American Coleman Tug

[196thprober]

Wow-simply AWESOME!

Your exterior/body looks exactly like mine! Throttle linkege of course different- and where I have a small problem going; the pencil sized 'shock absorber' like thingy that apparently pushes the pedal back to the top/idle position. Hava an M1A1 short bungee cord kooked up behind the pedal on the shaft and then up to the bottom lip of the dash to make it 'return' right now until we identify/find out where to get the rplacement.

The place where your fire extinguisher is mounted gave me an idea where to simply move my mount- it's currently right on the rear drivers side, hit my knee on it every time I get in/out.

In addition, looking at your interior pictures, most everything (including the data plate) on yours looks pretty much the same, with the exception of the 'contol bar' for the rear wheel steering- yours has a nice 'upward slant' to it, where mine just juts out straight- it's currently 'in the way' like that, and I'm constantly hitting my left knee/leg on it- so there is midification # 2 to eventually do to mine- all by just looking at your pictures!

Pulling the B29=PRICELESS! Congratulations and many thanks for throwing the pictures on here-already a bunch of help!

 

[196thprober]

Forgot-printed out the manual you sent- my printer was breathing a sigh of releif big time after I got done with it. Man; 300 + pages- what a pile! Great stuff-thank you!

 

[196thprober]

Needle; do you know/can you tell me/find out how many B29s are still out there able to fly? my guess to a friend was 5-6, am I anywhere close?

 

[Needle]

Chuck,

There is only 1 B29 bomber still left flying in the world. That aircraft is FIFI, and is the aircraft in the pictures I posted.

FIFI is maintained and operated by the B29/B24 squadron of the Commemorative Air Force, which is based at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, TX.
I am a volunteer with the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, and when not acting as aircrew, I help maintain all their military vehicles together with all their ground support equipment (trucks, tugs, hydraulic platforms, cranes, forklifts, shuttle buses, golf carts, etc, etc), and my maintenance area is in the same hanger as the B29/B24 squadron.
I am also a member of the CAF B29/B24 squadron, and when not working on CFM equipment, I am working on CAF equipment.

 

[196thprober]

Holy S$%^! I have the hair (what's left of it) raising up on the back of my head just reading this/being part of this thread. Congratulations- what an honor and privledge you are part of sir! I'm stunned- I thought there was at least a few of them still going; know they are huge and must cost an absolute fortune to keep going. I know nothing about it though obviously- never was aroiund aircraft much (U S Army) but love them.

I'm a member of the Wurtsmith Air Museum up here in the sticks in Northeast MI. It's located on/in some Hangers of a former SAC base (B52s and KC135s) that stood down in 1993 along with a bunch of others during BRAC; (Base Realignment and Closure) after Reagan kicked the Ruskie A$$.

Do you think you'all could jump in FIFI and take a spin up to Oscoda for our MIMVPA June 8-10th Historic Military Vehicle Show? It would only be a couple thousand miles or so; we already have a few other planes coming in-probably not as big as yours though.............................

 

[Needle]

Chuck,

The B29 ("FIFI") will be on tour this year, accompanied at most venues by the B24 ("Diamond Lil") and the Cavanaugh Flight Museum P51 ("The Brat III"). All three aircraft will be offering "Living History rides" at most venues.
However, the aircraft won’t make it to Michigan until August.

The current plan is to be in Michigan 2nd thru 5th August 2012 at the "Thunder over Michigan" airshow, Yipslanti, MI.

