Me 262 Repairs

[Mayo]

Appears the original Me 262 had different left and right gear (actuator, cup, bowls?) locking mechanisms. The left lock/hinge thing being larger than the right and directly related to the left gear failure. Scrapes found upon culprit lock-thing indicate rubbing during gear cycling. Machined in Texas from the plans, created by reverse engineering their original Me 262, proves flaws in the German built model. A redesign from the original will be done here.

One person in the program noted this flight was the first time the gear had been retracted under the ships own power. During this first the main gear fuse had blown, located in the gear well. Tests on the ground had been unsuccessful in trying to blow this fuse alike. Now the challenge is to somehow jack up the aircraft, run up the engines, and cycle the gear on the ground. (I’d like to see that)

The gear used for the Me 262 replicas were adopted from a Grumman S3.

The crew is focusing efforts on the second aircraft under construction in order to apply that wing to its fuselage. This will free up the wing jig/stand needed for repairs to the damaged Me 262. The damaged 262 will require separating the wing from its fuselage for repairs to the right wing root. (one piece wing tip to tip)

I’ve noticed a lot of panels and skins have been removed. A lot of wires hanging out and coiled up. The engines, over in a corner, are ready to run and shall once all is ready. The repairs for this crew means more work, but are not a problem for they have all necessary resources to do their job. Even the wing coming back off seems hardly more than a Nascar pit stop for this project team. I haven’t seen one ounce of stress or worry from anyone involved.

6 months (not weeks) is what the owner was told, crew is shooting for sometime in May (three months), and they can do it.

Three 262’s are in the hanger and available in either single or tandem seat option.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Thank You SIR!!!

Absolutely TOP NOTCH reporting Mayo! I think most of us who visit this site (yep me too) would be totally in the dark if not for your excellent reporting from up there!

Thanks a million for keeping us informed on the progress!

Very excited to see this beast rip up the sky again.. God, imagine seeing a mock dogfight with a P-51 and this airplane!!!!!!!

We're talking goosebumps just thinking about it!!!!!!

Thanks again!!

Wayne

[Mayo]

Continuing On

The new Boeing 777 ER taxi's past the hanger where the Me-262 Project calls home. One Steve Schnider adorns the cover of an aviation magazine framed and mounted on a wall of the entrance. Steve poses before his F-86 wearing a G-suite and holding his helmet. Col. Schnider is responsible for begining the Me-262 Project. By convincing the Navy he could restore their origional Me-262 (quite corroded) he could reverse enginer the aircraft for himself.

Today the #2 aircraft built with only one seat (actually convertable) stands proud upon its own gear. With the wing attached to the fuselage, progress flows like a parade in summer. This unit is going to the Messerschmitt Foundation in the fatherland, so it has replicas of the guns (real ones would be illegal). Seeing these mounted in the nose gives a sobering impression.

Ahead of #2 is the #1 wing proped up on jacks and blocks. Large holes and missing skins I first notice. No gear or doors or fuselage or wires or hoses. Just a spar like the cleaned bone of a roasted chicken leg with skin still clinging on.
The largest hole is in the middle, where the fuselage fits. Right of center is another large hole with many structural pices drilled out and carefully placed on the hanger floor. These are the makings of the right torque box, damaged by the final bounce at the end of the long slide.

Walk through a doorway to the home of #1 and I see the fuselage of #1 blocked up four feet and pushed aside to the wall. #1 aparently progressing backwards at a pace the #2 replica is making with forward momentum.

I see the two engines standing on end and ready to go. Just past the vintage army willys jeep is everything possibly associated with this project. This mamouth hanger now fallen to the "how much can we put in here" syndrom. In the far corner I can see the other 262 fuselages waiting for someone to pick up the tab.

I have to express how much this team actually acomplishes. Constant progress rolls along with nothing ever hindering their spirits or devotion. Look the wrong way and you'll miss something.