Ford 4-AT Trimotor - Part 1 - THEN! - Project Visits Then & Now
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- OK, Gang, here’s Part 1 of 2 of an amazing video set on my Ford 4-AT Trimotor that Phil(mer) and I put together. I know most of you eat these like popcorn but don’t think you realize how much time and effort goes into making them!
While I'm not currently flying as much, focusing on other projects and waiting for the global dust to settle, we have been going through loads of unused video footage I had from the past. Part 1 here is a visit to check on the restoration progress with Maurice Hovious and his Michigan shop back in 2000, and Part 2 will be a recent follow up visit in 2022.
As most of you know, this airplane was EXTENSIVELY damaged in Hurricane Andrew in 1992, so you might want to grab a box of tissues before you click “play!”
Kermit Weeks
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Kermit Weeks
I’m amazed that you were filming all those years ago. You must be the longest CZcamsr. Great job!!! You should get an award!
Looking at the Andrew wreckage is heartbreaking. Seeing the rebuild is healing. Good job. Respect.
Damn. 22 years in the making.
As an old aircraft builder , I love always the craft manshift of these specialist , what a great pleasure to see this all the time, regards from the Netherlands .
My first airplane ride when I was about 6 years old was in Tri-Motor. It was in the Tri- Motor that is now hanging in the Smithsonian. I still have pictures of my brother and I in the cockpit and of the exterior of the plane. Wonderful restoration!
My Dad took me on a special flight on a Ford Trimotor when I was a kid. We flew on one of the two Trimotors being flown by Island Airlines from Port Clinton, OH, to the Lake Erie islands. My Dad didn't have much money, but somehow scraped together enough for this flight. I'll never forget the experience. It's cemented in my memory; so much so that I can close my eyes and still be there. This trip inspired me to begin a 43-year career in aviation.
I also flew on Island Airlines back in the 60`s.
Kermit does so much for the Restoration Comunity by simply being Kermit. Your commitment to authenticity opens up manufacturing for other projects that otherwise couldn't be done . Can't wait to see if they've figured out the angled corrugated leading edge mating dilemma.
I may have flown in that Ford in 1956 or 57. I got to ride in the right seat next to the pilots as we flew around all of the islands! Great Memories! Thanks for all the work you all do to these fantastic planes!
Absolute beauty of a video. The knowledge displayed by Maurice about the airplane is incredible. The craftmanship, too.
Looking forward to the second part of it.
The Ford Tri-motor really is a pretty plane. I'd love to see it fly again.
I love the corrugated skins, must be hard to make them if some sections are compound. One another note just saw a Fairy Firefly on Barnstormers for $64K complete project with engine and prop, looks like something for you Kermit, says they are gonna scrap it if it doesn't sell by next month, what a shame such a cool plane with folding wings and a Griffon engine.
Just plane (lol) COOL Kermit.... Love it !🤗....an American treasure preserved in the best way, hope all is well with you and your collection after this latest weather flogging Florida took.
fantastic video Kermit, as always! So much fascinating detail!
The commitment and patiance is saintly
Kermit you had a old pervost bus. Nice !
It's the Plane Restorer's bus ,
Hi Kermit . The rivet remanufacturing and annealing process alone gives you an idea of the commitment , and expense , it takes to get this historic aircraft back in the air . Thankyou .
Lori and I took a ride on the EAA Ford Tri-Motor. What a fun day that was!
A couple months ago my wife and I visited the Aviation Museum in Port Clinton. There were a couple gentlemen working on restoring a Tri-Motor in a hanger behind the Museum. Pretty cool to see.
The story they tell of that one is they pretty much started with the data plate. They have come pretty far with it. Saw it last month. Along with their PT boat
@@johnvaluk1401 Yes they have. The PT Boat was pretty cool as well.
Wow. Wow. Wow.
What a super interesting video thus was. Seeing this ford being rebuilt is beyond words. Just interesting beyond words. Wow.
The gentleman doing the work for you is extremely knowledgeable.
I am impressed.
Thanks
Retired Air Force veteran.
This is the Trimotor that I flew on in New Hampshire on September 5th 1988! LOVER LOVE LOVE that it is being restored!!! N7584 back then. I have a 'certification ''ticket'' ' from that flight! A once in a lifetime flight for a non-pilot and aircraft fan!!
I've been looking forward to this update for a while. Now I am looking forward to part 2, and seeing the progress that has taken place over 22 years!
it is right that she has been in restorarion for 22 years? Am i understanding correctly?
Hi Kermit, A story from back in the early 60's, when I learned to fly. The Town of Sandusky, Ohio had an airport, that had three or four Ford Tri-motors, they used to fly people from the main land, to some of the Lake Erie Islands, that laid off the coast there. I flew out of Concord Airpark, a 2000 ft strip in Lake County Ohio, about 7 or 8 miles from the South shore of Erie, in the NE of Ohio. Sandusky was some miles West of Toledo, on the West side of Ohio.The Lake Erie Islands was a great place to fly to for the day, and most of them had so called strips.Most very short fields. It was fun to sit and watch the Tri-motors come floating in so slow, you fell like you could run next to it and jump in. The flew to three different Islands, but we flew to about five, with strips. One of my memories from way back then . Thanks again for your great videoes, I surely enjoy them ! Bob U.
