[SEL] B17 with buzzcoil trouble

[Chuck Balyeat]

The liberty Belle was in Corpus Christi Sunday ,and she might  be in Austin by now .. maybe . 



I plunk my Edwardian Era engine addicted butt down in the radioman's seat . Ethernet connetion ? That aint original . They start lighting off the engines when I notice the guy sitting across the plane is a long time customer at my parts store about an hour away  , and as per his custom ,  is drunker than Cooter Brown and yelling" DONT I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE  ??"". 

Gimme  a break , I cant go anywhere . 

I stick my head out of the gaping hole in the top of the radio room ..smells good , lots of oil burning , mmmmm rich too  . My arms are going full tilt with goosebumps . So I sit down and channel that wee shot of adrenaline into a feeble attempt at imagining the welling panic and fear of 88's and Me's .  Just how much what I now have cost those that came before me .  Incredibly humbling . 

 I look outside and  he's still spinning # 2 but it isnt cooperating . A couple of minutes later the engines start conking out ..one... two.. three . 

Silence punctuated by a couple of uh-oh's .

The pilot is telling the CP he thinks it's the spark booster and then comes back through the bomb bay " Sorry folks but  the number 2 engine isnt starting and we will have to deplane ."

Smart ass in radio room : " You mean we just got derailed by a model T buzz coil ." 
He grins at the SAOD (smart ass on duty) and says " That would describe our situation ..PRECISELY ! "  pointing at my nose .
" We'll get her running in 15 minutes . Let's go  " 

So we hung around the lobby in Atlantic Aviation scarfing down all their pretzels and free coffee. I was  inquiring into how much it would cost to wash and wax "my Beech" pointing at the twin engine jet behind her through the window . $75 to wash and 100 wax , quite the bargain actually , when a very agitated mechanic wearing Liberty Belle  gear bellies up to the bar next to me .  

"Where's the closest auto parts store ? " 

Gimme a break , I can't go anywhere .

She hands him a phone book and he starts to fan through it at a rapid rate . Wait for it . Timing . Wait ... he finds the A's ...finds the page ...wait for it..
finger is sliding up and down ..and ...it stops on AutoZone . That's my cue .

" Hard to find a real parts house anymore . Lots of nittwittery afoot . What do you need ? "

He chuckles in agreement "Just contact cleaner " 

Well hell , go down to the last hangar  to the HALO life flight and ask for Sonny . He'll give you a can of contact cleaner .Tell him "Chuck said "

"The HALO guys are here ? "

"HALO's here , they were just here getting  coffee and went thataway "

"That's a LOT closer ! " Slap , thump goes the phonebook and he's off like a fart in a whirlwind . 

I buff my nails on the front of my Bessemer T-shirt . 


To be continued