RAAF B24 Restoration project

Good pix -its great to see that they have made a whole plane close to ground running out of those bits:) now lets see the Aussies do the same for their Lincoln!

The effort and outcomes achieved by the B24 Group was the primary incentive and role model to acquire the Lincoln, it is a future project, but in same ways is already more intact than what the B24 commenced as.

The B24 is using a RAAF B24M fuselage that has suffered corrosion in its keel structure due to long term water entry, and a USAF B24D wing centre-section recovered from PNG that suffered extensive lower surface corrosion due to many grass fires.

I believe there is structural skin damage inside the fuel tank bays and undercarriage bays of the Centre-Section that would require strip down and replacement rather than the current cut and removal process used to treat it.

There was also significant difficulty in mating the B24-D wing Centre-section to the B24-M fuselage, despite the expectation these were identical structures, the factory and model jigs didnt result in interchangeability.

I am not sure some of the materials used to repair/replace will be the correct spec or grade, but in anycase no certification of the materials or work has been undertaken.

The B24-D wing outers were cut off the centre-section outboard of the attach points when recovered from PNG with the intention to splice the stringers and re-fit those sections, however the group obtained good condition wing outers from a Privateer fire-bomber operator and those wing outers are being used, they are likely to be near airworthy condition.

The B-24 group has already restored two Ball turrets for the project, one for installation, and one for external demonstration, (and a third for return to a contributing museum as well) the demo one is fully functional.

The intent is to make the engines operational and ground run or taxi the aircraft for display. To fly the aircraft would open up other risks of damage, the cockpit skins were previously buckled when the airframe was being man-handled into position within the hangar and suffered a twist on the castering nose wheel.

It is a fantastic project, and is a brilliant achievement, regardless of being a non-flyer, -not everything needs to fly

As the last RAAF B24 survivor, the only one remaining in Australia and preserved in the Pacific or even Southern Hemisphere, it doesnt seem wise to try and fly it in any case, regardless of structural and certification issues, let alone cost and the risk of damage.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

Good pix -its great to see that they have made a whole plane close to ground running out of those bits:) now lets see the Aussies do the same for their Lincoln!