The work on the corsair has really been amazing and breathtaking work- I would like to share some pictures I took of the work we've done here.
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Life since the first days has changed quite a lot. I had immediately noticed my internship schedule being far, far different than most of my colleagues. My work was, simply put, not normal in the scale of internship. From the minor details such as taking Friday off, to the most intensive details such as the grand project which I will be undertaking.
Oh, and lets talk about that project- recently, I have been working extensively on the F4U. Over the last week, I haven't really spent much time on other projects save that one- and alongside my fellow volunteers, its starting to look like it will be done by the end of the month, or the beginning of next month. This has excited me greatly- that my project could be something so grand, and so large as to a plane itself. But lets talk about that plane- because its been a labor of love to get back into shape. The title of this blog post is aptly named to describe this half of the week (and hopefully, I'll find an equally creative name for the latter half of this week. Most of the fasteners onboard the F4U are not your normal screws or bolts that can simply be driven into place. The fasteners have an intricate locking mechanism that allows them to be fastened simply with a little force and a small turn. Well, in theory. Back in 1945, perhaps this would be the case. But the fasteners we are left with today are by no means in the best of shape- they are rusted often, and other-times unaligned. This means a herculean amount of force must be put forth to tighten these fasteners in. And there are several dozen to place in. Yeah, quite hard work. But what about that first part, sliding shoes? Well, the wing of the F4U is very slippery. I can only imagine what it must have been like to stand on it in stormy weather onboard a carrier! When I was working on the aforementioned fasteners on the cowling, I had to very carefully watch my foothold. If I had a bad hold- I risked the aircraft wing becoming like a playground slide, and me sliding right off. Precaution was paramount. With that being said- as exhausting as it may be, I've loved the work I'm doing, and am looking forward to the next part of this week. As I type this, it has been three days since Internship had begun. Or rather- two. The first day the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum was closed, and I spent time going to Camp Pendleton for a Military ID, alongside preparing myself for the coming weeks. On May 15th, I woke up, and set off to work for my first days.
As my father and I pulled into the museum, I pondered what I would be doing for the next few weeks. Would I be sitting behind a desk, performing administrative work for hours on end? Would I guide visitors around the museum, regaling them with the tales behind each and every airframe on display? No- I would do neither of these. Much to my joy, I would be working in the restoration hangar for the museum- where old, rusted airframes are given new life. As I arrived at the hangar, I was in awe. For a few minutes, all I wanted to do was look around and gaze upon the half-built relics of the 20th century around me. And yet- duty called. I took a quick tour of the facility, taking in the sights as I went. As I came back, I had to read safety instructions and agreements. When this was done- I was put right behind the joystick, to say, and started to place myself where I could help. At first, this consisted of minor tasks. I fetched a screwdriver or wrench for another volunteer working on the tail section of an aircraft. I punched holes in sheet metal. All of this led up to me being offered a role of great responsibility- the man who would perform the work in restoring the cockpit of the F4U-5N "Corsair" in the hangar. As I climbed into the cockpit, I was in shock to take in what was around me. I sat in a fighter aircraft no less than seventy years old- the instruments and levers around me, the joystick saddled before me, and everything there was a genuine piece of history. As I moved forward to tidy up and bring the cockpit into a presentable position- I did so with reverence. |