Some Whitley progress

Elliott,

Yes, waiting (meaning patience) is really a virtue in this kind of work:D
Good to read that the progress is still going on.

Cheers

Cees

Thanks Cees

No one has been able to produce any evidence that the Whitley in the Baltic has actually been found contrary to what was reported in the aviation press.

Currently I am waiting for the centre section jig to come through – I submitted the design some time ago and am still waiting for it! Just a matter of time.

Thanks for the offer of autopilot parts – i’ll keep a note!

Cheers

Hi Elliott,

Nice to see some progress again on the various Whitley components. Have you already started construction of fuselage sections or are you still waiting for substantial bits to be found. Any info on the Baltic wreck?

Those autopilot servos, I have four of these of which three are in excellent condition (one you know of as it came from Shoreham), do you need any spare bits?

Keep it up, we need a Whitley,

Cheers

Cees

Heroic project. 🙂

Thanks for posting that Junk Collector

That looks like the mass balance from the rudder – well spotted folks. We have the remains of the other end, where it arises from the rudder, but not the balance itself as they tend to break off.

There should be a part number on the lead part. Any chance it might be surplus? There’s a place for it in the rather long restoration queue!

I’m sure a trade could be worked out if needed.

All the best

Yes a weight for sure the chap I was talking to was going on about a Wellington crash and a Whitley in the same area though the information pointed to a Whitley in the exact area I was in.

Thanks Ant and Peter for your kind words

It is a long term project, but luckily I am young. There is a possibility of a major boost on the horizon, but I shouldn’t say any more than that at this stage 🙂

Lottery is an idea although I wonder if all the spare aeroplane cash has already gone to the tin triangle!

Here’s a pic of the escape hatch in situ – it’s above the pilots head (no surprise there!).

Looks like a rudder mass balance weight from a Wellington or Whitley.

Looks like a control mass balance, aileron, maybe, similar to the Halifax?

Yes a weight for sure the chap I was talking to was going on about a Wellington crash and a Whitley in the same area though the information pointed to a Whitley in the exact area I was in.

Absolutely stunning Elliot, I know there are more than a few Aussie enthusiasts following the Whitley Project with much excitement! Great stuff!!!

Looks like a control mass balance, aileron, maybe, similar to the Halifax?

While out last week looking at a few sites one of which was a Whitley I found this does this identify as a Whitley part, its very heavy seems to be made out of lead on a steel shaft.

I echo that statement Ant. Elliot are you able to get any funding from Heritage lottery at all? Amazing to see the hatch was so intact after 50 years in the elements

Nice work Elliott, I dread to think how many man hours have gone into the above parts, let alone the whole project so far! Well done to everyone involved, I really think this is one of the greatest restoration/reconstruction projects ever undertaken.