Douglas A-26 - ENGINES START!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2020
- The end of June 2020, I received some footage of my Douglas A-26B Invader from Aero Trader in Chino California. If you remember from past "Kermie Cams", they have been working on restoring my A-26 for some time now, and are starting to make serious progress towards completion. The airplane was already very original, but it's being restored to an even higher degree of authenticity. When completed, there will never be an A-26B to compete with this one. The footage they sent, and included in this film here, concerns a major milestone in the projects progress. Come check it out.
Kermit Weeks
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My life was boring and meaningless until l discovered Kermit Weeks video channel. At 16 yrs old l had the opportunity to become an airframe engineer with the RAAF, but l chose a different career path. Biggest regret of my life. I am retired now and l could have been one of the old dudes helping bring these aircraft back to airworthiness. Such is life and the benefit of hindsight. I am restoring vintage and classic motorcycles instead. So all is not lost. Some are wartime examples too.
My favorite airplane. My Dad flew A-26's for Standard Oil. The ultimate corporate pilot job. I remember one of the certificates Standard gave him was for 9,720 hours in the left seat. I learned so much from him. The 50's, 60's and early 70's were just phenomenal. I first got to fly one when I was 15. Somebody hired my Dad to go to Washington DC to pick one up and bring it back to Tulsa. Bitterly cold but sever clear all the way back. Cruising around 10,000 feet. Once we got close to Tulsa I told my Dad, "man, we could really be moving if we buzzed our cabin at the lake". Because he was the coolest Dad in the world he said " go ahead". I set up for a left base leg to parallel the shore where our cabin set. As we got close I rolled it steeply to the left, nose down aimed at the water in front of the cabin. I'm in the left seat, left hand on the yoke, right hand resting on the throttles....... Last airspeed check was 350.... Out of the corner of my eye I saw my dad chuckling to himself.
Time to start my roll out, things are happening quick .
What he was chuckling about was now the ailerons suddenly feel like they are set in concrete. BOTH hands on the yoke, using my 15 year old skinny arms for all they're worth.... The rest was something of a blur.... I was fat, dumb and happy and way behind the airplane for a few seconds... But that's how he taught. Few words, lots of examples.
Coming into Tulsa, the put us number two being two 150's on the now defunct northwest runway. We're only about a mile out. My Dad said " What are you gonna do?". I said "360 to the left" and whipped it up on a wing again. This time is was dirty, props forward, gear out, flaps down aways.
Gosh! The amount of throttle that required ..
So two lessons in my personal tool box, one at either end of the envelope.
What a great teacher He was.
Great! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you to be part of the engines start!!°
My Dad flew one in Korea..It had 8 50 cals in the nose and 2 more on each wing...He prayed to God that the plane held together after every burst...I have many old pictures of him flying in Korea..
My father flew these during WWII ...and, before he passed, was able to get him a ride in Puss N' Boots out of Avra Valley, near Tuscon. He cried after the flight...and, on the way back to Scottsdale, told me everything he did during the war; the missions, fellow pilots, et al. I wish I had brought a freaking tape recorder with me. Because, up to that point, 90 yrs old, he had never spoken of his time in WWII. For 90 minutes...he told me everything. He loved the A-26.
You did a wonderful thing for him. God Bless him. May he rest in peace.
Did he strafe civilians? Or as they called them "targets of opportunity"
Multi-bank radial engines are a marvel of engineering.
Mr . Weeks we sure are glad you like aircraft as much as your viewers. Thanks for restoring history.
Kermit is my spirit animal.
Love these old attack aircraft. Built this plane as a balsa kit back in the 70's. Your spot on about reference photos of them, since their service was near the end of the conflict, and little has survived. My father recalled the commandant at Muroc having one while he was in the Air Force in the early 50's, but never spoke much of it since this was the era of the B-47 which Dad had a real love for. Very best wishes and best of luck on the final finish of this iconic war plane.
Hi from lockdown UK.
The mechanics corner videos are always interesting & entertaining.
Thanks for making them available.
I sure would love an update of the restoration of this amazing aircraft. It along with the B-36 are my favorite aircraft ever.
My youngest was just asking yesterday to go to a museum that has a lot of WWII airplanes. We need to come see you!
