And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
My cousin who was an Army Warrant Officer that flew Blackhawks also had his single engine airplane license. He bought a mechanically sound 30 year old Cessna 172 that had a paint job similar to the Lady Luck two months prior to getting orders for a one year controlled tour to Korea. At that time I also had my single engine airplane license and he left the 172 in my care to get a new paintjob. I did it in stages. I used chemical paint stripper to get down to bare aluminum. I wire brushed the cowl to give it a Spirit of St Lewis look and clear coated it. I used chemical paint stripper to get to bare metal and I hit it with a buffing wheel to get the aluminum to shine then I clear coated it. That was 25 years ago and he has had everything but the cowl redone recently so it looks like brushed aluminum now. He has kept the electronics current and has upgraded the engine and interior over the years. He has one of the nicest 1968 Cessna 172's out there.
Paint it in the WWII US Navy colour scheme, there are very few of the Wright 1820 engined R4Ds around. Better yet, take it to Basler and let them do their thing. That way you can fly it for the next 50 years. https://www.baslerturbo.com Al_in_Ottawa
DC-3s especially the ones built for the military are well protected against corrosion. The skin is alclad, which means the sheet has a layer of pure aluminum (less than .001" thick) added on each side when it is rolled, it is painted inside and out with zinc chromate primer, zinc chromate tape is used to seal where the skins overlap and there are small drain holes in the belly to allow condensation to drain away. As long as rain is kept out and condensation allowed to drain corrosion should be minimal. Replacing corroded skins and even stringers isn't rocket science anyways. I've done both therefore a well trained chimp can. Al_in_Ottawa
Love to have a Diesel-3, always my favorite airplane.
Btw, thanks to Al for the https://www.baslerturbo.com link. If I was 60 years younger I'd definitely look to sign up for their apprentice mechanic program.
My cousin who was an Army Warrant Officer that flew Blackhawks also had his single engine airplane license. He bought a mechanically sound 30 year old Cessna 172 that had a paint job similar to the Lady Luck two months prior to getting orders for a one year controlled tour to Korea. At that time I also had my single engine airplane license and he left the 172 in my care to get a new paintjob. I did it in stages. I used chemical paint stripper to get down to bare aluminum. I wire brushed the cowl to give it a Spirit of St Lewis look and clear coated it. I used chemical paint stripper to get to bare metal and I hit it with a buffing wheel to get the aluminum to shine then I clear coated it. That was 25 years ago and he has had everything but the cowl redone recently so it looks like brushed aluminum now. He has kept the electronics current and has upgraded the engine and interior over the years. He has one of the nicest 1968 Cessna 172's out there.
ReplyDeletePaint it in the WWII US Navy colour scheme, there are very few of the Wright 1820 engined R4Ds around.
ReplyDeleteBetter yet, take it to Basler and let them do their thing. That way you can fly it for the next 50 years.
https://www.baslerturbo.com
Al_in_Ottawa
With the paint in that shape, aren't the chances fairly good that internal corrosion of the airframe is something to be concerned about?
ReplyDeleteNice ride, by the way. I wonder how often he has to touch up the paint on the bottom of that transmission pan though.
DeleteDC-3s especially the ones built for the military are well protected against corrosion. The skin is alclad, which means the sheet has a layer of pure aluminum (less than .001" thick) added on each side when it is rolled, it is painted inside and out with zinc chromate primer, zinc chromate tape is used to seal where the skins overlap and there are small drain holes in the belly to allow condensation to drain away. As long as rain is kept out and condensation allowed to drain corrosion should be minimal.
DeleteReplacing corroded skins and even stringers isn't rocket science anyways. I've done both therefore a well trained chimp can.
Al_in_Ottawa
Love to have a Diesel-3, always my favorite airplane.
ReplyDeleteBtw, thanks to Al for the https://www.baslerturbo.com link. If I was 60 years younger I'd definitely look to sign up for their apprentice mechanic program.