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However, if anyone knows the
whereabouts of any original
doors, the team would prefer to
include these in the project.
Phase Two of the project is to
restore the fuselage. This is no
mean feat as the aircraft were
abandoned for more than sixty
years on a remote island where
the elements and local salvaging
efforts exacted a huge toll on the
airframes. Each of the recovered
fuselage sections was assessed
before a candidate was selected.
Perhaps the easiest option, the
most complete Kingcobra (be-
lieved to be 45-4315), is currently
on display in the museum and it
was decided to leave this airframe
preserved in its ‘as found’ state.
The selected fuselage has been
brought into the workshop where
it will undergo a good clean prior
to the removal of ancillary parts
and components to allow for a
more thorough inspection. Once
all of the components have been
removed and catalogued, the hard
work of assessing and repairing
the corrosion and damaged sheet
metal will begin.
The Allison engine was re-
moved in an impressive two
hours and the structure under
the engine is in fantastic condi-
tion with most of the corrosion
being at the front of the fuselage.
Another fuselage has been se-
lected as a parts donor so many
of the damaged and corroded
ribs will be replaced by original
components. An interesting dif-
ference has been noted between
the six fuselages. The forward
bulkhead, where the propeller
reduction gearbox attaches, is
made from different materials
across the fuselages. Some are
made from steel and others are
constructed from the expected
aluminum. Could either have
been a field repair?
The major challenge the resto-
ration will face in the future is
sourcing components that even
the museum’s impressive Kingco-
bra parts store doesn’t contain.
These include the propeller assem-
bly, rear spinner plate, rear fuse-
lage structure, complete empen-
nage and an Allison supercharger.
If anyone has any P-63 Kingcobra
parts that may assist the project
the museum can be contacted via
its website and email.
The Wings Museum is fortu-
nate to have some highly skilled
volunteers working part-time for
the museum. They vary from air-
craft engineers to retired profes-
sionals and it is hoped that, as the
project advances, further skilled
volunteers will join the existing
team. The resources of the mu-
seum are more than capable of
bringing one of the great forgot-
ten fighters back to life, but, un-
derstandably, and realistically,
no deadline for completion has
been set. Daniel Hunt, Aaron
Simmons and Andy WrightNews
OPPOSITE PAGE MAIN: The wrecks were
substantial survivors, but there’s still a
lot missing aft of the Allison. Note the
blue ‘5’, just forward of the cockpit,
indicating this is the ifth of the six
airframes recovered.
MIDDLE: The cockpit section with a new
inner door skin itted. If you can help
with original doors, contact the museum
at [email protected].
[All images via The Wings Museum]BOTTOM LEFT: The largest structure
of the museum’s 75% complete
Douglas Boston.BOTTOM: The alignment of the
structurally restored cockpit is checked
on an original centre section.ABOVE: The main instrument panel has been
superbly restored.LEFT: The name ‘Little Toots’ refers to a diferent
aircraft, a P-63A (serial 42-70610), which was
ferried by air to Russia via Alaska.