Eagle's Lair
Members Roster

September 29, 1999

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This month has gone by incredibly fast and it seems like progress has been inversely proportional. Eagle machine has finished the spacer plate and delivered it for fitting. The plate is used to mount the rear suspension axle shaft and is made from 1 inch steel. It attaches between the fuselage and the tail cone. Next item to be built is the axle shaft. I've also been putting together the new canopy. All the canopy and windshield glass was damaged so I've had to replace all of it. 

Cameron and Bob (our two airframe mechanics) are working on their plans for repairing the damaged skin panels. One of the most difficult repairs is on the inside of the air intake. They'll perform their usual magic and make it look like it was never damaged in the first place.

 The 104 and all the spare parts are overflowing out of my rented hanger so I've been constructing a shelter next to my shop at home in order to store the parts and keep better inventory of those much needed parts.  It won't be long and the fall and winter weather will be hitting the Northwest and as usual, we'll be cold, wet and miserable.

 S&S Turbines has the J-79-15E sitting in the wings waiting for the F-104 to be ready for it. If I have the correct turbine blades in the inventory we will be coating the blades with Zirconium Oxide and installing those coated blades into the engine.  Performance Coatings has offered to do any coating work for the project.

Keith is busy building a new shop so we'll be able to move into his new digs pretty soon. That will be an improvement over the small hanger we've been in over the past year.

That's about all for this month. See you at El Mirage October 10th and Edwards AFB for their air show and open house, Oct 9th and 10th.

Sincerely,

Edward J. Shadle

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