SNJ restoration Pictures

SNJ restoration Pictures BPH

Mk-IV Harvard fuselage tubular

The SNJ-5 fuselage truss I have isn't as nice as this Harvard Mk-IV example so I'm using the Harvard truss in the rebuild. This is an older picture but so far, rudder pedal racks, foot troughs, hydraulic control shelf, rear seat, complete flight control system front & rear, rudder pedal slide tubes, front & rear throttle quadrants / control rods, + misc. small brackets have been hung on the truss at this point.

Rudder pedals

Rudder pedal racks ready to bolt on....

Aft-most tailcone bulkhead

Aft-most tailcone bulkhead freshly alodined. I fabricated this from sheet stock with plywood forming blocks using the old bulkhead as a template.

Rudder pulley bracket

I fabricated this new (port) rudder pulley bracket from sheet stock. The old one was cracked....

#5 Lower tailcone web forming blocks

Here's the forming blocks for the #5 lower tailcone web. The old web is sandwiched between the blocks in this shot (checking final fit).

#5 Lower tailcone webs (new & old)

Here's the newly formed web next to the old one. I fabricated the web from "2024-O" material and and had it heat-treated to T-42 condition.

Newly fabricated front instrument panel

Here's the front instrument panel I fabricated using original North American Aviation drawings. There were several variations of the panel layout over the life-span of the T-6/ SNJ. I picked an early SNJ-5 layout. Notice the cutout in the upper right-hand corner. This is where the Browning 30 caliber machine gun went in gunnery trainers. I've seen a few SNJ's around where current owners have cut a plate to fill this cut-out and they've installed some instrument (like a VOR head or whatever). I'll probably do the same thing until I decide to put a gun on my airplane! Now, everyone don't run and call the BATF fellas at once... Any machine gun I'd put on my SNJ will of course be a non-functional replica

New port aft-most skin panel being fitted/riveted

The re-skinning process continues.... Rivet holes are back-drilled from behind (through original structure). As you can see, at this point, I still haven't decided what my favorite primer is! No matter, as the entire interior of the tailcone will be top-coated with either gloss white or gloss light-grey poly paint.

Interior view of new tailcone skin

Yet another kind of primer! The green/yellow primer you've seen so far is enamel-based Zinc Chromate. The light green stuff on the back-sides of the skin seen here is a super-tough epoxy primer that "certain major airline manufacturers" use on their airliners. It is a "fluid-resistant" epoxy primer and it's tough as nails once it cures.

Re-skinned port side of tailcone

I built a rotisserie which makes it much easier to get at all the nooks and crannies of a T-6 tailcone. Here you see the port side of the tailcone being re-skinned.

Aft end of tail cone

Top-coating begins. The entire inner surfaces of the tailcone and areas like you see here (tailcone aft deck & tri-pod assy.) will be top-coated with polyurethane-enamel white or light grey paint (white inside the tailcone and light grey in the cockpit area). This will make it much easier to keep the innards of the airplane clean over the years and it also looks cool! For top-coating, I'm using PPG's "Imron" equivalent called "Darthane".

Baggage door after fitting / trimming

Here's the new NOS baggage door assembled to the tailcone. I fabricated a new hinge out of MS hinge stock and trimmed the edges of the door (which is oversize from the factory) to fit the new skin panels. Luck was with me on this part because after all the fitting, trimming, deburring, etc., the latch pin mated perfectly with the original anchor block located inside the tailcone on the baggage shelf structure! The outer door surface has been given a preliminary polish....

Completely re-skinned port side of tailcone

I can finally call the left side of the tailcone done! The entire bottom has been re-skinned as well since this picture has been taken. Work has begun on the starboard side structure (stripping paint, stringer replacement, etc.). The fore and aft portions of the port side seen here have been given a preliminary polish. I'll be painting a light green band behind and around the stars and bars (instrument trainer markings) so that portion has been left bare.

Overhauled throttle quadrant

Overhauled rear cockpit throttle quadrant as recieved from Warbird Parts dealer, Jay Wisler in Tampa, Florida. Jay has a cache of NOS and used T-6 parts and his prices are very reasonable. Contact Warbird Parts at (813) 968-5048.

Click here to see more restoration photos.

Click here to return to my aviation page.

Click here to return to my main home page.

Last update: July 7, 1999

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws