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Re: Merry Christmas
Tony,
Did you get a chance to get your plane up on some tables before the water rose? IF not, a friend of mine had his Nieuport 11 replica survive a flood that covered the roof of the hangar by getting to the plane BEFORE all the water drained away and opening up the fabric where there was water inside. HE split the top wing fabric on the bottom first to let the water and mud out, then the lower wings and fuselage. No structural overload damage. They pulled the planes (there were actually several WW-I replicas in the hangar) out of the hangar SLOWLY and floated them to dry land where they IMMEDIATELY pulled the engines and instruments, started cutting the fabric away and flooded the planes with fresh water. They had a team of people tearing down the engines and anything else they could get off, washing, oiling and dry storing everything.
They got all of the water and mud off and out of everything and according to Dick the worst part was the snakes in the water.
ALL of the planes done this way are still flying with no permanent damage. Those who didn't get to their planes before the water receded had collapsed wings and destroyed struts, bent fuselages and seized up engines. A wing full of water weighs enough to destroy the wing. Start calling now for folks with wet suits and find a small boat.
Lord I hope you had your plane high enough to be safe.
Good luck and keep us up on what happens. If you wade in contaminated water, get the shots! You can't rebuild her if you are sick.
Hank
Tony,
Did you get a chance to get your plane up on some tables before the water rose? IF not, a friend of mine had his Nieuport 11 replica survive a flood that covered the roof of the hangar by getting to the plane BEFORE all the water drained away and opening up the fabric where there was water inside. HE split the top wing fabric on the bottom first to let the water and mud out, then the lower wings and fuselage. No structural overload damage. They pulled the planes (there were actually several WW-I replicas in the hangar) out of the hangar SLOWLY and floated them to dry land where they IMMEDIATELY pulled the engines and instruments, started cutting the fabric away and flooded the planes with fresh water. They had a team of people tearing down the engines and anything else they could get off, washing, oiling and dry storing everything.
They got all of the water and mud off and out of everything and according to Dick the worst part was the snakes in the water.
ALL of the planes done this way are still flying with no permanent damage. Those who didn't get to their planes before the water receded had collapsed wings and destroyed struts, bent fuselages and seized up engines. A wing full of water weighs enough to destroy the wing. Start calling now for folks with wet suits and find a small boat.
Lord I hope you had your plane high enough to be safe.
Good luck and keep us up on what happens. If you wade in contaminated water, get the shots! You can't rebuild her if you are sick.
Hank
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