With nice weather finally reaching Seattle
in July, outdoor work on Blue Nose and Red Nose provided sunshine, warmth,
close well-lit inspections and progress. This change in weather
accompanied all the five-day a week indoor work done through the long,
wet winter by the Project's team.
Activities applicable to both Red
Nose and Blue Nose
1. Contracts were let with Hill Stamping
of Auburn, Washington to build new inboard flaps. This is the
same company which received an earlier contract to build new slats.
2. Engine casing castings detailed
inspections revealed several cracks and fissures in the surface material.
Each casing is being disassembled and each casting is being examined
for additional damage. All of these castings will be repaired.
3. The fuel system design is continuing.
A fuel tank mock-up is being fabricated from foam core to obtain the
proper fit and to achieve maximum dimensions. Modifications will
be made to this mock-up before final manufacturing of the welded aluminum
fuel tanks is started.
4. An original pitot tube was obtained
from the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California and it is being
reverse-engineered with drawings and materials. This work is being
done at the Manufacturing Laboratory of North Dakota State University.
The brass material has been received and sent on to NDSU.
5. Contracts have been let with All
Fab Aerospace to fabricate the upper forward and aft, wing-to-nacelle
fairings.
6. Contracts have been let with All
Fab Aerospace for new welded aluminum wing tips which are presently
in the final forming and trimming stage.
7. New welded aluminum stabilizer
tips have been received from Al Fab Aerospace.
8. Main landing gear and nose landing
gear components have been cad plated at our vendor in Seattle.
9. An original underwing antenna
mast has been borrowed from Planes of Fame Museum and a contract has
been let to have it duplicated.
Activities applicable to Blue Nose
only
1. The wing assigned to the Blue
Nose airplane has been completely inspected. Over 500 deficiencies
in manufacture have been highlighted. The repair plan is finalized
with at least one month's worth or re-work expected. The re-work
has started.
2. The modified "horse collar"
nose gear wheel well reinforcement has been reinstalled in the airplane.
3. Structural inspection of the fuselage
is nearly complete and re-work has started.
Activities applicable to Red Nose
only
1. Landing gear strut fairings have
been released (drawings and material provided) to North Dakota State
University's Manufacturing Laboratory. These critical machined
parts were not available in our current inventories.
2. The "horse collar" nose
gear wheel well reinforcement has been received back from our vendor
after modification.
Editor's note: Periodical
references are made in these progress reports to certain deficiencies
of manufacture which must be re-worked. The faults described are
the result of a previous subcontractor's work, and are in no way connected
to the fabrication activities of the team at Paine Field.