The hunt resumed.

Hi,

Last week I received a reply from Meggitt, unfortunately they don’t have any drawing from that air cylinder in their archive. Sp I have to find another source for the information I need.

But I am also after another Dunlop part, see photo. This is the brake lever from the Fokker T.V which had a hydraulic Dunlop system. Anyone who has more info about this kind of lever?

Best regards,

Mathieu.

What a great project!
Good luck! 🙂

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies! Interesting to see that there are also manufactured welded air cylinder, I didn’t know that. But as far as I know the G.1’s were only equipped with the riveted cylinders, all the photos that are known shows the riveted example. The information posted in this thread shows that there were 3 types on the marked. The only differance between them was there length. The G.1 had cylinder No2 which had a length of 25,5″.

@OneEightBit,

Thanks for the offer! But I want to go for a metal one. I am marine engineer with access to all the tools to build one, but I like to make one as accurate as possible. I hoped that Meggitt could help me with drawings but the don’t reply to my e-mails.
Anyone an idea if it is difficult to find such welded examples?
Attached some other pieces of work from me, a few hydraulic cylinders. These cylinders have to operate the bombbay doors. In the manual from the G.1 there is a small drawing of this cylinder which helped me to built the new ones which can really work once the doors are fitted to my fuselage.
Second photo showes the oxygen cylinder which I made from 2 old exthinguisers ( bought in Port Harcourt when I was working there). I cut them in 2 and only used the top sides. The dimensions of my cylinder are exactly the same as the Vickers cylinder that were used in the thirties.

Best regatds,

Mathieu.

Sonderman, if a wooden mockup would work for you let me know as our cabinet maker will be making two for the Horsa anyway and he can always make a third for you. At the museum we’re pretty good at making repro parts that you can’t tell from the originals and the rivetted version won’t be a problem.

The above information is also given in the 1934-5 air annual as well.
While the dimensions are slightly different as shown in the diagram above compared to your tank, the volume of the “large” tank is given as 1174 cu. in.. I would say it is most likely the same item. For the record the weight of the tank is stated as being 12.37lb or 5.62Kg.

Dunlop Air Brakes

Mathieu,

What a great project, and a fascinating aircraft.

Below are some photos of another (small size) Dunlop air bottle, though the ends are welded on. It appears that soon after the introduction of the product welded bottles replaced riveted bottles, as in this country (Australia) they would have come as welded units with Avro Ansons from 1937. So it is most unlikely that there ever were a large number of riveted examples, and no doubt later production G1s would have a welded unit, if I am assuming that your photograph is of the prototype G1.

There are also photos from Air Annual of the British Empire 1937, describing Dunlop brakes, which show your riveted bottle and the system, no doubt fitting the timing of the introduction of the G1 prototype.

There seem to be three sizes all of the same diameter, only the length changes. For a non functional bottle, perhaps a wood mockup would do? A wood turner making staircase features could probably turn the shape out quickly and cheaply. A pattern maker could no doubt do the same, using pattern making timber and sealers to create a good finish. Then you could drill into the timber and glue in rivets to create the look you are after.

I think in wartime this simple 1930’s bottle design may have been replaced with a different looking ‘pineapple’ design with higher capacity, as aircraft designs went to twin brakes per wheel and required more air. I have not seen any of the 1930’s type anywhere, except for the one pictured, and you can see the affects of corrosion.

Please keep posting updates of progress.

Looks similar in size to the one the Horsa glider used for the main pneumatic system. I measured one of the tanks and the larger was 22″ along the straight part and 7″ diameter as I measured it. The main difference is that it was welded and not riveted. The fittings on each end were definately Dunlop though as I found the AHO numbers.

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