I grew up in Huron County, Ohio and we would sometimes see those Trimotors. Always thought it was a special treat!
That used to be one of the treats of being up on the lake back then, always liked to watch them.
I’m also from northeast Ohio and Concord Airport still exists! I also flew in and out of there and remember Island airlines Tin Gooses also. I am so glad that that aircraft is having the live put back into her to bring her back to life! Thanks to the crews working on it and thanks to Kermit to care so much for these parts of history!
@@justincase1575 Hi Justin, I had a 1948 Bonanza, and also partnered in a Boeing Stearman ! Flew at Concord Airpark in 1963 to 1983, and then got married .
A great name for this beautiful bird would be "Rise of the Pheonix"! After all it has been through that would be such a fitting and deserving name!
Thanks again Kermit.....Old Shoe🇺🇸
Thanks for saving her and not writing her off
I was lucky enough to be invited to go inside the TriMotor at the San Diego Air and Space museum. Since it is up on a pedestal they brought out a scissor lift and we got to sit inside and look around. They are such a cool airplane and hopefully yours flys again soon!
Needs more Woo Woo !
One of my favorite aircraft
What a nice aircraft. Good you chose such an able rebuilder.
When I was a teenager working off my flight hours at a small airport in Cleveland, TN. I got to tour a Ford Tri-Motor that was on it's last flight to a museum.
What really puts a smile on my face is knowing that the Tin Goose in restoration mode is part of the Island Airlines out of Port Clinton Ohio. I grew up watching it fly over my house hundreds of times. My dad would drive us by the airport just to look at it. I still have an original Monogram 1/72 scale of the TG, in island markings. Also have an original news paper picture in color of people boarding. Oh what beautiful memories. Thanks Kermit for you're dedication
This. Was. Wonderful. Start-to-finish, word-for-word. So appreciated. I can't imagine the time and effort. Thank you, Mr. Weeks. Will so wait for Part 2! Gonna say it, somebody made those wicker seats... All for fun!
It would definitely be nice to see if being flyable again.
NICE, NICE, NICE ! QUALITY ALL THE WAY !
Thanks for sharing 👍
I was standing there the day Kermit took those pictures.
Kermit - getting work done !!
I was living in South Florida when andrew came through. Was heart breaking seeing Kermit's museum destroyed on the news broadcast.
Outstanding undertaking. Thank you.
Amazing artisans at work!
My buddy, Ron Hile, named it spirit of southbass when he painted it to whats in the sandusky register photos in the video. Somewhere are photos that i have not seen in years.
Thank You
My since passed grandfather loved tri motors. I have a model of this plane and the ticket he got for riding in this plane in ‘90. Eager to see its current status
Took a flight with my wife in 2019 when the Ford Tri Motor was here in Bend Oregon We helped by Volunteering at the Souvenir booth
Kermit - Wow!! This rascal is 85?? I'm 74, so may have enough left in me to search out negatives of film from Dad's Brownie of 3-5-25. Roll was shot of B-Day present from Heny to Gramps his 1st Apprentice, of sightseeing tour of Detroit Area w/Gramps, Dad, & both Henry's in Henry's brand new '25 Ford TriMotor!! I loaned Henry II negatives in '61 to get photo of them standing in front of plane blown up to desk size for himself in Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn. If I find the negatives, I'll run them over to ya from Lake Alfred. Might make nice display w/owner of the company w/his plane! Thanks for great video by the way!!
That’s awesome! Should be some great shots! Would love to see them.
Wow, that was an interesting video. Thanks for posting it Kermit.
Can´t say any thing else AWESOME!!!!!!!
Quite a treat to see you restore an airplane that I used to watch fly every chance I had when I was a kid, It was a sad day for me when it crashed.
Can't wait to see her now. Looking forward to part 2!
when i was a junior in high school 84 my forestry teacher used to be a smoke jumper in the late30's early 40's. he used to tell us about jumping out of the tri-motor he loved jumping out of it said it was stable and nice and slow for fire jumping!!!!!!
Beautiful
Such knowledge.
Looking forward to Part 2.
I rode on this plane, probably 1975 on a boy scout outing to South Bass Island!
I was there at Santa Monica when you bought it. We had our PBY 6A there. I was heartbroken after Andrew.
Heartbreaking to see the damage done by the storm. And that was just one of your planes. Thanks for sharing Kermit
Great video Looking forward to your next Keep'em coming :) Yf.....
It was either this plane, or N7684, that I flew on from Put-In-Bay back to the mainland Labor Day weekend, 1960. It was my first ever airplane ride. I was three years old. I sat on my great aunt's lap. I remember the plane had an all-aluminum color. Ford Trimotors, especially the 4-AT-B models that Island Airlines flew, are very special to me.
