Fokker Grunau Baby IIb

Grunau Baby IIb PH-152 was built in 1946 by Fokker and delivered in 1947, it 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 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 

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 2

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 in de lierstart
PH-152 in a more colorful outfit (1970's)

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 5
PH-152 got a damaged nose after hitting a fence (1970's) 

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 static 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
PH-152 in a rather 'naked' view of the cockpit bottom 

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

As the original instruments and panel were lost after the death of Raymond van Loosbroek, new instruments were bought and a new wooden panel was made.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 Instrument panel
PH-152 with a trial fit of the new panel and instruments

Next job is the stabilizer.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo 0
A nice historic detail: a handwritten date "13/8-'46" found inside 

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo 1
First some wood repairs to be done

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo 2 Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo 3
Then dress up the stabilizer with SuperFlite material

 Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo 4 Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo 5 
And give it a good "oldtimer-look" paint job 

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 hoogteroer 2
After the stabilizer the elevators are next

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 bekleden hoogteroeren 1 Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 bekleden hoogteroeren 2
The elevators getting a new coat

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 hoogteroer 1 
The elevators too had a nice historical signature in it 

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo hoogteroeren klaar Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 stabilo hoogteroeren afgelakt  
The finished stabilizer and elevators reunited  

Next job is the right wing which still has the blue painted original linnen.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 uitkleden rechter vleugel 1 Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 uitkleden rechter vleugel 2
The right wing, removing the old linnen

First inspection showed most wood on the right wing to be okay except for a small piece of plywood at the bottom of the wing near the root.
Also a lot of metal parts showed some rust, so all metal will be removed, stripped of all paint and after inspection given a new paint coat.
But first the wings interior must be cleaned as there seem to be some waste from previous residents (rodents) in it.

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 voedsel restanten
Food waste from rodents in the interior

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 vochtinwerking torsieneus Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 roestig hoofdbeslag
Water damaged plywood and rusty metal parts

Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152 nieuwe huid torsieneus Fokker Grunau Baby IIb PH 152  beslag in menie
New plywood and metal parts in primer