History
March 1929 – March 2018
History
Where’d that come from?
A letter is received from the Civil Aviation Authority, questioning the tail number of the plane that the right wing was salvaged from. A clerical error had occurred and correction made.
Staying Stable
A letter was received from the Civil Aviation Authority granting approval for a new stabilizer adjustment assembly to be installed. This type of stabilizer adjustment assembly was used on the Curtiss Wright Travel Air type 6B aircraft. The replacement parts and factory drawings were to be purchased from Curtiss Wright.
Right Wing made from Scratch
The 337 forms document a new right wing was manufactured from factory drawings and installed on NC8112 to replace the right wing previously installed in 1941. All new internal parts were found or produced using Travel Air’s original drawings. Nail sizes and spacing were held as close as possible to the original drawings. The engine was given a major overhaul at the same time.
Now a 6B
NC8112 converted from S-6000B to a 6-B per Aircraft Type Certificate 352. Updates included:
- The engine and mount changed.
- New landing gearwas installed.
- New stabilizers and elevator, vertical fin and rudder installed.
- Replaced lower longeron from the center of bay 2 to the center of the 4th bay.
- Fuselage was dusted (sand blasted) and tubes were treated with linseed oiled.
- Replaced all woodwork fairings, floor and etc.
- Manufactured and installed new left wing.
- Replaced fittings, drag wires with original Travel Air 6000 parts.
- Manufactured new gas tanks per factory drawings.
- New Grimes lights were also installed.
- Newly built ailerons were also installed.
- Right wing, built in December of 1944, was recovered and reinstalled.
- A New Hamilton Standard metal adjustable propeller was installed.
- New weight and balance was computed.
Landing Gear Update
Replaced one foot section of lower left longeron directly forward of left landing gear. Both axels were straightened and reinforced with tight fittings inside sleeves documented by 337 forms.
Back Up in the Air
Airworthiness Certificate form 305 issued for the installation of a R975-E1 engine.
Mount Up
A new type of engine mount and oil tank was installed and approved by a previous 337 form from Travel Air 6B NC9038, SN839 owned by Johnson Flying Service (now owned by Hank Galpin of Kalispell, MT). A new prop hub and blades were assembled and installed as well. The engine was overhauled and the parts magnafluxed and reinstalled. MAFM has the original 337 form. There was also a new engine operating limitation issued.
A New Engine
A new Wright R-975-E3 engine was installed along with new blower bearings increasing the output to 450 HP. This allowed for increased HP for five minutes. The Civil Aviation Authority approved the Wright R-975-3E, serial number 80962.