Report Date: October 1, 2004

Report No: 2

 

Plan

 

The New England Air Museum (NEAM) preservation effort is aimed at preventing or slowing the deterioration of outside display aircraft. The A-26C preservation effort was started in November 2003. The main preservation plan focuses on external aircraft surfaces and component repairs, tires, corrosion inhibition, painting and preparing the aircraft for public viewing. A parallel effort is focused on adding to the current NEAM historical records of the aircraft and crew 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 following people are known to have flown or maintained the aircraft during 1944-45.

 

·         John (Jack) A. Buskirk, Pilot

·         Robert C. Hanna, Bombardier/Navigator

·         C. Houston Corbitt, Gunner

·         Hartzell O. Stephens, Ground Crew

·         Elton R. Olmstead, Ground Crew

·         Raymond R. Rohrdanz, Ground Crew

 

Buskirk, Hanna and Corbitt also flew the A-26C,  “Disagreeable 4” shown in the progress report header. The aircraft was struck off US Air Force inventory in 1957 and the aircraft was subsequently 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

 

·         In September 2004, the aircraft was repositioned to make room for winter projects.

·         A new 5-ton jack stand was designed and constructed which will eliminate the need to use forklifts to raise aircraft onto moving dollies.

·         Two new heavy-duty moving dollies were designed and fabricated for use in moving large aircraft. Weight capacity exceeds 12,000 lbs each. The dollies were specifically designed to hold tires as large as the A-26 (47 in diameter).

 

Engines

 

·         The engines remain seized up after all attempts to liberally soak them with Mystery Oil and apply external torque. Removal and tear down appears to be the only way to rectify the problem. This approach will wait until full restoration is started.

·         The engine faces (that portion of the engine visible through the cowling) were degreased and prepared for painting.

·         Engine nuts and bolts, visible when the cowls are installed, were replaced. Other engine hardware was corrosion-inhibited. Parts were painted appropriate colors.

·         Spark plugs were grit blasted and painted.

·         Ignition cables and accessory tubing were cleaned and finished appropriately.

·         Visible engine baffles were cleaned, painted and reinstalled.

·         The number 1 engine (left) is scheduled to be completely painted and corrosion-inhibited by late October. Work on the Number 2 engine follows closely behind.

 

Cowls

 

·         Corrosion inhibition work was completed on the cowl latching mechanisms. The interior surfaces of the cowls were cleaned and painted with corrosion inhibiting paint. The exterior surfaces were cleaned and polished. All moving parts were lubricated.

 

Landing Gear

 

·         Landing gear struts and actuation linkages were painted.

 

Landing Gear Doors

 

·         Exterior surfaces of the landing gear doors were cleaned and polished. Fabric covering on all the doors was removed and the hinges cleaned. Bolts and nuts were replaced. The doors were placed in storage. Fabric covering is planned for next spring.

 

Fuselage

 

·         Both engine nacelle rear sections were removed and inspected for corrosion. They were found to be in fairly good condition. The interiors were cleaned and painted with corrosion protection paint.

·         The right side of the right engine nacelle has a skin corrosion hole of about 1 square foot. External inspection reveals possible corrosion of the underlying longitudinal stringers also. In order to prepare a repair strategy, the extent of the corrosion under the outer skin must be determined first. The plan is to remove the upper wing skin panel and remove the fuel tank so that the extent of the internal corrosion is ascertained. Before we can remove the tank, the plane will be shored up and immobilized. In addition, the engine stresses on the nacelle skin will be relieved so that the aircraft weight does not distort the nacelle skin.

·         The right engine oil cooler inlet section was removed and the interior inspected for corrosion. Most nut plates are corroded. Corrosion inhibition will be carried out and bad nut plates replaced.

 

Props

 

·         A prop stand was refurbished and painted.

·         Both props were pulled and placed on the stand. Refurbishment of the Hamilton Standard props awaits a decision on who will do it.

Museum Visit

 

On August 10, 2004, two of the three Connecticut residents of the 416th BG visited the museum. Vincent Richo of North Haven (gunner, 670th BS) and John Maruffi (ordnance, 671s t BS) of Glastonbury visited the museum and met with the preservation crew members and museum executive staff.

 

 

L to R: John Smith, Carl Sgamboti, John Maruffi, Vin Richo, Kingman Snow, Bill Stevens

 

The veterans related experiences with the 416th BG and later enjoyed a luncheon with the crew and museum staff.

 

 

 

 

History

 

Historical research continued during the reporting period. Research indicated the following concerning the veterans known to have either flown or maintained “Reida Rae”.

 

·         John (Jack) A. Buskirk, Pilot                    Died: December 21, 2001

·         Robert C. Hanna, BN                               Died: August, 1945, Air crash

·         C. Houston (Jim) Corbitt, Gunner                        Died: November 19, 2002

·         Raymond R. Rohrdanz ,Crew Chief        Died: September 8, 1995

·         Hartzell O. Stephens, Ground Crew         Died: October 30, 2000

·         Elton R. Olmstead, Ground Crew                        Possibly Alive. Research continues.

 

 

Somewhere in France, 1945

L to R: Hartzell Stephens, Lawrence Nanney, Raymond Rohrdanz, Elton Olmstead

Carl and Maria Sgamboti attended the 416th BG reunion in Colorado Springs, CO from August 18 – 22, 2004. The reunion provided an excellent opportunity to meet the veterans who were part of the 416th BG and inform them of the NEAM A-26C project. An email contact list was supplied and provides an easy method to keep the veterans informed of the A-26 project activities. Several veterans and veteran families donated 416th BG memorabilia to the museum as a result of the reunion visit.

 

While no one seemed to remember “Reida Rae” specifically, many remembered Jack Buskirk and Bob Hanna. Jim Corbitt’s daughter, Carol Little, supplied a photo of the three flight crewmembers with “Disagreeable 4”. She had no knowledge of “Reida Rae”. It is not known at this time which of these aircraft was the primary aircraft for the crew. An inquiry was sent out to veterans who have email addresses. In October, a flyer will be sent to about 300 members of the 416th BG introducing them to the NEAM A-26C project and requesting any information regarding “Reida Rae”.

 

At the reunion, many veterans spoke quite often of a specific mission. It was Mission #239 to the Worms, Germany Communications Center on the morning of March 18, 1945. The 416th BG suffered major battle damage and lost 4 aircraft. Given the emotional importance attached to this mission by the veterans at the reunion, Carl Sgamboti decided to initiate an historical documentation effort for this particular mission. The document is intended as a legacy document for the all of the 416th BG group. Existing documents covering this mission are not sufficiently detailed. They focus on one or two experiences. With the possibility that more veteran stories remain undocumented, an opportunity exists to expand the historical record for posterity. Other first hand accounts of that mission are being sought at this time. Contact with mission participants has begun and information is coming in. Initial responses to queries regarding the mission have been good to date and encouraging. The extent and detail of this legacy document will depend ultimately on the recollections of the veterans and their willingness to participate in the documentation effort.

 

 

Carl Sgamboti

Preservation Crew Chief