CF-TGE  - Repair Assessment
July 2007

The second week in July, a detailed examination of the airplane was conducted at Empire Aero Center at the ex-Griffiss AFB in Rome, New York.  A Standards and Scope of Work for Repairs  Document was created and initial contract negotiations between the Museum of Flight and Empire Aero were conducted.

CF-TGE Rome NY

A nice day and a clean concrete ramp, ---  CF-TGE is starting to look like an airplane again.

Some of the Key Players



Randy Buol - Empire Vice-President of Maintenance and Tim Bucholz - Connie Lead Mechanic



The Three Musketeers

Tom Cathcart - Museum Director of Aircraft Collections
Kevin Lacey -  Lead Structures Mechanic for Empire and Connie Project Manager
Bob Bogash -  Museum (Volunteer) Project Manager



   

Parts and pieces, like the Tail Section - under cover for the first time in a decade or more

From this      Ken Mist photo
 
       
 To this

Some of the structure in pretty good shape    

   And some, not so good !

Almost like new    

   Radome - Butchered beyond belief


 
  Some of the squirrels involved in the last 42 years of this airplane's history were, well.....were real squirrels !

 

The lone engine looked a little better than I recall sitting in the mud in Toronto.  The throttle valve moved freely - just like brand new!  Even the PRT could be rotated.  This engine will be cosmetically cleaned up at the Mohawk Valley Community College Aviation Mechanics School, adjacent to Empire Aero.


   

 Main Landing Gear - and brakes with still a few miles left on the linings




Nose Landing Gear with piston weld removed - and guess what, the oleo still has oil and works !



 Under the retrofitted radar nose extension -  history - the original TCA cheat stripes, applied in Burbank in 1954.

The red and white, and red and black cheat stripes as seen in the factory - 1954

 


There she is !   Scratched onto the (ruined) forward pressure bulkhead - her Serial Number - 4544 - scrawled on by some unknown Lockheed worker assigning this unit to an airframe, circa 1953.  We found these crayon markings on many pieces of the airplane.

CF-TGE

After 42 years unwanted and unloved ---  cared for and returning from the dead.


Next - New Tires and Landing Gear Refurbishment

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Copyright 2007 by Robert A. Bogash.  All Rights Reserved.

Revised 14 Jul 2007
              31 Jul 2007