Our Museum Lite reopens in November. Check the website for dates and times.
www.fantasyofflight.com/collection/contact-info/2015-calendar/
Its been many years since I've had the pleasure of exploring Fantasy of Flight. Just wanted to say thanks for the great memories and for keeping the history alive. Your passion for aviation has ensured that future generations can appreciate the courage and sacrifice of the "Greatest Generation".
Thanks again for investing a king's ransom and sharing it with the rest of us.
So glad people like Kermit and his team exist, these aircraft are gorgeous, should always be kept in a great condition.
They tell stories some of us can't anymore.
Also super sweet to see these engines running all be it not in 100% form, it gave me goosebumps to see them come to life.
I can only imagine the relief it must have been after so many years working on it.
Up to the blue skies! 🍻
Watching these birds come back is like music to my ears.
Twin radial bush plane. That things a little beast. She looked as a trail dragger coming out of the hangar
Love the Tony Montana office style. The world would suck a lot more without Kermit Weeks.
Both engines sound like they need a bit of a tune up,but I’m so excited they are running again! Thank you Kermit for keeping so many of these aircraft airworthy!
Back in the early '70s I used to hang out at the Van Nuys airport. Out in a field adjacent to the runway sat "Whistler's Mother", derelict and forlorn. I was amazed at how original the aircraft looked. I took some photos of it which I still have. It's nice to see she was restored and survives today.
Thank you , thank you, thank you Kermit! Without folks like you we would lose these planes and their histories to the trash bin.Can't wait to see her fly again.
fabulous another piece of history saved.........
Your problems are my dreams! LOL Thanks for the update Kermit and 2021 can't come soon enough! Cheers!
There is nothing better in my mind than the sound of a big bore radial (or two, or four) waking up after a long slumber. Listening as the various cylinders start firing and the engine brings itself up to speed is nothing short of magical, especially when there's 1 or 2 cylinders that just don't want to fire for a bit and then, as the engine warms, it's like they just decide it's time to go to work and they clear themselves out and start firing and the thumping of the engine turns into a not so soft purr.
M lo
That is the koolest airplane those radials are amazing I can wait to see you flying that plane. Thank you for sharing
Damn that was nice hearing that from you, I wish I had your problem too. Thanks for all you do Mr Weeks.
It's a good day when B25 thats in the TC area of MN flies overhead. Not sure if there is more than 1 or not as a couple of Warbird groups are in the area. But the B25 is flying along with other planes from time to time. Great to see them in the air.
I'm seeing "Naked in Jamaica Rum" nose art coming for this beauty :)
just seeing this short hangar . makes the sight of yours even more impressive
Sir Kermit you are an absolute legend and also a saint..Because if I had to wait [TWENTY EIGHT YEARS]to get to a not yet completed restoration..I would have long ago put on steel toecap boots and went to those so called restorers and stuck the boots where the sun don"t shine ..and took my A26 somewhere else..you must have the patience of a Monk..your just too nice of a guy..thanks for this latest update..hopefully my great grandson not yet born will not have to get to his retirement before this aircraft is completed ..Bless you..
Can't wait to see her fly, my father was a gunner on one of these in 1944-1945 in the 9th Air Force.
Congratulations Mr. Kermit! just found this video don't know how I have missed, this as I have been following this restoration....
Thank you . I hope to see the aircraft finished and in flight.
I always like to see how a restoration progresses. I particularly like the Kermit Weeks restoration videos because he gets into the small details: What type, brand and color of primer and paint. What grit of sanding between coats. What aloy and thickness of aluminum for the skins, etc. etc. It's these details that make his videos worth watching. It's more about learning techniques than just seeing the results. Keep 'em flying Kermit. Great job.
You know you love warbirds when you run out of room to store them all, Thank you for keeping history alive. There's a certain spitfire in Seattle, Wa that needs someone to free her and put her back in the air.
Awesome video Kermit. Your channel kicks ass. I love seeing Kermit Weeks notifications on my phone. Thank you buddy!!!
I served at Udorn RTAFB during the Vietnam War. We had an IRAN facility on base. Saw some A 26s come through there for battle damage repair. Loved them. I personally worked on some A 1 Es. I liked the old prop jobs better than the fighter and recon jets I was assigned to. Great job restoring these historic old war birds.
Seeing ANY Douglas making noise, warms the cockles of my heart!
I worked for Douglas, on their last commercial airplane, the MD-11.
I wish I was around to work on something with pistons!
