"John Freck" wrote in message
om...
"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote in message
...
[snip]
Normal procedure was return to manufacturer and install
a replacement engine. Assembly of new engines was beyond
what would be possible on-base, and assembling one from
parts of damaged engines would be inviting disaster.


I think you must not be mechanically inclined. I don't know about
other industrial nations, but the USA is deep in mechanics. Mechanics
in the USA can make over $25/hr and with good amounts of over-time can
take home over $60,000. This means that they can have espeniive
hobbys. Just take a look at what you can get if you have a strong
middle class income and a willing to dispose of it. Small business
can make airplane parts, and assemble planes. I know people at work
who can assemble an engine. Being able to assemble an engine is very
basic to the 'mechanic'.

As an American with a lathe (two actually, 1 each metal & wood),
far more "shop" tools than most and a long history of working on cars,
I agree with them, you're barking up the wrong tree.

I'm fairly sure ever major naval combatant and suspect at least some of
the big ETO Air Force bases had machine shops; these shops would
not have been in the business of trying to build planes (even assembling
planes would have been up to others). Repairing or fabricating select parts,
sure, but there's no way one's going to take on a main spar or make an
engine crank from scratch, just too difficult to get right.