lvc@cbnews.ATT.COM (Lawrence V. Cipriani) (06/05/89)
From: lvc@cbnews.ATT.COM (Lawrence V. Cipriani) General Dynamics has placed the following advertisement in several magazines and newspapers. The ad has a full page photo of about 30 planes in a B-24 assembly line [quite an inspirational photo for me]. The text of the ad is: Forty-five years ago, our freedom was on the line. On the front line. And on the production line. Because in Europe and the Pacific, America's fighting forces needed a new, longer-range heavy bomber. And on our assembly lines in Ft. Worth and San Diego, and on others across the country, America's working forces responded. At peak production in Ft. Worth, more than 30,000 workers, toiling around the clock, were building a new B-24 every four hours. Now we are helping to build one more. By making a grant to help restore one of our original B-24s to its original condition. Soon a B-24 Liberator, which first flew in the Pacific, will fly again, this time in air shows around the USA. Not as a symbol of American military might. Or of American manufacturing muscle. But of the American spirit which makes them both possible. General Dynamics A Strong Company For A Strong Country To help with the restoration, send your tax deductible donation to: Collings Foundation, Box 248, Stow, MA 01775 [The Foundation's phone number is 505-562-9182] -- I sent the foundation $10 and got back the following note. [Rollout party announcement deleted] RESTORATION Terrific progress was made this month as we move into the home stretch. All of the four freshly overhauled engines now have installed their completely rebuilt Carburetors, Starters, Generators and Vacuum Pump. We have located the needed prop governors, tach generators and primers and soon all of the propulsion system elements will be in place and engine tests will begin in June. Most of the Fuel system work is completed with the installation of new fuel boost pumps, the hooking up of the hoses to the fuel selector panel and the running of the lines to the fuel gages. With the completion of the fuel drains and the remaining hoses, the fuel system is scheduled for May check-out. The hydraulic system is now largely finished with the completion of the nose gear tubing, the tail bumper and the piping on the trailing edge of the center section. Preliminary gear retract tests have started with full system charging and testing soon to begin. Cabling of the aircraft is now largely complete. The cables for the elevators and rudders are done and tensioned. The cables for the engine mixture and throttle are also complete. The cables for the ailerons have been run and will be hooked up once the plane is outside. Emergency gear release cabling and engine turbo-charger is underway. Wheels have been stripped and are being magnafluxed. Thanks to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Akron, Ohio for donating 2 brand new Goodyear 56" SC tires. Goodyear Tire & Rubber is the worlds largest aircraft tire producer. It produces over 480 different tire sizes and ply ratings in 4 locations. DETAILING Many detailing projects have been done. Stu Bemis has recreated the Bomb Charts. Jim Macone has built a beautiful front turret armour glass bracket. The bombardier intervolumeter panel has been installed as have the tail gunners ammo boxes and ammo shoots. Ned and Win Bower have been working on the stairs and other projects. Charles Huntoon has donated an A.P.U. unit and the Mass. Volunteers have been restoring it. DONATIONS Since the General Dynamics ads have been running our rate of donations has more than doubled. Also, because the public reaction has been so favorable, General Dynamics will be running seconds ads in Business Week, Time, U.S. News, Nation's Review and New Yorker. That's the good news. The bad news is the inflow is still substantially below the outflow. So we desperately need to keep getting the word out and the donations in. It wouldn't be a bad idea though if a few hundred of us let Stan Pace or Chuck De Mund of General Dynamics, Pierre LaClade Center, St. Louis, Mo. 63105 know how much their support is appreciated. As of May 1, 1989, we have 950 individual contributors and 27 corporate sponsors. ... It's particularly frustrating to that the Ford [produced 8500 Liberators], Hamilton Standard [about 200,000 pumps] and Buick [produced 75,000 1830 engines] have all declined to put in one red cent. ... [Information about donations deleted] NEEDED LIST Back-up vacuum system Nose Turret Gun Fairings $200 Ammo Shoots $100 each CO2 Fire Extinguisher System Ball Turret Hanger Norden Bombsight B-7 mount $350 Prop Feather Pumps $200 P & W 1830 overhaul $18,000 Nose Ammo Box $200 King 170B Radios or equivalent $1000 each NORAND $1000 - $2000 Encoded altimeter $300 -- -- Larry Cipriani, att!cbnews!lvc or lvc@cbnews.att.com