Fuel Contents Gauge help…

Jerry, you have a PM…;)

Hi stuart reply sent jerry

Jerry, you have a PM…;)

Hi Stuart,
Just a thought, as you are doing the cockpit, is it post july ’42 ?
If so I presume you have a copy the NA/PRO photo of the mod to the standard six instrument panel, for the night time use of whirlwind’s, if not let me know.
Also I have a great shot, front view, of the rear headrest etc, if you need it.
cheers
Jerry

Hi Stuart,
Feeling guilty, I just went thro’ all my whirlwind pic’s and realised I have very little in the way of cockpit shots, so sorry i can’t help.
Would love a scan of the peregrine manual if you have time, I have been searching for a while now, bit of a project, that may or may not materialise.
Cheers
Jerry

No problem Jerry, got mine from R-R Derby for a very reasonable price… 😉

Stuart

Hi Jerry

I should lighten up a bit, but times getting tight and there are somethings that just won’t be sorted, this ruddy gauge is one of them, but I won’t be beaten… 😉

I’ve got the Peregrine AP do you want a scan?

Stuart…

Hi Stuart,
Feeling guilty, I just went thro’ all my whirlwind pic’s and realised I have very little in the way of cockpit shots, so sorry i can’t help.
Would love a scan of the peregrine manual if you have time, I have been searching for a while now, bit of a project, that may or may not materialise.
Cheers
Jerry

Well I figured if I’m going to make a joke I should at least try and help.

I noticed in the original picture that the needle is vertical down. My first thought is that in fact it is not two words, but one and the hanging needles is giving the illusion.

I thought that as well but they don’t line up…

There was/is a near identical gauge to the one in your picture that I know of which was, I think 6A/1025 339FG which went up to 87 Gals and was fitted to the Beaufighter. The only text on that at the top is FUEL GALLONS as you have on yours.

Ha, thats the one we based the replica gauge on a Smiths Mk.4…

Nearest second match I found was 6A/896 which was a 140 Gallon gauge which again, had FUEL GALLONS at the top, but beneath about where the text on your is was “OVERLOAD TANK” on two rows.

Sadly I’ve not found any other close match but the most common extra words I’ve seen in white at the bottom of a gauge are either “Capacity XXX gals” or “Level Flight”.

I’ve seen those as well now after many hours trawling the net, but nothing like the Whirly one, I will try Smiths PLC next week and see if they have any archive material for this gauge… Would Westlands have a list of what they put in the ruddy thing?

Don’t know if that helps.

Mate at least you’ve tried and in my book thats means alot… ;):D

*I’d post pics of the gauges but their from a copyright source. PM if you want them.

Thats OK I’ve already got them… 😉

Stuart

Hi
Nope dude, it ‘s a peregrine engine
Diesel fuel only…:D:rolleyes:
as per the perkins manual
http://www.visaevolution.com/dati_sito/manuali/officina/motori/perkins/1300%20SERIES_TPCD1353-000-en.pdf

Tee Hee:D:rolleyes:

Sorry for the humour stuart, found the link a while back in a search for the real R-R manual …

Good luck with the project
cheers
Jerry

Hi Jerry

I should lighten up a bit, but times getting tight and there are somethings that just won’t be sorted, this ruddy gauge is one of them, but I won’t be beaten… 😉

I’ve got the Peregrine AP do you want a scan?

Stuart…

Well I figured if I’m going to make a joke I should at least try and help.

I noticed in the original picture that the needle is vertical down. My first thought is that in fact it is not two words, but one and the hanging needles is giving the illusion.

There was/is a near identical gauge to the one in your picture that I know of which was, I think 6A/1025 339FG which went up to 87 Gals and was fitted to the Beaufighter. The only text on that at the top is FUEL GALLONS as you have on yours.

Nearest second match I found was 6A/896 which was a 140 Gallon gauge which again, had FUEL GALLONS at the top, but beneath about where the text on your is was “OVERLOAD TANK” on two rows.

Sadly I’ve not found any other close match but the most common extra words I’ve seen in white at the bottom of a gauge are either “Capacity XXX gals” or “Level Flight”.

Don’t know if that helps.

*I’d post pics of the gauges but their from a copyright source. PM if you want them.

UNLEADED FUEL
ONLY

I’ll get my coat… 😮

Hi
Nope dude, it ‘s a peregrine engine
Diesel fuel only…:D:rolleyes:
as per the perkins manual
http://www.visaevolution.com/dati_sito/manuali/officina/motori/perkins/1300%20SERIES_TPCD1353-000-en.pdf

Tee Hee:D:rolleyes:

Sorry for the humour stuart, found the link a while back in a search for the real R-R manual …

Good luck with the project
cheers
Jerry

UNLEADED FUEL
ONLY

I’ll get my coat… 😮

You know sometimes I think, would it really matter what we put on the gauges, it certainly would make it a lot easier and would people notice or even care…

I’ll get my coat… 😮

Thanks for the input chaps, I’m afraid the image is too poor to see if there is any Red text, though I’ve only seen ‘ TAIL DOWN IN RED’ text in Red and if you look at the image below you will see that the text in question is only in white, might it be something about the tank postion or capacity…?

Here’s another view of the two…

I’ve just found some reference to the fuel gauges in the Whirlwind schedule of spare parts…

Under the heading
FUEL SYSTEM (Fuel Tanks)

Sub section
TANK, FUEL (PROTECTED) FORWARD, STARBOARD, GROUP.

There is this description
SMITHS 328.FG (PART NO.) Gauge, fuel, complete (used on P.6984 and subsequent aircraft) 1 (NO. OFF) A (CLASS OF STORE)

There is the same description for the Port Tank as well.

At least we can correct the FG number now…

Can someone find out the AM Number from the 328.FG number? or better still has anyone got one… :rolleyes:

Would Smiths Industries still have have a drawings of their gauges from that period?

Stuart

I think Dave is right – have a look at this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RARE-RAF-Bristol-Brigand-Aircraft-Cockpit-Fuel-gauge_W0QQitemZ140291738907QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CPV_Aviation_SM?hash=item20aa0a0d1b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1683%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Hi Stuart,

I’ve had a look through my copies of AP1086 sec 6A and did not find any reference to Whirlwind.

I would imagine the the 2 lines of red are ‘ TAIL DOWN IN RED’ as this legend appears on a number of similar fuel gauges, is there an additional scale marked in red on the instrument face? If there is there’s a good chance that’s what the legend reads.

Hope it’s of help to you.

Regards
Dave

Hmmm… 🙁 Well can anyone tell me the correct Air Ministry stores number/3digit F.G. number for the Whirlwind Fuel Contents Gauge shown? Although I understand that early aircraft types like the Whirly may have been deleted from the A.P.1086 list if they had been declared obsolete by the end of 1945…

Any instrument collectors out there care to make a educated guess of the likely text for a Smiths Mk. IV FCG?:

We won’t come round to relieve you of your little finger if we find out you’ve made a mistake, honest;)

Stuart