ME 262 PROJECT & THE U.S. NAVY

Status Report No. 2:  07 September 1999.

Manufacturing and Engineering Activities

USN Me 262 Airplane #110639

Fine summer weather finally arrived in Seattle, Washington in July.  Outdoor activities afforded a well-lit arena from which to make close inspections and constructions.  Rapid progress was allowed in the team effort centered upon the U.S. Navy's Me 262.

1.  In our previous report we indicated that we would be attempting a mating of the assigned wing with the fuselage.  That activity was successfully completed by mid-month.  Mounting of the engine-to-wing mounts was started immediately thereafter.  Detailed measurements and calibrations were ongoing in this area to ensure a reasonable match of engine-to-wing, and nacelle-to-wing fitup.

2.  New slats and new inboard flaps have gone through pre-fabrication coordination.  They are being fabricated by our vendor, Hill Stamping, in Auburn, Washington.

3.  Landing gear components for both main gears and the nose gear have been painted in out vendor's facility on North Paine Field and are now being prepared for re-installation.

4.  We have received an original Me 262 cockpit instrument panel!  This panel will be used to fabricate replica panels for both front and rear cockpit positions.

5.  We are building elevators (in-house fabricated) from reverse-engineered original assembly since no drawings were available.  Components we could not fabricate have been ordered, built and received.  Final assembly of these parts is underway, and two elevators are being assembled at the same time.  The first set of these parts will be allocated to the USN airplane.

6.  The new forward-to-aft nacelle wing fairings have been recently ordered from All Fab.  These are large assemblies requiring sophisticated manufacturing techniques to accommodate the multi-contours and skin laps.

7.  We have also received as original Me 262 pitot tube from the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California.  This will be reproduced for the USN airplane.

 

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