you love it as much as I do mine? I think that's one of my favorite tools. Surprised Don doesn't have one. Maybe one of us should put that in the tool section.
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Productive time. Any other planes out there or just those 2?
Well, they have the Harpoon and the PT-17 of course. A Huey (OD VN era), T-28 Trojan (polished), Stinson Gull Wing (WWII British colors) and a frame work of a Bi-Plane I would guess around 1910. Was just told they have a T-33 on the way.
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Looks good!
I see you have one of those Rockwell sawhorse/vise things....you love it as much as I do mine? I think that's one of my favorite tools. Surprised Don doesn't have one. Maybe one of us should put that in the tool section.
Yep, those things are great for anything! Not cheap but worth the price. Yes Don should get one. I think that Lowes make their own version now too.
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Well, they have the Harpoon and the PT-17 of course. A Huey (OD VN era), T-28 Trojan (polished), Stinson Gull Wing (WWII British colors) and a frame work of a Bi-Plane I would guess around 1910. Was just told they have a T-33 on the way.
Throw some pics up if you get a chance to take some, if you can.
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Well, they have the Harpoon and the PT-17 of course. A Huey (OD VN era), T-28 Trojan (polished), Stinson Gull Wing (WWII British colors) and a frame work of a Bi-Plane I would guess around 1910. Was just told they have a T-33 on the way.
Throw some pics up if you get a chance to take some, if you can.
Will do but next week. Just came back from the Dr, had cordisone shots.
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Got the plates made for the pintle and put a plate over the area to reinforce.
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The I cleaned up and bored the 1.5 in rod to accept a .750 SS pin that will go through the tailwheel (.850) I bored it to 8.125.
The bushings are 3 inches long that will allow a welding surface all around and the will not be 90* either.
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Would love to have a lathe
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me too. I wish I knew enough about them to find and old american made lathe from a shop that was going out of business. I want to build my own rifles
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I want to build my own rifles
TRN Precision rifles.. made in Tejas?
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Yup. Maybe a confederate flag next to a Texas flag for a logo stamped into the barrel....
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Looks like fun work JR....
TRN here ya go....https://www.grizzly.com/products/12-x-36-Gunsmith-s-Lathe-with-Stand/G4003G (https://www.grizzly.com/products/12-x-36-Gunsmith-s-Lathe-with-Stand/G4003G)
cost of the machine isn't so bad....it's the tooling that gets you.
I myself am looking for a smaller machine to do 4x4 stuff and such at my shop I intend to build at home here. As I retire, I have less and less desire to run 20 miles to the shop every time I need the lathe/press/brake and such.
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You can find these all the time. made by Emco in Austria. This was 20 years old when I got it but the 6 crates of tooling was the clintch! Was still 3k and mine has the milling head.
Called a Maximat Super 11. Turns 11x27 with a 1.5 bore, 3 jaw, 4 jaw, face plate and power feeds. Will do all normal threads, metric and SAE.
This is just big enough for about 90% of what I want. The other 10% is doing rotors/drums. 11 inches just won't cut that.
Old Clausings or anything US or Taiwan made is good. I had an old 9 inch Jet that was great. Just turned 6 in but tought me so much, made in Taiwan. I had a gap bed 13x40 Jet, made in China. It worked OK, but you could tell it just didn't have that quality feel.
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So, got the tow bar done today. Was a late night doing little things and painting in the morning.
Modded the shelf for clearance to do the SS pin, was to long.
Then welded the spacers on.
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After welding all around I added the wheels using old spacers from a lift kit (20 years old at least!)
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Then cleaned it with MEK and a scotch pad, then primed with ething primer.
Set it up outside and painted it Rustolium Safety Yellow.
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Really nice work JR!
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It came out OK, thx. I wanted a few more bells and whistles, but time was not there.
So as the paint dried I made the pin. Welded a nut to the pin, drilled a .250 hole and formed this handle. Then drilled the other for a clip.
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Bolted all the pieces on and then had a neighbor help me load it in the truck, er sort of "in" the truck. 16ft does not go into 6.5ft without a little overhang.
Dropped it off at the museum (old one is next to it) and took a few pics for all us DOTs around here.
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Top notch work there JR, whether you fully approve or not.
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Very Nice!
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Clean job!
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Great looking work. Good job.
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Thx guys!
PT-17
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Gull wing Stinson Reliant
WWII British colors
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T-28 Trainer
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Huey (Armee colors) The true meaning of a heli that beats the air into submission to fly,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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Top notch looking work there JR!
Even if you're not totally happy, it is a definite 1000% upgrade!
Looks like you should have a collet chuck hiding somewhere in a box too, seen a variety of collets in the one box.
I need to find a lathe around that size. My buddy has a real old belt/gear unit that works, but not super accurate any longer.
And the ones at work, well I'm an Electrical guy, not a Millwright so no beuno for me, even though I can run them.
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Looking like good fab to me.... I always wanted a Huey....maybe best I don't have one LoL
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Looking like good fab to me.... I always wanted a Huey....maybe best I don't have one LoL
You probably have some of the parts in one of your sheds...
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Nice job JR!