Kermit, keep them coming. I'm running out of Naked in Jamaica, but
the bottle will lose another shot tonight.
steve
Good job, Kermie. For all You. André. Brazil. 🇧🇷
You are recipient of all the good qualities that made Howard Hughes a member of Aviation History and I see him in you. I was born in 1960 and I didn't want to be a Getty or Rockefeller or Chase or Morgan I wanted to be Howard Hughes and that kinda all passed away until I started watching your TH-cam channel and your H.H plane and I totally was reminded of him again.
P.S. I don't wish my problems on anybody and your problems would be a substantial reversal on mine.
Oh my god I’m excited as school girl on graduation day. Watching that was the highlight of my week. One of my favourite aircraft. I’m going to do my best to get to Oshkosh to see you and that gorgeous plane. Thank you Mr Weeks.
Something about those engines coming to life makes my hair stand up and suddenly I’m a kid again! Great job!
Thank you sir. My 63 year old heart just skipped a beat.
One of my dear old aviation friends retired Air Force Captain Robert Packer had an affinity for the Douglas A-26 :) 👍
Happy for you Kermit! Hope to see it one day; bucket list for sure.
Good to see her fire up and get smoky and alive,pleased for you Kermit and thank you for preserving history.
Dear Mr. Weeks,
I am writing to you because I thought that you and the people that view your videos would be interested in something that I would like to share with you.
My great uncle Newt Williams was a pilot during the 20’s 30s and 40’s. A man named Ernie Buehl taught him and trained him and my uncle turned out to be a fine pilot.
Ernie did say however that my uncle was a good pilot but had “no guts”. with that German accent of his.
I remember when I was a kid going to Buehl field (The Flying Dutchman) with my dad , Ernie still had the 1919 Curtis that he taught my uncle how to fly on , however the engine was now an older 1916 engine.
Anyway, my dad and Ernie were friendly and I was able to see first hand an amazing part of history. Ernie flew that airplane to the 50th anniversary of aviation in 1953 in New York. Ernie died around 1987 and I remember when it was reported something that I had already known; Ernie’s pilot’s license was signed by Orville Wright. Ernie was a true pioneer and I guess this makes my uncle a second or maybe third generation pilot, I’m not sure.
I have a picture for you and I hope that you have enjoyed my story.
Bob N.
PS: I have great pictures that my dad took in the Navy
Great story! Thanks for sharing here.
I know patience is the virtue but 28years!! And another year to go ? Kermit , your going to a happy bunny when she does finally fly in. One of my favourites ! Thanks Kermit. Take care and stay safe.
Wherever it gets stored it needs to be indoors. It'll be a masterpiece.
Superb!! Kermit is a LEGEND!! and saving the PAST for the FUTURE!! So important to preserve these wonderful planes for future generations!! Well done Kermit from the UK!!
Can't wait to see it at Oshkosh. Good luck with the project.
That 409 crest briefly seen near the top looks like 409 "Nighthawk" Squadron RCAF...
Kermit, you are right on. When the engines fire up it’s like putting a soul in the airplane😉. It really comes alive.
I didn't know A-26s were hybrids. They burn both avgas and oil. :-)
Hello Kermit. Thank you for sharing this video update on the A-26. I have long admired the purposeful yet graceful lines of the Invader. Used up through the Vietnam war it was a great design. I enjoyed seeing 'her' in the movie Always starring Richard Dreyfus. I can imagine what flying one of these under wartime conditions or even as an aerial fire fighting tanker must be like. Please keep us updated on this airplane. I live in the Tampa Bat area and have visited FoF many times and thoroughly enjoyed the demonstrations. All the best to you. Blue skies and tailwinds sir.
Looking forward to seeing it fly. Good job.
You are awesome, love the WW2 airplanes. Have a great fourth!
Looks like a great restoration project.
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT KERMIT!!!
Ahhhhh i had to come here to get my cold start radial music. .......since Mikey McBryan dropped off the radar. Thank you Mr.Weeks.
Man oh man she's alive. Best of luck for 2021👍👍
Good luck on th build and hoping to see a Kermie Cam video of that great aircraft. And it's sounding good.
Kermit, it would be awesome to be present when you fly it out of Chino. I live 5 miles away and think it would be awesome to be there.
#DouglasA26 lookin' great. The Wheels rolling forward was cool too, but those big motors were really special to watch start up thanks to you.
