Invited to donate my time!

Duce · Member Joined: Mar 01, 2008 Posts: 124 Location: Kentucky

Its a worth while giving adventure, I have been invited to donate my skills as a tool and die maker to join in a adventure to rebuild a WWII aircraft. I have no idea what plane it will be but this is the same people who rebuilt a now flying P-38. I do not know yet if it will be in making dies for making replacement parts for the aircraft or if it will be a hands on working deal or both. I know they have a B-17 and a F4U corsair, and several Japanese and German aircraft. I hope I get to work on them all but time will tell.

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Invited to donate my time!

Sounds like a great opportunity and a lot of fun. Keep us informed of the progress.
Joe

Duce · Member Joined: Mar 01, 2008 Posts: 124 Location: Kentucky

Well after getting several more calls from the people I will donating my time to I found out what it will be. Its a A6M3 Zero fighter, They want to make one of the few flying Japanese planes left in the world. They have 3 of them all rescued from around the world and want to make at least 1 out of the 3 and maybe 2 if they can work it out. I am going to be in charge of making the forming dies and also in charge of the internal weapons system. I have to meet with the next week to start to work out a working plan for the rebuild. Wish me luck I have never been involved with a endeavor like this before!

Vince · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject: Re: Invited to donate my time!

That is awesome Duce. I love those old warbirds. We get a few buzzing overhead here at my place from time to time.

There has been a bit of a resurgence in restoring them and flying them about.

Enjoy your work mate...I'm green with envy.

Cheers, Vince

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: Invited to donate my time!

That is a fantastic opportunity! I wanted to volunteer with a group rebuilding a B-25 here in NC but the distance and other commitments prevented me. I've been a WW2 aircraft buff since I was very small. Dad was a copilot on B-26 Marauders and had 30 combat missions. An Uncle was a TBM pilot and flew in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. One of my neighbors, about a mile away, apparently knows some warbird folks as one morning two P-51 Mustangs were making mock strafing runs on his house.

Duce · Member Joined: Mar 01, 2008 Posts: 124 Location: Kentucky

This is a private organization out of Louisville Kentucky. They have done several planes. I was really trying to get in on there FW-190D, but they have put that plane on hold for several more years and they offered me this one so I had to take what they offered. But I am happy.

chambered221 · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:18 am Post subject: Re: Invited to donate my time!

Duce wrote:

I was really trying to get in on there FW-190D, but they have put that plane on hold for several more years

Now that you have your foot in the door .................

Good Luck !!!