"Precious Metal" in pieces........

[Lon Moer]

.... at Kissimmee Air Museum (not my pics).

[deepsky]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

Thanks for posting them!

[supercub]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

Any word on the extent of the damage?? Hopefully it's minor.

Brian

[rforslund]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

Any word on the extent of the damage?? Hopefully it's minor.

Brian

The most recent post onFB indicates no update for now but not much longer. Let's hope for one soon!

[rforslund]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

Any word on the extent of the damage?? Hopefully it's minor.

Brian

The most recent post onFB indicates no update for now but not much longer. Let's hope for one soon!

[Samuel]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

Looks a little toasty! Time to go Carbon fiber!

[1:1 Scale]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

If it had been a composite airframe, I doubt there would be anything left to rebuild....

[Samuel]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

I wasn't saying carbon fiber would have been more fire resistant, just that it would be sweet to build one out of carbon since they can't use most of that one.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

I'm completely inexperienced with aluminum sheet's resistance to fire, if that were steel, it would look simply like the paint took the brunt of it. Any way for them to tell if the metal underneath the charred paint is OK or toast w/o destructive testing?

GO PM RENO 2016!

[toldjaso]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

I'm completely inexperienced with aluminum sheet's resistance to fire, if that were steel, it would look simply like the paint took the brunt of it. Any way for them to tell if the metal underneath the charred paint is OK or toast w/o destructive testing?

GO PM RENO 2016!

The grain structure and heat treatment of the aluminum alloy used in the airframe will be compromised if it is heated past the point of boiling water (around 212 degrees F most places), around 205 F at Reno (due to the higher elevation). A structural engineer would probably say anything over 200 degrees F. for 2024 Alclad material.
It can be tested by eddy-current non-destructive testing. On a large sheet of skin, the unit can be calibrated in a known good area, and then tested where it was obviously heated up, and the NDI guy will be able to tell you if the part is good or not. There are also some other tests that can be done, but a hardness test on Alclad is not very accurate, due to the pure aluminum layer that is rolled on both sides of the alloy core when the metal is rolled out at the factory. If the paint is scorched, it is probably roached. If the part is wrinkled, buckled, or blistered, forget it.
Extrusions and castings could be hardness tested. They are the same material throughout the part.
The Mustang has magnesium castings for the main gear mounts, as I recall, as well as several other cast parts from magnesium.
The pictures probably don't look nearly as bad as what the damage really is.

[Lon Moer]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........new pics 3/2017

New pics from last month(not mine). Doesn't look good for now....

[LoveOldPlanes]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........new pics 3/2017

New pics from last month(not mine). Doesn't look good for now....
]

You may remember that the fuselage and wing were on a trailer at the Races last year. They were taken to shops with the equipment and resources to rebuild after the event. Once finished, they'll return to Kissimmee for the assembly and rebuild of all the systems. Plans haven't changed, and I don't forsee it at 2017. I believe Thom was saying 2018 at the races last year anyway. Pretty much everything FWF is custom made...so it won't be like picking up a bunch of stock parts and slinging a hot engine into a stock location....!

[Samuel]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

Who is doing the structural work?

[supercub]

Re: "Precious Metal" in pieces........

I saw an ad the other day for a P-51 wing for sale, I think it said would take a repairable wing in partial trade. Thought about Thom. I'm sure he knows about every Mustang part in the country.