Tuskeegee Airmen Memorial

[Chacal]

I'd be terrified of making a typo

[artimrj]

I typed it in so I can not check it. But my boss, 6 people on the Tuskegee committee, my 2 helpers checked them. If there is a mistake, it is on the committee as they changed several things over the last 3 days. Changing JR to SR and adding initials. I did the layout so there are actually 2 blank lines between each letter group, just in case they forgot someone and need to add them later. The first CAD I did was FEB 2010, that's how long this has been going on. I typed all the names in 3 times. In 2010 we listed all their ranks and where they came from, locally, now that is gone. Then I typed them in first name first like the contract specified and had to change them to last name first.

I started cutting the rubber at 9 this morning. I had both of my cutters going. We started putting the rubber on at 11. By 3:30 all the letters were picked out and the sides covered to protect the polish. In between all that I cut the bench stencil and applied, shape carved two giant sunflowers, half a dozen wild roses, and some grapes and leaves. Then prepped 6 other flat type markers so Dean could stay blasting all day. So he actually finished 11 other units today. We do 10 hour days. Oh and answered the flippin' phone 40 times.

[glenn68]

That is amazing. It would be a honor to be a part of that.

[fecrails]

Very cool WIP pictures Bob! Thanks for sharing them.

[artimrj]

Here is a finished one. Both are done and the guys are setting them this morning.

[artimrj]

OH Joy! I just found out that the 2 grey slabs in the middle have to be lettered and they both have to have cut outs to mount the porcelain pictures in them. They are 59 x 38 and have to be 1 inch deep. They want them on site tuesday morning. So I know what I will be doing all day monday.

[MadMike1024]

One of the gentlemen that taught me the trade of papermaking was a crew member on a B-17 out of Italy. He told me of some of the things that happened, and how glad he was to see the redtails when he had to get out and walk. It seems the Germans were trying to get rid of the crews by machine gunning them in their parachutes. The Tuskeegee folks stopped that.

Beutiful and classic memorial. Nice work.

[buzz456]

Met some of them at Oshkosh last year. A great honor for me.

[artimrj]

We are mounting this on the smaller grey slab in the middle. It is 38 inches long and made of bronze. Some lettering is going on it also, the slab that is.

[GLRX12]

I met a member of the Tuskegee Airmen in Denver about 8 years back while I was on a High School Field trip to the Wings Over the Rockies Museum. He had to be in his 80's, don't remember his name sadly, but I do remember his stories were inspiring. I was old enough at the time to appreciate who he was and what he had done, but too young to be able to remember all of it today. I actually had to get special permission to go on the field trip in the first place, I was a year behind the class that was going, but I remember the Teachers assistant was a former US Marine, and at the time I was planning to join the Coast Guard after I got out of school. It was well worth the extra effort.

Never did get into the Coast Guard.....turns out no one wants you if you have diabetes....

[artimrj]

On the last part. Ceremony is sunday. Obama is supposed to be there...

This is the slab that gets the P51 on one side and the bronze plaque on the other. We recessed a hole for the plaque.

The granite weights 9,000 LBS. The bronze is 300 LBs.

[buzz456]

How about you accidentally drop that plaque on him.

[dejoh]

Oh No, you spelled Pennsylvania wrong. Just kidding, the work looks great.
Seems the computer helps your work immensely, far cry from the old stone masons.
Keep the pictures coming, the project looks fantastic.

[artimrj]

What the computer did was make me be able to do a lot more in less time. The monument industry has only been computerized since 1995 or so. My shop converted in 2001. Went from 850 stones a year to 2000.

[Ericmopar]

Wow. Very nice Bob.