Wednesday January 16th : Yves Tariel pays SNAFU Special a visit
Yves Tariel, well known french Dakota specialist who years ago made possible the return to the Ste Mere Eglise Museum of a C-47, paid SNAFU Special and her crazy bunch (in his own words) a little visit.
Yves has been providing valuable and complete informations about the plane's specific markings and even submitted the idea to supervise the actual marking when time comes. Also discussed, the transportation problems between Carpiquer and Merville. The possible use of a helicopter has been mentionned, in reference to the work done in Ste Mere Eglise by the US Army. Yves even brought along some parts he owned and that we were still missing. Yves had been following the restoration process for so long... and the inevitable occured; Yves is hooked! As a Dakota lover, he sure had to be!. Welcome Yves to our crazy lot. With more "Transvalair" and other companies former employees visiting the site, as the day went on, we got to learn more about his hard core pilots. Quite obviously, these guys sure went through some serious adventures in the most remote parts of Africa or else, and one could spend hours just listening to their stories, of the strangest loads and urgent take offs. Do come and join us as they all strongly support the project and spent countless hours to bring him back to his old glory. Under Claude's merciless supervision, and with a little help from Team Snafu, they tore apart the rear part of the center wing and are about to unlock the rusty brakes from the wheels. Starting january 18th, help shall come from students of the Ecole des Métiers de l'Industrie. Groups of 4 or 5 students and their teacher shall many times a week bring results to the aluminium patches issue. The next working session saturday january 26th shall mostly concentrate on scrubbing some parts of the fuselage.
On this day, a special invitation has been sent out to the Carpiquet people.
The adventure moves on.