Report Date: October 1, 2006

Report No: 5

 

Plan

 

The New England Air Museum (NEAM) preservation effort aims to prevent or slow the deterioration of outside display aircraft. The A-26C preservation effort started in November 2003. The focus of the preservation plan is preserving external aircraft surfaces and component repairs, tires, corrosion inhibition, painting and preparing the aircraft for public viewing. A parallel effort of the A-26 preservation effort is to augment the current NEAM historical records of the aircraft and crew members who flew her during its World War II service.

 

Aircraft History

 

The NEAM A-26C (43-22499) was built by Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1944 and delivered to the 416th BG (L), 671st BS in November 1944 while the unit was stationed in Melun, France. Jack Buskirk, a pilot on the aircraft, visited the museum in 1994. Photos and other documents show our aircraft flew with the name “Reida Rae”. The aircraft was named for the wife of Ground Crew Chief Raymond Rohrdanz. The following people are known to have flown or maintained the aircraft during 1944-45.

 
 






















Text Box: John (Jack) A. Buskirk, Pilot Robert C. Hanna, Bombardier/Navigator C. Houston Corbitt, Engineer/Gunner Claude J. Brown, Pilot James E. Kerns, Bombardier/Navigator Herbert E. Sunderland, Engineer/Gunner Herman Fessler, Engineer/Gunner Raymond R. Rohrdanz, Ground Crew Chief Hartzell O. Stephens, Ground Crew Elton R. Olmstead, Ground Crew


Text Box: Buskirk, Hanna and Corbitt also flew the A-26C, “Disagreeable 4” shown in the progress report header. The NEAM aircraft was struck off US Air Force inventory in 1957 and the aircraft was used commercially until the late 1960’s. The NEAM acquired the aircraft from the City of Bridgeport, CT in August 1971. Progress Report Preservation General Three new members were added to the preservation team and the scope of the work expanded to accommodate the new members. Fuselage The armor plating was removed from both sides of the fuselage. Most of the nut plates holding the armor plating in place were corroded and all the screws needed to drilled out. The nut plates were replaced. The fuselage structure behind the armor plating was corrosion inhibited. The wiring was cleaned and protected. Each armor plate panel is currently being cleaned, corrosion inhibited and the outer surfaces cleaned and polished. Replacement of the armor plating will be done this winter. Nacelle The right side corroded sheet metal section of the right nacelle was removed. Most of the longerons were corroded through or needed to be replaced. New replacement longerons were designed, fabricated and installed. A new sheet metal panel was installed. The left side of the fuel tank well has corroded longerons as well. During the winter months, this area will be repaired. Next year, the fuel tank will be re-installed and the right engine re-hung completing the repair effort on the nacelle. Tom Palshaw and Harry Newman replacing the longerons Bomb Bay The bomb bay doors were removed. They were cleaned and the inside surface painted. The outside surface was cleaned and polished. The doors were put aside in storage for later installation. The flap motor was removed. It was disassembled, cleaned and reassembled. We are exploring the possibility of using electric-driven means of actuating the flaps for demonstration purposes. Most of the interior of the bomb bay was cleaned, corrosion inhibited and painted black. Empennage and Ailerons All the empennage components were covered and heat shrunk. Several coats of nitrate were applied to weatherize the fabric. Aluminized paint will applied to complete the process. A black strip will be painted on the rudder to signify the 416th Bomb Group. The empennage will be stored until the aircraft is ready for public display. Gun Nose The six-gun nose was removed. The aircraft flew with a glass nose during World War II but that nose was replaced by the Air Force sometime during it post war military career. All of the wiring and electrical panels were removed. The wiring was cleaned and panels were corrosion inhibited and repainted with corrosion protection paint. All components were reinstalled. The nose will be stored aside until the cockpit and tunnel area is completed. Rear view of the gun nose Gunner Upper Escape Hatch The upper gunner escape hatch was disassembled, corrosion inhibited and painted. The hatch was reinstalled on the aircraft. Gunner Compartment Camera Door The aircraft has a removable camera door on the left side of the gunner compartment. Our door was missing. A new door was fabricated and installed. Cockpit Hatch The pilot’s hatch was disassembled and all the parts corrosion inhibited. The Plexiglas is in poor condition. Original condition of the pilot hatch The hatch was reassembled and cleaning of the Plexiglas is ongoing. Wheel Well The inside surfaces of the left main landing gear wheel well were cleaned, wire-brushed to remove loose paint and corrosion-inhibited. The surfaces were painted black. The landing gear was cleaned, corrosion inhibited and painted. Fabric covering of the openings in the wheel well is scheduled for next year. Pilot Instrument Panel All instruments for the pilot’s instrument panel were located except for two ammeters and a voltmeter. The search is continuing for these last items. Restoration of the panel was started this month. The restored panel will be put in storage. Communications Equipment Over the last year, we have found most of the communications equipment that was in the cockpit and behind the gunner’s compartment. Much of the equipment was standard government equipment. This equipment will be put into storage until we restore the aircraft at which time we will start equipment refurbishment. 416th BG 2006 Reunion The reunion was held from August 10-13, 2006 in Louisville, KY with 13 veterans and about 50 family members and friends in attendance. Below is a photo of the 416th BG veteran attendees. New England Air Museum volunteers, Maria and Carl Sgamboti, attended the event. Carl Sgamboti gave a short presentation about the preservation effort and veteran and family contacts generated from the website. Next year, the reunion will in Oshkosh, WI. Carl Sgamboti A-26C Preservation Crew Chief Tel: 860-721-9569 Email: Sgamboti@cox.net