Kermit Weeks Shares Restoration Report on Rare Seversky P-35a

Kermit Weeks has shared a new series of images detailing the ongoing work on his exceedingly rare Seversky P-35.

As previously reported, the machine was acquired years back in a trade with the USAF Museum and is reportedly one of only three remaining examples of the single seat fighter, which was introduced in the mid-1930s and saw limited action at the beginning of WW2. It came from the Swedish Air Force and was stored in underground bunkers during the war, which resulted in significant pitting and surface corrosion. Additional damage was sustained when Hurricane Andrew struck Kermit’s by Florida-based Fantasy of Flight attraction in 1992. When complete, this will be the only airworthy example of the type in the world.

Click below to check out the update.

As you can see, he has pretty mucn finished riveting almost all the upper skins on the right outboard panel!

He has also made and drilled all the lower skins, but the plan is to leave this and begin drilling the left outboard…

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 

Here Rick has begun to drill off some of the skins off the left wing. The stretch-formed extruded wing butt channels…

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 

Here you can see some of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Rick has already drilled off the outer tip…

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 

The airplane had been flipped on its back in the past and we think it was patched up and then used for static display in…

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 

Here is an example of a patch on the left wing.

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 

And here is the new skin on the unpatched right wing!

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 

Here's another example of a patch on the left wing.

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 

And here is the new skin on the unpatched right wing!

Lookin' pretty good if I don't say so myself!

(And the wing's not bad either! ? )

Posted by Kermit Weeks on Monday, January 14, 2019

 
(via Kermit Weeks Top Photo: Valder137 via Wikimedia Commons)