This is a quite neat story:
I teared down the fabric on my fuselage a few years ago. It is now on it´s way to become straight (straighter!) and fitted with new cowling, birdcage and fabric.
Nevertheless, I decided to take care of the ailerons as well, but as ALWAYS things takes time (how much should you add? 3x or 4x of initial time table??) so I started just a few weeks ago with them.
There was no doubt that they had been around for a while. Lots of dents and bent structures, and it was obvious that the former owner (between 1979-2006) just washed down the old paint without refabric.
Now, when I examined my right aileron I founded a tag in black lead! Not only a name was written down - there was a date as well
What I can see, the name is RUSSLE BICKLE (or Bukle) 2-11-44.
My L4H, 11578-1317 and 43-30287 was entered ETO in june 1944. In november that year it should been somewhere in the Belgium area, due to information about 83:rd infantry division.
Of course my thoughts goes a way a bit. Was he a mechanic? Was he the one who repaired the aileron? Is the aileron replaced? IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND HIM OR HIS RELATIVES??? This could be a source to find photo documentation!
I do understand that this is like the famous needle in the hey stack, but it might be worth a try!
Does any one have a clue or at least a hint of which sources to use when to search for people? It feels like I need some help here.......
Finally, this tag ads an emotional value to the most fantastic historical document - the cub!
Rgds
Johan
I teared down the fabric on my fuselage a few years ago. It is now on it´s way to become straight (straighter!) and fitted with new cowling, birdcage and fabric.
Nevertheless, I decided to take care of the ailerons as well, but as ALWAYS things takes time (how much should you add? 3x or 4x of initial time table??) so I started just a few weeks ago with them.
There was no doubt that they had been around for a while. Lots of dents and bent structures, and it was obvious that the former owner (between 1979-2006) just washed down the old paint without refabric.
Now, when I examined my right aileron I founded a tag in black lead! Not only a name was written down - there was a date as well
What I can see, the name is RUSSLE BICKLE (or Bukle) 2-11-44.
My L4H, 11578-1317 and 43-30287 was entered ETO in june 1944. In november that year it should been somewhere in the Belgium area, due to information about 83:rd infantry division.
Of course my thoughts goes a way a bit. Was he a mechanic? Was he the one who repaired the aileron? Is the aileron replaced? IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND HIM OR HIS RELATIVES??? This could be a source to find photo documentation!
I do understand that this is like the famous needle in the hey stack, but it might be worth a try!
Does any one have a clue or at least a hint of which sources to use when to search for people? It feels like I need some help here.......
Finally, this tag ads an emotional value to the most fantastic historical document - the cub!
Rgds
Johan