Very interesting man, Maurice Hovious; 85 (?) years young. Very interesting aircraft N7584; 94 years young. TFP.
I have flown on N7584 three times that I remember. My sister sent me a newspaper article that showed this destroyed plane. I was in the US Army and assigned to a unit in Seoul, South Korea at the time.
I was in the Fire Department during hurricane Andrew and was one of the first to see the plane wrecked in the hangar. This is the first I heard of the fate of the airplane. I'm happy to see it being restored to a flying condition.😁
Have followed the earlier updates . Will be great to see how far along it is now .
Thank you SO MUCH for posting these. What a history lesson for avgeeks like me!
Speechless...wow...sensational...stunning! Let's keep it simple...right?
Amazing ,thanks
That dude knows his shyt !! 🍺 😎 👍
I can't wait to see part two. I had the pleasure and privilege of riding in a Trimotor at the Marion Indiana Fly-in/Drive-in 3 or 4 years ago. Well worth $75.
What a great piece of history and a wonderful historical record. Thanks Kermit. I flew as a passenger in the EAA's Ford back about 1993. I think I paid $10! As I recall it had been a smoke-jumper aircraft for a number of years and had been extensively modified during its service, including a larger door to facilitate the jumpers.
Wow. Impressive professional technical personnel…many thanks …stunning work in progress!
Took a flight on one of EAA's Trimotors last Friday. It was a wonderful time!
Ice box rivets are DD we use them on the RC135
🙂qThankyou for your passion,boomerang will fly
nice to see that its being done right, and safe!
The structure of that aircraft is very interesting. I've seen N9645 a couple of times. They're so well built.
I really enjoy the videos like this. Tons of knowledge and little details about each subject tend to catch my attention.
G'day Kermit, I understand the effort that goes into making these you tube videos, Just wanted to say thanks. Even if I mangeged to get back to Orlando, and you museum was open, I would not get the same insight and enjoyment I get from your vids if we ever meet, drinks on me.
A Ju 52 would be cool too
Looks like a fun retirement home for airplane giezers.
Three of us flew from then Toledo Metcalf airport to Put-In-Bay on July 2, 1977 to see the trimotor, N7684, that had crashed on Put-In-Bay in July 1, 1977. It was cordoned off, and you could see the sheared-off telephone pole that its wing struck prior to the crash. It was very windy on the day of the crash, and I was told that the pilot almost made it back to the field when he struck the telephone pole.
I rode in that nachine in 1976, and managed to get into the right seat. The wheel was a giant wooden 360 degree rim, mounted on what looked like the pole from a parking meter. The pilot's arms quivered as he pushed to get the tail up.
I still have the ticket, and the plastic model of it that I built afterwards.
Enjoy this 🤓
I never knew that those condition W rivets were used that far back.
I have a 1965 Mooney my Grandpa bought brand new it's a c model it has the Johnson bar for the landing gear
This bird reminds me of a movie that Jerry Lewis was staring in with Dean Martin if I remember right.
Interesting.
Very good content
Hi Kermit!
Had the chance to ride in one in St Augustine the year PRETTY WOMAN was released.
Great fun flying slow and low. Do I ever remember the seats, and watching the pilot struggling with the controls
What a pity that blueprints are no longer available, if I understood correctly. Ford does seem to be conscious of their history and goes to lengths to preserve it, so that is surprising.
It would be awesome if you could stop by the Liberty aviation museum in Port Clinton with this when it's done.
Revive the legacy of Bernt Balchen, Harold June, Richard Byrd, and Ashley McKinley....
I'm wondering if this was the one I saw fly at Monterey Historics about 20 years ago. Ford was the marquee.
Found a photo! It was not your Ford Kermit. It was N7684. I will try to share a photo of our family walking out to the plane at Put-In-Bay.
Actually D rivets are supposed to be going away and E are replacing them KE are even harder
So when you are finished with this project then Howard's Sikorsky will get put back together and overhauled? 😎
24:15. Video is kind of out of date, but wouldn't the flange machine work better if the metal was more malleable, heated up a little to prevent cracking during the machine cycle?
What ever happened to your A-26? Did you ever get it flying up to KOSH 2021?
Kermit mention of corrosion in relation to your Trimotor provoked recollection for me of a bit of tragic history involving the death of legendary US Football identity Knute Rockne who was killed in an air accident during the heyday of Trimotors and passenger transport.
Sources have claimed that corrosion in the steel tube frame resulted in critical structural failure causing the Trimotor carrying Rockne to crash on March 31, 1931.
However Wikipedia offers a different version of events because it states that the following occurred;
"A little over an hour after taking off from Kansas City, one of the Fokker Trimotor's wings broke up in flight. The cause of the damage was determined to be that the plane's plywood outer skin was bonded to the ribs and spars with water-based aliphatic resin glue and flight in rain had caused the bond to deteriorate to the point that sections of the plywood suddenly separated. The plane crashed into a wheat field near Bazaar, Kansas, killing Rockne and seven others".
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