P-40 Warhawk Gun Bay Doors/ Re Fabricated

Bazztex · 07-20-2008, 06:53 AM

The three 50 Cal Machine guns were long since removed on each wing from the vintage Warbird.. so the brass ejection ports and surrounding stainless parts were no longer needed. Not to mention the aluminum skin was corroded to the point repairs would be required to make the panel structurally sound... in addition to blocking off the holes. The best option was to re fabricate a new skin for each gun bay door to achieve both objectives.

Viola... New doors with no 50 Cal Brass ejection holes. I took the photo as I was check fitting the Dzus Fastener hole alignment... I stuck the old door halves on the wing Dolley to show the improvement made.

Corrosion on skin and top view of the stainless ejection ports

Newly Fabricated Gun Bay Panels attached to wing for check fit

Now all I have to do is joggle the skins to fit the original aft half of the doors and rivet them together.

Bazz

Snagged · 07-20-2008, 09:00 AM

Charlie,
How many rivets in that bird?
I think you should have the operating 50's in it.

fathom · 07-20-2008, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snagged

Charlie,
How many rivets in that bird?
I think you should have the operating 50's in it.

Then we would all want one!

Bazztex · 07-20-2008, 11:33 PM

Jerry..

You know... I haven't done much counting but I have removed and shot around 5# of rivets.. that might not seem like a lot. But I did count just the rivets in a 5 ft section of the wing mating angle at 240 ea.

Going with that as as a base line.. counting both wings top and bottom surfaces the attach angles are over 50ft long held together with around 2,400 No.6 ... 3/16" Diameter (MS20470D-6-X) total. All total I guess we will have removed and replaced in the area of 10,000 rivets when it's all finished.

Bazz

07-20-2008, 06:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
Bazztex Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: DFW Metro Mess Posts: 205	P-40 Warhawk Gun Bay Doors/ Re Fabricated The three 50 Cal Machine guns were long since removed on each wing from the vintage Warbird.. so the brass ejection ports and surrounding stainless parts were no longer needed. Not to mention the aluminum skin was corroded to the point repairs would be required to make the panel structurally sound... in addition to blocking off the holes. The best option was to re fabricate a new skin for each gun bay door to achieve both objectives. Viola... New doors with no 50 Cal Brass ejection holes. I took the photo as I was check fitting the Dzus Fastener hole alignment... I stuck the old door halves on the wing Dolley to show the improvement made. Corrosion on skin and top view of the stainless ejection ports Newly Fabricated Gun Bay Panels attached to wing for check fit Now all I have to do is joggle the skins to fit the original aft half of the doors and rivet them together. Bazz Last edited by Bazztex : 07-20-2008 at 06:55 AM.

07-20-2008, 09:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
Snagged Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,133	Charlie, How many rivets in that bird? I think you should have the operating 50's in it. __________________ Jerry Uh oh, Snagged again!

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07-20-2008, 11:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bazztex Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: DFW Metro Mess Posts: 205	Jerry.. You know... I haven't done much counting but I have removed and shot around 5# of rivets.. that might not seem like a lot. But I did count just the rivets in a 5 ft section of the wing mating angle at 240 ea. Going with that as as a base line.. counting both wings top and bottom surfaces the attach angles are over 50ft long held together with around 2,400 No.6 ... 3/16" Diameter (MS20470D-6-X) total. All total I guess we will have removed and replaced in the area of 10,000 rivets when it's all finished. Bazz

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