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While at AirVenture, master machinist William Tromblay mentioned he recently fabricated new Hayes brake drums for an L5 owner. These were for the 6.00 x 6 wheels (L-5 through L-5E). We discussed making additional Hayes brake drums and wants a head count in order to determine a price and production schedule. He will also fabricate brake drums for the 8.50 x 6 wheels (L-5G). So, respond is you want new brake drums fabricated and I will forward the list to William. Once he provides a price and schedule, confirm you are still interested. He will then contact each of you regarding schedule, pricing, and shipping. I will step out of the process so communications will be between you and William.
If interested, please respond in this format:
Charles Rooks L-5G 8.50 x 6, left and right
As a sidenote, William and his family owned machine shop in Wisconsin are known as one of the best machine fabrication shops in the warbird restoration industry.
Thank you,
Charles Rooks
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Oh, so formal Charles; it’s “Bill” to almost everyone who knows him. Anyway, there are about two dozen L-5E-1 and L-5G Sentinels that are still ostensibly flyable or being rebuilt, and I know of a couple of converts to the larger wheels, but I do not know how many have been converted to Cleveland or other aftermarket wheels and brakes. Certainly a few have. Of those less than two dozen potential takers, not including you and me, there are maybe six owners of those aircraft who are likely to read your post here. So, I’d need to start sending out private emails or snail mail to catch those members who don’t participate online, and you’d have to post on some of the Facebook or CAF forums to attract a little more attention. I’m about to go off traveling for the next 1two weeks, so won’t be able to get to it until next month at the soonest. I think how many might be interested will also depend on whether it is financially viable to make a run of expander tubes, and that’s if there are still enough NOS pucks and hardware to make that worthwhile. I’m all for it, but can’t speak for anyone else. Jim.
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Appreciate the comments and update Jim. Yes “Bill” has made some SCR-274N radio racks for me and will be making 8.50 x 6 hubcaps. I should have mentioned to the group if any G owners wants new hubcaps, let me know, so Bill can have one production run of hubcaps. Also, I am still working with a local expander tube company for pricing on new expander tubes. They have made expander tubes for C0-47’s and other large WWII aircraft. I am still trying to get info on pricing and minimum order needed for them to produce. I had told them 10 -20 pairs would be a good estimate.
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