15 feet of Albatross

[Millicent2]

Thanks. The museum docent in me (California Automobile Museum in Sacramento, years ago) laments the loss of a once-restorable bird, but… as the saying goes… when life hands me a lemon, I cheer and make lemonade.

There will not be much progress for a while, since I have several irons in the fire already. And we know how it goes with too many projects at once. But I will post updates.

For now, she is safely settled into my back yard:



You may notice a couple trailer axles – those will become a dolly – a wheeled table – for her.

“Her”?

Well, our first bus is named Millicent. Thus my forum user name here – I was thinking “a second Millicent”.

Haven’t come up with a name for this invention yet, but Miss Albatross might work. Though… I’m trying to come up with a suitable portmanteau of Albatross and Blue Bird (the bus brand).

As noted earlier, there are not many parts left in her. But any I have and have no use for are available to a restorer. Looks like primarily the big jack-shaft for the rudder pedals -- visible on the white table in the photo.

Of course, much of the “boat” will be removed. Surely everything behind the landing gear compartment. I may be able to keep some of the bow by relocating the engine rearward.

And probably the whole bulkhead / wall at the rear, which goes all the way down to the keel.

There is also a small contraption from inside the bow compartment – something about air pressure. Will take a photo.

And there is one part I need: The cover /door / hatch… which would be the hood on an American car and the bonnet on a British car:



I can make one, but the compound curvature would be a new skill to (slowly) learn.

Of course, I could also mount something comical there.

Enough for today.

EDIT to add something comical.

[dogsbody]

Sorry! I just had to.

https://youtu.be/kAcBETabrns


Chris

[Millicent2]

My favorite Monty Python may be the bicycle repairman who walked, walked, walked everywhere. Of course, I is one.

So.... I'm getting ahead of myself here, but this is the time for jolly brainstorming before we hunker down and start drilling out rivets.
Two or three bicycle wheels behind each other, strips of sheet aluminum.

[Millicent2]

And then the bicycle element, with a shaft sticking out of the bow just below the radome opening.

[Millicent2]

Here is the gadget I mentioned earlier, which I removed from the bow compartment. Eastern Industries, Automatic Pressurization Unit. Model E/AP 70. Type 201. “Warning, This unit is designed to maintain sea level pressure in equipment when operated at high altitudes. ... ...”

Free to good home. (Sure hope it is not worth a fortune. LOL)

[Millicent2]

On the quite off chance that someone on this forum has not yet read Ken Follett's Night Over Water....

This novel is set around a fictional last civilian Pan Am flight of a Boeing 314 Clipper from England to the USA, shortly after war was declared between England and Germany.
It covers a number of very different people who are finally thrown together on the flight. This is a novel of people and philosophies primarily, and I can safely recommend it for ladies also. Of course, there's Flying Boat Stuff as well.

And Follett is a very good writer.

[Millicent2]

Bus purchased. Drove it home 587 US miles with only one tire disintegrating. Remaining three drive tires are kind'a aged out and ought to be replaced also.
But she hummed quite nicely down the highway at a blistering student-safe 53 US MPH. (We can adjust the governor a few clicks.)

[Millicent2]

We still don't know whether this is number 402 or 404.
But for either one, the information I found tells of the plane being ordered by and delivered to the US Navy, and later going to the Mexican Navy.

However... the word RESCUE is faintly visible on one side, in capital letters 20 inches tall. This does not show up in the photos I posted earlier. It is visible only when viewed from just the right angle. But then it is unmistakable -- it matches the planes of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Possibly related to this... I have found two oxygen regulators marked repair/overhaul Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1969.

But I find no mention online of either 402 or 404 having spent any time in Canada. I find 402 mothballed in Arizona, still in USN livery, in 1973. And next, to Armada de Mexico in 1981.
Of course, no historian can be all-knowing-all-seeing.

I'm still hoping to find a serial number somewhere, but so far no luck.

[dogsbody]

RCAF Albatross # 9305 went to Mexico after service here. I found some info here: http://www.rwrwalker.ca/RCAF_Alberts.html


9305 Grumman CSR-110 Albatross G-111 G453
first date: 14 October 1960 - Taken on charge
With No. 442 Squadron at CFB Comox, BC after integration. In storage by 1 December 1970. Sold to Grumman on 19 August 1971, refurbished and re-sold to Mexican Navy in 1974. On US civil register as N9386, dates not known.
last date: 19 August 1971 - Struck off


Also, # 9306, 9307, 9308 anf 9303 went to Mexico, too.

Chris

[Millicent2]

.
Thank you, Chris for that information! And terribly sorry to take six months to reply. I thought I did when I first read this, but apparently I postponed it, and then....

The word RESCUE does indeed appear similarly on the Canadian planes. So this was an excellent clue to follow.

And I found the name of a Canadian facility on an avionics item in the bow compartment. But... it is no doubt normal to have components built and/or overhauled in allied countries when this is most cost effective.

And my two possible serial numbers are far outside the range of these Canadian planes.

This is how we learn things -- following every possible clue!

AND... ARE YOU READY?.... Word has arrived that I own number 402, which is also known as 137929.
I do not doubt the information, but I am also looking forward to learning how he discovered this. A guess would be that he tracked down the other of the two planes. I will update here as soon as I know more.

By the way, the bus (which my cockpit will be installed on) proved itself on a heavily loaded outing of 700 US miles over the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the heat of August. We installed some of the living quarters equipment early on, which was required to get her titled as a motor home. Thus, all the paperwork is safely behind us.