Thanks for taking us along for the ride!! :-)
Congrats on the progress. My uncle flew the A-26B in the 416th and I look forward to seeing your gem in the air and up close.
Circa 1960 I was stationed at Tyndall AFB, FL assigned to the 4756th Drone Sq. We launched the Ryan Q2A Firebee drone from the B-26, one under each wing. One weekend, Jerry Stiglets, and our crew chief I took a cross country to Perdue University airport. Sunday morning we were headed home. The left engine wouldn’t start, bad starter! The airport was dead, no one in sight. We walked around the hangers, found one guy in a hanger, a professor of Air Science. Told him our problem. He said I can help you, I have a new R-2800 starter in a shipping can I’ll loan you. Just send me back a new one when you get home. Our crew chief changed the starter in no time and we were on our way home. Talk about dumb luck!!
A wonderful problem to have! Pretty cool!
What a priceless piece of history! Would love to see her back wearing its WWII colours again.
We would love to see in accurate WWII colors. 😊
Olive drab with 6 gun nose Kermit says.
@@andrewwaller5913 That's really a shame. With as much as he's been touting how accurate this plane will be the paint scheme certainly won't be accurate at all. The only A-26s that were Olive Drab were the first 5 in Production Block 1, and the ones that were purpose built for use in the Pacific Theater. All other invaders were built in unfinished aluminum. All of the A-26s in the ETO (386th Bomb Group, 391st Bomb Group, 409th Bomb Group, 410th Bomb Group, and 416th Bomb Group) were ALL unfinished aluminum. His actual plane was in the 409th. It most definitely was not ever painted OD green in its life. During Korea it was painted black for Night Ops when it was with the 3rd Bomb Group. Some people get confused on this because the older B-26 Marauders and the A-20s were both OD Green, but that paint scheme was phased out in the ETO during late 1944 and not one of the Invaders went to combat in Europe wearing those colors.
@@IHF So, it's a shame because you're concerned with the accuracy, but the 8th, 13, 89th and 90th BS in the 3rd BG, 5th AF, flew OD painted Invaders? Why would it not be possible for his plane to be painted in such markings? The 3rd BG absolutely did fly the gun nose variant. At that point, if he painted his plane to represent a squadron of the 3rd BG, the only thing that wouldn't be accurate would be the nose art that he wants to design. Sure, he could have gone with polished skin. But the fact that nearly all the Invaders in WWII were bare metal, I would think that painting this one in OD would represent well. So far, the one and only OD Invader that's flying today as far as I'm aware is the CAF's Lil Twister, out of Guthrie/Edmund, OK.
@@jonnycomfort9271 it's important to me because of several reasons. First, as an academic aviation historian, trying to accurately document and research what became of planes and what they did is important. The Invader happens to be my field of expertise. When museums paint their plane in inaccurate colors or markings just because they "look cool", it generates a lot of confusion and questions about the plane within the warbird fan community. Secondly, as I mentioned, the only operational units that flew OD Invaders were the 3rd Bomb Group squadrons assigned to the 5th AF. Painting the plane green would imply to casual observers that this plane was part of that unit, but it was not. This generates that confusion. On top of that, pretending the plane was part of the 3rd bomb group by painting it green dishonors the plane's actual combat heritage. It already has real combat service under its belt. It fought hard in the ETO. It is a veteran. Why not honor the plane's actual military history, and the heritage and legacy of the unit by showing the plane as she really was while the men who flew her were risking their lives? That seems like a much more fitting and respectful thing to do.
Such an historic aircraft type with a long service history - WW2 into the Vietnam war - clearly a great design. Very highly regarded by its pilots!
Obsolutely brilliant news Kermit, you must be a proud dad. Big and Round is the way forward..
Beautiful relic...
We are just happy to see that the old Redbird still survives. This plane has a very unique and interesting history.
Looking forward to it Kermit!
Looking forward to seeing it at Oshkosh... THANK YOU for saving these wonderful examples of our aviation history!
Thank you Kermit, and to your team. It exciting to see priceless work being performed!
Awesome stuff! Looking forward to more updates
Excellent job, thank you for getting the Invader back to life. Definitely the most sexy twin engine attack craft made.
