After two years -- one spent observing and one spent actually training to be a flight mechanic for the “Yellow Rose” B-25 bomber based in San Marcos – I’d almost given up hope that I’d ever get to put all this training into practice. Trips came and went and there always seemed to be someone already assigned to the job – I felt like the bridesmaid who never quite makes it down the aisle for her own wedding.
Finally – a few weeks before the Wings Over Houston airshow in September – the call came! I was excited – I was ready. This was a big show – as Ed Sullivan would say, “a really big shew.”
I joined the CAF because I love planes, love flying, and have a real interest in preserving our aviation heritage. So, it seemed natural that I should be willing to assume some real responsibility for keeping the Rose flying. So, for all you members who have thought about being a flight mechanic – here’s my story…
You are usually the first (or one of the first) people at the hangar. I arrived in San Marcos at 9:30 a.m. – even though we weren’t scheduled to take off until 3 p.m. The next few hours went something like this: check and refill emergency air; fill and recharge hydraulic reserve bottle; fill aircraft hydraulic system; check air pressure in tires; climb on
top of plane to check and fill oil (learned quickly not to fill a 6-gallon container full and make sure you are upwind before you pour); dip gas tanks; slide across to other wing to repeat process (remember the top of the plane is wet with dew, so expect some strange looks from your buddies after you climb down); load and secure all the PX items; make sure the cash box is under the seat (unless you are prepared to make change from your own funds); load towels and water for crew; and, of course, take care of all the paperwork (it never ends).
Finally, everyone else started arriving for the trip. At this point, you will review your checklist with the pilot to make sure nothing was overlooked. I’ll never forget the wonderful conversation I had with Ron Dietes: “Bob, did you refill the emergency air?” – “Yes, Ron,” “Bob, did you check the hydraulic reserve bottle?” – “Yes, Ron,” – and so on to the end of the checklist.
Next, it’s pack and stow all the personal luggage. At this point, you remind yourself that you are a flight mechanic, not a flight ‘attendant’ – but hey, it’s all part of the job. Just as long as they don’t ask me for coffee and peanuts once we take off.
Then we all attend the crew briefing, push the plane out of the hangar, and do our “group calisthenics” – (better known as turning the props prior to starting the engines). Again, make sure you are upwind, because these babies belch oil).
Once the crew has boarded, we perform a cockpit check. I make sure everyone is belted in and the hatch is secure. As we taxi for takeoff, I check that the engine instruments are in green and that the wheels will actually come up. During the flight, we watch for any engine problems such as leaking oil and check gauges.
You are so busy that it hardly seems like any time has passed before we land in Houston at Ellington AFB. The crew all jumps out and we take part in the “Royal Order of the Blue Towel” – better known as ‘wipe down Rose.’ The object of this exercise is to get the oil off Rose with more going on the towels than on our shirts.
It’s hot and humid, and we are tired and messy – but we need to unpack our luggage, check the weather in case we need to cover Rose for the night, and secure the oil and gas deliveries for the next day. Then it’s find someplace to eat and find our digs for the night.
It’s Show Day! Up early, check the oil and fill up the plane. Hopefully, there will be a few extra hands to unload and set up the PX, open the hatches and windows and prepare for cockpit tours. Hard to believe – but crowds are already gathering by 7:45 a.m. and lots of people want to tour Rose.
As it gets close to show time, we move people out of the flightline, move the PX, and do all the pre-flight work for the airshow including checking for debris on the ground. Then it’s ‘gentlemen, start your engines’ and climb inside. This short ride on the ‘Yellow Rose’ makes all the hard work worthwhile. There’s no bigger thrill than being part of the airshow team. Even after we land, the ‘rush’ is still there and if it’s a two-day show, you can hardly wait for the next event. Once the show is over, it’s time to pack and stow the PX, order fuel for the next day’s trip home, and close up for the night.
While most shows go smoothly, you always have to ‘expect the unexpected.’ We were ready for engines start for the trip back to San Marcos . Then it happened !!! The dreaded “hydraulic lock.” So, it’s roll up the sleeves, pull out the tools, pull the plugs and hope you find the right one early on. We did, out came a quart of oil, and 20 minutes later we were
airborne and on our way home.
We landed at San Marcos, opened the hangar doors, pulled out our personal vehicles that were locked safely inside for the weekend, unloaded the luggage, made sure the Rose was put away, and then relaxed with a cold beer (OK – maybe more than one cold beer).
Being a flight mechanic is a lot of work – but it’s also very rewarding to know that so many people are depending on you to do your job thoroughly and safely! I’ve also learned that it’s a big job for just one person. So – if you can – try to show up early to give your flight mechanic some much-needed and appreciated help. Finally – give some thought to becoming a flight mechanic yourself – a lot of us ‘old guys’ want to be sure there will be someone else to whom we can ‘pass the torch’ (or the wrench) when the time comes!
