DC-3 Restoration activity update for the 1st quarter of 2017 by crew member Carl Cruff.
The completion date for the exterior restoration has been retargeted from April to September to better align with the major interior Museum refurbishment initiated in March. The Civil Aviation Hangar renovations include a major rearrangement of the present display aircraft including a return of the DC-3. An Eastern Airlines livery scheme has been selected which is historically accurate for the late 1940s time period and coincides with the inaugural commercial airline service at Bradley Field by Eastern Airlines in 1947.
Mr. Willie Althammer, restoration team member for four years, has relocated to South Carolina with his wife Karen to enjoy the less harsh winters—the restoration team thanks Willie for his tireless polishing efforts and good humor.
The multi-piece engine cowling set including the air/oil cooler and carburetor inlet air scoops aluminum skin polishing has been completed and these cowling sets have been reinstalled surrounding the both engines. Work is underway to clean and repaint the main landing gear struts and wheel hubs. The Eastern Airlines livery color painting has started with the completion of the horizontal stabilizer air mail route markings and the initial application of masking tape to define the left and right fuselage length blue stripes.
