halftrackinfo
general discussion => what's on your mind? => Topic started by: mkoloc on September 22, 2020, 04:04:40 PM
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Confirmed today, we are heading to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton OH in October. The Queen will be on display in the WWII Area alongside some famous aircraft like the Memphis Bell, Bocks Car etc. for a 6 month period.
Display starting at the end of OCT, (Which will give enough me to get her drivetrain together :D) and running into the April timeframe. The museum team will be visiting here on the 8th of October to view the Queen in all of her glory and to make any final adjustments to what we will be bringing for the display. We are including the M-10 Ammo Trailer as part of the display along with extra Tombstone ammo cans.
The display should include mannequin's dressed in period uniforms loading ammo cans off the back of the trailer, one along side the track with binos scanning the skies and a forth mannequin loading the weapons on the turret.
This is an incredible opportunity for our nonprofit, as the museum has hundreds of thousands of visitors annually which should provide us excellent visibility regards our mission, fund raising etc..
In addition we have an hour video produced in support of halftrack history, manufacturing and combat footage in the ETO with sound added by one of Sony Pictures best technicians. This is a project i was involved with when I was recovering in the Wounded Warrior Unit at Ft Benning GA. Never thought it might be viewed in the theater!
I will continue to provide updates and pics as we progress with this project.
Mark
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Holy cow Mark! That is awesome!!
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What a story too, bringing it back from Africa and all. Well done!
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Definitely a unique opportunity, and a great vehicle for them to use. Hope they include the story behind her discovery and recovery as part of the display. Way to go Mark!
-Tom
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Just Awesome!
Don G.
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That is great Mark! Please update with pictures once it's on display!
Rob
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Air Force Museum team visited yesterday to do an onsight inspection of the Queen and M10 Trailer before shipping to museum at the end of the month.
They asked great questions, had a list of safety requirements and even brought a radiation detector to check things out. My compass really lit up as did several items on my radios because of the iridium used back in the day. Biggest issue there was any leaking from the liquid compass. Can you say swab test ?
Will have to drain the fuel tanks and pull the batteries off track and turret once on display. We will be there for a minimum of 6 months. Sounding like it will be displayed along side a C47 .. Will check out the potential site soon and post pics.
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Sounds good, can’t wait to see photos.
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Ran into a slight issue regards transportation set up with the AF, but that has been resolved. However its pushed us to the right a bit regards pickup and movement to the museum, that exact date is still in flux. Probably the1st week of Nov.
In the meantime every day is being spent on doing little things that have been put off. Grenades, new compas mount, Tombstones being labled (PIA Job), repainting spare barrels, through cleaning, fabricating spare light mount that sits in front of the carbines, draining all of my fuel tanks but leaving just enough to get her around in the musem doing the work nesessary to get my IMA Replica weapons to fit into their holders like the originals, wiring up my center ring now that the conduit has been run etc. etc. etc..
Sharing some pics of my progress.
(https://i.postimg.cc/GBfRkVFZ/PXL-20201023-204154187-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GBfRkVFZ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/S2m6f1mf/PXL-20201023-204147021.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/S2m6f1mf)
(https://i.postimg.cc/JGMqQnzW/PXL-20201023-204215157.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/JGMqQnzW)
(https://i.postimg.cc/cg1xmw2n/PXL-20201023-204209798.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cg1xmw2n)
(https://i.postimg.cc/dDmRDYmN/PXL-20201023-204327810.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dDmRDYmN)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Z9KxzDys/PXL-20201023-204322037.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Z9KxzDys)
(https://i.postimg.cc/wyFKTrWt/PXL-20201023-204359427.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wyFKTrWt)
(https://i.postimg.cc/mPhrxYgN/PXL-20201020-200418714.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mPhrxYgN)
(https://i.postimg.cc/HJD9v4wj/PXL-20201024-164234426.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/HJD9v4wj)
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I’m afraid I’m going to have to steal your photos for my reference file. I love to see the guns in place and the other close ups. One day hopefully mine will look as complete.
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BP ..please help yourself to any pics.
Word today from AF is that we load and ship the Queen on 17 Nov 2020. I'll drive up early the 18 unload her and drive her into place in the museum, drain the last bit of fuel, pull the battery, and then setup the display. I'll take lots of pics and post.
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Sounds great Mark. Looking forward to it!
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Please do take plenty of pictures! I can't wait to see this.
Corey
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Pretty exciting stuff Mark! Can’t wait to (virtually) see the display!
-Tom
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That will make a great display, can't wait to see some pictures.
Gary
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Load out went well today with lots of help from a couple of local business. I head up to the museum at O-Dark Thirty tomorrow the 18th to unload the Queen and drive her to and into the museum from the secured hanger where she sits tonight.
Got some great video today to include some drone footage and will get more tomorrow during the days events. Will be posting my videos on the African Queen YouTube channel by the weekend.
Markus
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Glad to hear it Mark...traveling this weekend but looking forward to the videos.
-Tom
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Well we made it and are now on display ... some pics with more to follow and a link to YouTube as soon as the video is completed.
(https://i.postimg.cc/m11p1zbV/1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/m11p1zbV)
(https://i.postimg.cc/NKDDM76B/2-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/NKDDM76B)
(https://i.postimg.cc/676HL1W8/3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/676HL1W8)
(https://i.postimg.cc/4mTQQFwX/4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4mTQQFwX)
(https://i.postimg.cc/DJX1qqXW/5-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DJX1qqXW)
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Need to fix a few items this weekend when I head up to the museum. Need to mount my gun sight in the turret, add more goodies to the cab, raise second antenna up on my other receiver, post my dad's pic in his Korean War Uniform on side of the track and rotate the turret a bit off to one side or the other. Was rushing a bit yesterday to get things into place before the opening bell. Had to pull my battery and siphon remaining fuel from passenger side gas tank (museum rules) before 9 am.
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Stole these from a Facebook post...for those of you not on FB:
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Excellent Mark!! Amazing story and I'm glad you realized the dream and brought it back to life!!
Paul
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Tom, pics I've not even seen :) you rock!.. Thank you Paul ..I have always believed that the real story is all about the recovery, and all the "Ass Pain" that involved. Lots of thinking on my feet and pulling things out of the proverbial "Air" to get the mission accomplished... no real guidance out there at the time regards bringing her back home via a Brooker... but necessity is the mother of creativity in my case and now its become the reality of my vision for her...thrilled with the outcome!!!!
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As a caveat, The director of the museum pointed out that he was thrilled that the Airforce was getting to show her off before the new National Museum of the Army (Opened 11 Nov 20) got an opportunity. The thing is, I contacted the new museum as I have been a contributor and offered them the opportunity. Never heard a thing back from them. Maybe now I might get a little traction with that scenario :o These directors talk with each other regards new and unique displays ..go figure!
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Great job and story!!!
Keith
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Thanks Keith
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Excellent
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Mark, do you wipe over the body with a light oil to keep the rust at bay the best you can or just leave it dry? There’s a guy on YouTube who I’ve done a few Jeep bits for who wipes his GPW over with AvTur (kerosene) to clean it. It doesn’t contain oil so doesn’t leave a sheen but it’s obviously no good for keeping the rust down.
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That is incredible!!!!
Corey
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BP, I just wash the track on occasion or as needed and have never wiped it down with anything. The surface rust is minor and looking back at pics when I started, has not advanced. I use boiled linseed oil for all my wood items but thats it. I do store her inside always! Of course the original lead based paint is the best rust inhibitor.
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Video out an a fresh thread ;D