I crawled inside one once when it was temporarily stationed at KIPT during spring fire season. There was some trouble with the avionics and the tanker folks could not get paid if the ship was down for any reason. Sorry, can't help you, I'm just an A&P and we don't service avionics here. I remember how cramped it was getting inside and up front behind the instrument panel. I remember seeing OnMark Company advertisements in Flying Magazine, for executive conversions of these planes back in the early 60s along with the two seat Excalibur versions of the Mustang.
I wish I had your problems too! But I can live vicariously through you! Awesome... can’t wait to see this in the air!
Those engines sound GREAT!!
I never knew the A26 was a tail dragger lol
Great to see her running again, I bet you are happy to see that milestone. Man those prop tips are close to the ground!
Thanks for sharing
Mercury astronaut Deke Slayton was an A-26 pilot in WWII. Flying those planes low and fast gave him a lot of confidence. Obviously he was such a natural he became a USAF test pilot and then on to NASA. He was chief Astronaut and was the boss of every Astronaut in the Gemini, Apollo, and Spacelab era. He selected the crews that would go to the moon.
Slayton was "Chief Astronaut" because he developed a slight heart murmur during training and one of the NASA "big wheels" had a heart and kept him in the program.
Great to see her running cant wait to see her fly i have room in my backyard if you need to store it for a bit until you figure out wheres shes going to sit in the hangar Kermit
Another hanger to add to to the collection or just to house her my favorite to is when the engines get to do what they were intended and the cold starts.
Along with the Spitfire MK 1&2 the A26 is my favorite , ever since visiting the Ocean City NJ airport gate guardian back in the mid 60s . It was a glass nose and I have not been able to locate any history on it
As a kid growing up in Van Nuys, California in the 1970s I used to ride my bike to the airport and try to get into the gate just to walk up to aircraft like Whistler's Mother. Even as a dumb kid I knew that the A-26 was just the coolest warbird of them all!
I did the same thing! Whistler's Mother was sitting in a field near the Condor Squadron just off Hayvenhurst and Saticoy. It was pretty weathered but looked all original. It's great it survived and will continue to fly.
@@goplad1 I was a CAP cadet in the Condor Squadron, good times....
Why do I get the feeling Kermit's "Oh my gosh, that's awesome!" upon seeing the aircraft is sarcastic after telling the viewers engine start was delayed two years?
They both sound healthy.
There was an A26 at George T. Baker aviation School. I went there 1971-73. I remember the Cockpit being very cramped for two pilots
Radial Engines make me smile! Great work Mr. Kermit
Boy, that's going to be one beautiful plane! Looks like time to build another hangar...
Hi Kermit, I'm very happy to see that the A-26 is finally coming to near completion, it will be a most welcome addition to your fleet. Thanks for sharing and stay safe.
Thank you so much for your efforts in restoring these old planes!
Another one comes back to life.
I've been following the progress of this aircraft for a while now and I'm delighted to see the end of the project is in sight, but didn't realise it was 28 years of work and bet you can't wait to fly it again! Oshkosh 2021 will be very very cool. If there's no room for it at FOF I'd be happy for you to use one of our barns, in Blighty, as a hangar!! Great video, exciting times ahead, best channel on TH-cam by a mile.
looks like the tanker from the movie "Always"
This one was of particular interest to me. My Superior IO-360 engine was built new by Barrett Precision Engines in February of 2018 (see my build documentary "Barrettrip 2018 Movie" on my channel). After the assembly it was test run on the dyno for 45 minutes, then preserved and packed into my pickup truck for the journey back to Michigan. Since then it's been through four more rounds of preservation, and the dessicant in the dehydrator plugs is changed regularly. I can't wait for the day when I get to see it run again on the RV-8 aircraft I'm building; I'm also aiming for a first flight this year. I wish good luck to us both!
Brilliant Kermit.
Keep'em fly'in! Five stars*****
Finally a video about this plane. I love the Invader!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Regards display/hangar space Kermit. here's a thought. You either build a completely new hangar or the cheaper option, use some of that free space that's up in the air. How about constructing a metal platform with either hydraulic rams, or a cable crane, and the weight of the aircraft is then lowered onto the platform so the metal cables are'nt taking the weight of the plane.
OK....What a wonderful problem it is....Just saying.....Thanks Kermit....You got the best airplane' in the world.....0'yes thanks for your dedication to our warbird history from around the world....l just wish more people....Well you know....Thanks again...!