Thanks to Bob Johnson for donating a water cooler to the project. It was definitely needed and all the volunteers appreciate his contribution. Bob worked in the forward cargo compartment and the cockpit and removed part of the radio rack and several other loose items.

Arthur Morrison and John Sink completed the removal of the throttle quadrant which is now on the bench awaiting restoration work. They then worked on removing the access panel under to nose sections, which is now also on the bench. It will need restoration work as well. Arthur them began removing more of the tubing and wiring in the nose section.

Bill Wilkerson, Paul Whitson and Paul Dieffenderfer continued the fuselage interior work. The two Paul's worked on removing the bands that held the headliner in place while Bill worked on removing the left overhead carry-on storage rack. A lot of progress was made but there’s still more to be done. Bill said the overhead rack is close to being removed.

After much “malletizing” (there’s a story behind that word), Perry Miller finally removed the wheel from the tail wheel fork. The axle was rusted and frozen making it impossible to remove without destroying the part. This is a common problem with all of the parts that are removed from the structures. Paul Whitson even bragged about removing a screw inside the fuselage that came out normally. The tail wheel tire can probably be used but the tube will need to be replaced. Perry now plans to work on restoring the tail wheel assembly.

Charlie Hall continued his work on the Air Stair. He had removed the bayonet door latches on a previous work day and found that they could not be reused, so he fabricated new ones at the GTCC Aviation School. He also determined that the sheet metal will need to be completely replaced; consequently, he began drilling out the rivets which is time consuming.

While all of this work was going on, Bob Reed began unpacking the tools that had been purchased and started organizing them on three storage racks that had been contributed. A small floor fan was available so working inside the Ops building was relatively comfortable. There is, however, sill work to be done in organizing the interior of the building.

Pictures of the work day will soon be posted on the blog at http://potomacpacemaker.wordpress.com and on Facebook at Potomac Pacemaker. Check-em out!

The next work day is scheduled for Saturday, September 18, beginning at 0900. Hopefully, the weather will bring more comfortable temperature by then.

If you’re interested in volunteering, let Bob Reed know. Help is needed and appreciated!

Robert H. Reed
NCTM Project Coordinator
Piedmont Airlines Potomac Pacemaker
118 Church Steeple Drive
Advance, NC 27006
336.940.5046

To volunteer to work on The Potomac Pacemaker Restoration Project, contact Bob Reed, the Project Coordinator, so that you can be added to the list maintained by the NC Transportation Museum (NCTM). His contact information is as follows:

Bob Reed
118 Church Steeple Drive
Advance, NC 27006
Telephone: 336-940-5046
Email: RobtHReed@aol.com
Alternate Email: PiedmontHistory@aol.com

A Section Coordinator will be assigned to each section of the aircraft to be worked upon and volunteers can choose which sections they prefer. If no preference is made, contact the Project Coordinator for a work assignment.

Bring your personal tools if you believe you will need them. After the first time working on the aircraft you will have a good idea of what tools you should bring. Arrangements will be made so that you can leave tools or other material at the work site in a secure locker. You will need to provide the lock. Specialty tools will be available at the work site. In addition, it is strongly advised that you have a pair of heavy work gloves, safety glasses, and a respirator/mask of some type especially if working in the fuselage.

The third Saturday of each month will be scheduled as a work day; however, other work days may be established from time to time by the Project Coordinator.

Contact the Project Coordinator or the Section Coordinator each time you plan to work, including the third Saturday of each month.

Volunteers may work any day, Monday through Saturday by contacting the Project Coordinator so arrangements can be made with NCTM for you to enter the work site. The project is being done in a large building called the Back Shop. Access to the Back Shop is restricted to museum staff and volunteers. Identification Badges will be provided by NCTM and should be worn at all times while working on the project.

Restoration has begun on N56V to eventually be a centerpiece display for the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina.

This particular Piedmont Airlines DC-3 saw it’s last flight years ago at Charlotte, North Carolina. About that time, some new-fangled technology had come along called the turbojet that made demand stall for the old reciprocating propeller-driven queen of the skies. The venerable old girl sat for years at Charlotte and became essentially a derelict.

Some years later, the Potomac Pacemaker was given to City of Durham as a display attraction when they updated a city park. This park was home to the airplane for for a long time until it was removed several years ago in serious disrepair.

The North Carolina Transportation Museum decided to accept N56V as a potential indoor display attraction for a planned major renovation of “the Back Shop”, a huge carnivorous building located on the museum property. The airplane was moved in pieces into this building where it sits today.

In April 2010, major renovation began to restore N56V to museum display status. It sits in major sub assemblies including the fuselage, the wings, the tail section, the center “wing box” section, and the engines. Work is being done by volunteers who formally meet for a full day of work one Saturday per month with other work being done throughout the month and by students of the Aviation Program at Guilford Technical Community College.

We do not have a formal timeline when the airplane will be finished, but it will undoubtedly be a couple of years at best. The plane is dirty, corroded in many areas and will require enormous work from thorough metal cleaning to seat refinishing to freeing up frozen controls, recovering of the control surfaces and rebuild of the cockpit area. The Guilford Technical Community College Aviation Program has been and will continue to be a major contributor of both work and expertise. Their help and involvement is greatly appreciated. The Piedmont Aviation Historical Society is also closely involved with this long-term project.

Jetpiedmont.com will keep you posted on major milestones for the restoration of N56V. If you are interested in helping with the project, simply show up at 9:00am at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer on the third Saturday of the month. WEAR OLD CLOTHES and bring gloves – you’ll get dirty but you’ll have fun!

FAY has changed locations. Check EVENTS for latest location.

PIEDMONT: Flight of the Pacemaker is a wonderful book. It is one of those ‘must haves’ if you ever worked for Piedmont. You will enjoy it even if you did not work for Piedmont. It is about a lot of people who worked together toward a common goal to pull off one of the greatest success stories ever. It is both captivating and fun. It is a genuine pleasure read and to have.

PIEDMONT: Flight of the Pacemaker is a 9x12 hardcover 400-page volume is loaded with over 600 photos in 16 very easy-to-read and insightful chapters. You can read a little or a lot at one time. Each chapter is complete within itself. The whole thing is very well done.

Copies are available directly from the Piedmont Aviation Historical Society (PAHS) and in select book stores. If you care to order your copy directly from PAHS, just click the link and download the order form.

Makes a great gift, too!

Andy Ray
JETPIEDMONT.COM Forum Moderator