My one project during my long break from 2010-2013 was a museum restoration project.  This was originally an r/c aircraft that was totaled in a flying accident.  The Yankee Air Museum bought the wreckage to restore for static display.

I worked on the 1/6.5 scale P-38, but not the 1/1 scale F-4!

After the jump I’ll discuss a unique project.

I’ll start by saying this was way outside of my comfort zone.  The original model was 1/6.5 scale, not the 1/48th I’m familiar with.  This causes many issues with paint, weathering, and scale effects.  To make this worse, I’m used to styrene plastic, photo-etch and resin.  Balsa and fiber-glass are a whole new world to me.  Fortunately for all of us, another museum member volunteered to do the major airframe work.  I only had to fix the damaged nose and nacelles.  Then when all repairs were complete I repainted it all.  Except my wife did the nose art.  That’s right, I painted green and grey, my wife took care of anything that required actual skill…

The condition of the cowlings when I got them.

A little more epoxy putty than I’m used to using!

Almost there…

Mrs Dave did the fun part!

All back together.

This is what she looked like before the crash.

The San Joaquin Siren was flown by Capt Bill Berhns of the 459th Fighter Squadron.  Known as the “Twin Dragons” the 459th FS was a part of the 80th Fighter Group in the 10th Air Force and based in India and Burma.  They flew combat missions over Burma, Thailand and Malaysia.

A photo of the real thing in flight.