Some more updates:
Working is progressing well on the Sabre. The tail inspection is complete, as are the wings. They are closed up now, and we're painting the last of the screws we need to close up belly panels today. We've also started to knock out the placarding in the cockpit, and will have the ammo bay painted this week, wx permitting. Here are the pics:
296 prepped #10 countersunk washers ready for primer and paint. That was a fun job...and not tedious at all.
The aforementioned washers and another 100 or so #8 screws/washers shot with self etching primer, awaiting a base coat of white.
White base coat applied, only red to go.
Done!
Some of them were used on the forward drop tank fairings.
A LOT of them were used closing up the tail..about 120 per side actually.
Tail is done!
Other side.
The ammo bay doors are painted, and new p-channel seals are in. Once we get the ammo bay itself painted this week these will be ready to reinstall.
We made these strips to install on the doors, and once they're painted, we're going to put the "experimental" placards on these in the same red lettering as the "Minutemen" lettering on the side of the jet.
Here is the placarding for the throttle quadrant. By the way, wet application of vinyl decals is much easier than dry...trust me.
Shot of the top of the wings after closing them up.
Bottom of the L. wing after closing it up.
Closing up the belly.
That's about it for today. The ammo bay will be painted this week, and the cockpit should be back together enough to pull the canopy back off and put the seat in. We need to adjust the rear truck eccentric cams to lower them a bit, so this will be an opportune time to that. Also, we have quite a bit of placarding to do, it's all the little stuff, "NO STEP", etc.
We're pushing hard to have this bird done and flying by the middle of next month, we have an event in the Denver area we really would like to attend, it's the 90th anniversary of the 120th FS of the ANG. They've invited us down, and Matthew Burchette from Wings Over the Rockies is coordinating a small reunion of the remaining Minutemen team members. Sure hope we can make it!
Until next time...