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Re: Pictures and story from my "spy" visit NASM Udvar-Hazy

Posted by Rob Mawhinney on Fri Oct 17, 2003 09:12:47 PM

In reply top Re: Pictures and story from my "spy" visit NASM Udvar-Hazy posted by Ryan Keough on Thu Oct 16, 2003 09:30:43 AM

As team lead on the NASM P-38?s preparation for display, I read your comments about our work with interest. Our intent as a team was to preserve this aircraft because it is so original? a ?fresh? paint job would have delivered a P-38 you could see almost anywhere. Fresh paint is, and always will be, an interpretation by the painters of what was original. This is as close as you will find to an intact wartime P-38 in the world. (We had to repaint the water radiator covers after treatment of corrosion found there.)
Of note with this aircraft: During the process of cleaning it up, we found a deformed connecting rod cap in the bottom of the RS engine cowling. Aircraft logs show that during one of its final service flights, the right engine suffered a failure. The test flight was aborted. The pilot?. Major R. Bong. The connecting rod cap? back where we found it. (in a bag and coated with preservatives, so it will be there for future generations.)
That is history. The history of this aircraft.
Preserve the artifact, so the people that come after us have the option of ?restoring? it. That?s the way I approach my projects at NASM, large and small.

Thank you also for the enthusiastic report of our work at Hazy. I?ve been there since March, assembling, hanging and installing aircraft. Remember, on opening day, this museum will be far from complete?. It will fill up month after month.. for years to come. If your impressed opening day?. Great!? its only going to get better after that!

Rob Mawhinney
Museum Specialist, NASM, Garber/Hazy




: Pat,
:
: There is still a lot of display work left and I am sure th
: at the facility will be much less dim when it is at operat
: ing speed. I also think that maybe the full lighting array
: was not turned on to save energy when most of the workers
: and projects use spot lighting for their needs.
:
: My personal opinion was that the P-38 is much more powerfu
: l in this condition if it is indeed a wartime scheme as ve
: ry few aircraft can say they have the paint on them that t
: hey wore during the war. I know I was astounded and took s
: ome time looking at it because of this.
:
: I just wish the dust tarps were off of more of the aircraf
: t!
:
: Ryan Keough
:
: : Ryan, Great report from the Hazy Center! My wife and
: I
: : will be attending members preview day there in early De
: ce
: : mber and I cant wait to see the place. I'm kind of surp
: ri
: : sed that he P-38 wasnt repainted before being placed in
: th
: : e new building. You mentioned that the lighting was dim
: .
: : Does the facility have a lighting system which will make
: t
: : he place brighter when it opens? Finally the P-51 you sa
: w
: : is P-51C "Excalibur III" 44-10947.

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