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Thx guys. They called today and I went and helped a few others clean it up some. Had a nice pressure cleaner with hot water. Got a cool hat and coin out of it.
As for the lathe, the 8-12 inch lathes is all you really need. When I had my 40in I never used the full length. A good bore size is a must.
Yes, I have the drawbar for milling. It also came with a rotary table and a powered grinder. (do an ebay search or just emco and you can see all the stuff) Mine is also the Super 11, do not look at the mentor units!!! I see plenty for sale in Ohio and S Ca all the time.
Basic tooling will get you by though. As long as you have tooling blanks and a grinder you can make you cutting tools. I have a quick change head for mine I just never put on. I think any of you guys who have any size shop would be happy with one and once you use one, you just can't replace it! I think of it like the mig and torches, you just gotta!!
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It worked great. In fact the jeep could pull it with its little flathead 4.
Wheels came up just as they should have, now they want one for the Gull wing.
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A classic towing a classic!
That Huey fly?
Can I take it for a spin?
Looks like a standard H-model
I have hundreds of hours flying them...great birds!
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step away from the rotary wing don.........;D
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step away from the rotary wing don.........;D
N E V E R !!!
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ROFLMFAO
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It does look clean but they tell me it is not in flying condition. But then again I bet you flew many times like that.
Hmmm, Don with that cigar and his RM team.
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It does look clean but they tell me it is not in flying condition. But then again I bet you flew many times like that.
Hmmm, Don with that cigar and his RM team.
Yep You guys be ma' boyz,
HC/Bobby on the door guns
JR&Mike crew chiefs
Ken you are running PC (Production Control which is maintenance)
Duane will be safety sam. Someone get him a white construction helmet and mount a rotating beacon on it!
Bob, you have co-pilot
The rest of you memees are grunts. Your job is to get on, don't listen to a word we say, steal stuff while in flight, then jump out before I actually land and twist a few ankles!
Can we do that?
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Yep You guys be ma' boyz,
HC/Bobby on the door guns
JR&Mike crew chiefs
Ken you are running PC (Production Control which is maintenance)
Duane will be safety sam. Someone get him a white construction helmet and mount a rotating beacon on it!
Bob, you have co-pilot
The rest of you memees are grunts. Your job is to get on, don't listen to a word we say, steal stuff while in flight, then jump out before I actually land and twist a few ankles!
Can we do that?
How can you expect me to door gun; and if its a Huey then there better be a 60 in a bungee cord; AND not fall back upon my former ways of grunt life? Nor expect HC to fall in line?
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Anybody have a problem with me using the ride time to prep demo?
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As long as you sit half out the door, no, just don't say "oops"!
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As long as you sit half out the door, no, just don't say "oops"!
It's stable, you'll be fine.
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Nothing like riding with your feet on the skid. Also easier to drop grenades and such on bad guys. I like rappelling from them much better that the Blackhawk as well.
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I could just imagine a video of this.
Hey, pig hunting!! I think we all have at least 1 M4.
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Yep You guys be ma' boyz,
HC/Bobby on the door guns
JR&Mike crew chiefs
Ken you are running PC (Production Control which is maintenance)
Duane will be safety sam. Someone get him a white construction helmet and mount a rotating beacon on it!
Bob, you have co-pilot
The rest of you memees are grunts. Your job is to get on, don't listen to a word we say, steal stuff while in flight, then jump out before I actually land and twist a few ankles!
Can we do that?
How can you expect me to door gun; and if its a Huey then there better be a 60 in a bungee cord; AND not fall back upon my former ways of grunt life? Nor expect HC to fall in line?
Ya,
Maybe I was expecting too much...
So did I ever tell you about this 1/75 Ranger NCO guy?
He was always in charge of something, and never wore a seat belt
Was always walking around with my crew chiefs yelling at him, but he didn't listen. A buck sergeant I think, and at the time I was a CW3. So he is always up on the flight deck looking around like he's George patton or something, and like usual I am yelling at him, but like usual, he can't hear and isn't listening to me.
He always chews tobacco. Did I mention I hate that abhorrent habit? Did I mention I hate it even more in MY aircraft?
So one day we are cruising a few feet above a junjle right beside a country we didn't like at the time and those Ranger guys were going to invade that country riding in my heli-co-peter. Well he ventures up into the front while we're flying along and sticks some of that self adhesive Velcro on the center console, then disappears. I picked at it trying to get it off, but I have my hands full navigating while the other pilot is wiggling sticks.
This knucklehead NCO comes back with a coke can...top cut off...wrapped with the other half of the Velcro...he's spitting into it...
Yea
Takes that can and sticks it onto that Velcro he attached IN MY AIRCRAFT and walks off.
Man when we landed I ate that young dude up one side and down the other. Of course even though he kept saying "Yes-Sir" He wasn't paying attention...
NCO's...
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NCO's...
And in his mind he was going
"pilots... ::)"
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I know what I would have don with that can,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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Heck, i'll even polish your boots just to get a ride. Don't know how I'd handle being shot at, but only one way to find out. Oh, and i'll even quit chewing!
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Someone say, pig hunting? I'm IN!
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ken, you cant spit shine with cope.
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You sure Nate. I thought it worked fairly well on leather. lol