Fokker Grunau Baby IIb

Grunau Baby IIb PH-152 was built in 1947 by Fokker and has since then been flying with several gliding clubs (Eindhoven, Gilze-Rijen, Teuge, Valkenburg, Castricum and Nistelrode) until 1983 when she was bought by Raymond van Loosbroek and put in storage.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 1
PH-152 at Teuge in the fifties

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in de lierstart
PH-152 in a more colorful outfit

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 over de kop 1   Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 over de kop 2
A "little" damage in 1951 in Eindhoven

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 melding ongeval 1951

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 reparatie romp op zolder

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 reparatie vleugel op zolder
Repair of fuselage and left wing in the attic of Pa Smits in Eindhoven 


At some time PH-152's colors were changed to all blue, which earned her the nickname 'Bluebird'.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 (Terlet 1977) 1

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 (Terlet 1977) 2

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 (Terlet 1977) 3
Three pictures taken at Terlet gliding center in 1977

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 (Puck Smits in de Baby)

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 op final Nistelrode
Two photos from PH-152's Nistelrode period (1973-1983)

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 (Axel 1989) 
PH-152 put together for show at Axel glider field in 1989

The restoration
In 2009 Baby PH-152 came out of storage and was transported to the workshop of airbase De Peel where serious work was started on the fuselage by Frans Otten.
In 2015 Baby PH-152 the restoration project was taken over by Hans Regeer and in his workshop in Oss Hans Regeer, Raymond van Loosbroek and me, with lots of help from others, continued restoration work on the fuselage. 

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in Oss 1 

First all metal parts were removed and reconditioned. 

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in Oss 2

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in Oss 3 
Wing attachment before and after reconditioning

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in Oss 4 
Fokker winch hook painted in primer, test fitted in the fuselage

Where necessary old cables were replaced by new cables. 
The inside got his final paint and then the fuselage was reskinned.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in Oss 5 
Cockpit area  after repainting

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in Oss 6 
New plywood on fuselage bottom

In 2020 Hans Regeer and Raymond van Loosbroek sadly passed away and I took over the project.

Hans en Raymond 
Hans and Raymond

I continued the project in the workshop of Aeroclub Nistelrode and started work on the left wing.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in werkplaats Nistelrode 1 
Wings in the workshop

Smaller parts (which means parts that fit into my car) were taken home where I work on them there.
First the canopy was reconstructed and completed and after that the left wings airbrakes, wing cover and landingskid were next.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 thuiswerk kap 
Rebuild canopy

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in werkplaats Nistelrode 2 
And it even fits!

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 thuiswerk remklep 
Left wing airbrakes 
 
Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 thuiswerk schaats 
Cleaned up landingskid

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 Afgelakte onderzijde romp
Painted fuselage bottom almost ready to receive main skid and tail skid

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 Staartslof

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 Schaats
Main skid with new rubber blocks and tail skid in place

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 Kaal richtingroer

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 Bekleden richtingroer
After finishing painting the fuselage finishing the rudder is next

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 Passen richtingroer aan romp
With the rudder trial fitted the fuselage really starts to look like the beauty she should be