Current full schedule is as follows (subject to weather and aircraft serviceability)

May 18-20 Aviation Museum of Kentucky, Lexinton, KY
May 22-23 Martin State Airport, Baltimore, MD
May 25-30 Carolinas Avaiation Museum, Charlotte, NC
June 1-3 Mid Atlantic Air Museum, Reading, PA
June 8-10 New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, CT
June 11-13 Prior Aviation, Buffalo Niagra Intl Airport, Buffalo, NY
June 14-17 Canadian Warplane Heritage Airshow, Hamilton, Canada

July 20-29 EAA Airventure 2012, Oshkosh, WI
August 2-5 Thunder over Michigan, Yipsilanti, MI
August 10-12 Dupage Air Center, Chicago, IL

Further info at www.cafb29b24.org

 

[196thprober]

Needle, will you be with her on the tour? At least a few of our members will be at the Yipsilanti Event (those that are geographically close) Some others MUCH further away might make it there also-like ME! (if you are going to be there)

 

[Needle]

Chuck,

At this point in time I am not part of the crews for the currently planned B29/B24 tours. If I am at Thunder over Michigan, it will be with the P51.

 

[196thprober]

I know it's months away still needle, but I'm debating it already; but please let me know whenever you know; if you were going to be there with the P51 it would tip the scale for sure!

 

[196thprober]

Hey Needle;

Just wanted to let you know rhat even though the Annual Memberhip is kinda steep for me anymore, I filled out the application and sent in a check today to become a member of the Commerative Air Force B-29/B-24 Squadron. Now; with my reputation if they only let me join I'll be happy..........

Thanks again for all the help you have given me!

 

[robl52]

196thprober...PM me your email address and I will send you a pdf copy of the manual I have. (My memory is not as bad as I thought...I was correct with 55-1740-200-14. )

Although I am working on a 318ci V8 version of the tug, the copy of the manual I have is for the 6 cylinder flat head and is dated 1970. It does contain a lot of info related to the tug systems, maintenance and includes part numbers, so apart from engine details it has been very useful. However, I have seen other versions of the same manual which are more upto date and included the 318 gas V8 and the diesel engined version... I will try and see if I can locate them as well.

I have a 1981 allis diesel model G40H with an allison auto. I was wondering if any one knows where I might find a manual for this model.

 

[Road Warrior 88]

Bumping this in case ANYONE has a connection/advice for getting info/Operators/Maintenance manual/parts source/etc-Have run inoto a lot of dead ends- made 2 'contact us' website inquiries from places that claim to have parts (Allis Chalmers 200 CID Diesel T433 Engine, 10 days ago; gave them all the info- and neither of them even responded to me. Can't find anything taht leads me to info/parts for 'American Coleman Tug' but keep in mind I'm challenged computer/website wise.

It looks like I am having the same problem findng information on the G40H tug with the T433 diesel engine. Did you ever find what you were looking for? If so, can you photo copy or duplicate what you have? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Road Warrior 88]

Chuck, Matt,

Just to give some inspiration....She ain't pretty, but she is a good workhorse.

I have the exact same tug. Do you have any service or parts manuals you could share?

 

[mcdive]

Forgot-printed out the manual you sent- my printer was breathing a sigh of releif big time after I got done with it. Man; 300 + pages- what a pile! Great stuff-thank you!

My son has a 1999 model it might be useful to have that manual to get idea's how things go. If your willing to share it.

 

[cobra5]

The G40H tug has 3 manuals, Operation & Maintenance, Overhaul, and Illustrated Parts Breakdown. There's a manual for the 1972-1977 G40E, G40F and G40G series and was changed in 1978. The G40H was the last model produced by Coleman Motor Company from 1980-1981 with the company eventually shutdown operations in 1987. I don't know how many of these tugs were produced but it doesn't appear to be many. My tug was built in 1980 and was 1 of 29 that had the brake system modified to tow bomb trailers. The manuals for this tug were published in 1980 and last changed in 1993.

 

[mcdive]

We think it's the master cylinder is bad. His is the 1999. md40.
Thanks for the replie.

 

[cobra5]

We think it's the master cylinder is bad. His is the 1999. md40.
Thanks for the replie.

Did you mean an MB-4? 1999 would make it an Entwhistle

 

[mcdive]

Yes your are right. Thank you

 

[Guyfang]

so how about TM numbers?

 

[cobra5]

so how about TM numbers?

Which TM numbers?