Aircraft Cockpit Sections/Instrument Panel Projects

Hi Peter

“If parts become available would you continue unto a full length fuselage?”

Yes, certainly! There is sizable chunk of Sea Hornet TT193 in Canada that would really realise this dream.

Nice Job Dave

She is really starting to look like a Hornet now.;) If parts become available would you continue unto a full length fuselage?

Dave,
Thanks for the answers, atleast the possibilities are there for you, but, with all your hard work so far, if you dont go live I wouldnt blame you. As for the canopy, it will be hard enough to look after once fitted let alone just stored. Im certainly looking forwards to your finished cockpit, as until I saw your projects thread & accidently bought a set of repro pilots notes I didnt even know the plane existed!!!!! Ty for kind words about the Cranberry, oh and yes she is very big LoL Bex

Hi Bex

In answer to your questions,

There is no reason why this cockpit couldn’t be made “live”, but there are so many fundemantal parts to be made on the complete forward fuselage, that this would be very much a future project, if everything else gets done. I have tried to get new instruments and switches where possible, so they could work, if connected properly. As yet to be collected though, are all the “black boxes” that these would be connected to!

Secondly, I do have a plan to have a canopy made. The original drawing is in my posession, and I know how to make the blow moulding frame it requires. However, I have left this on the back burner for a while until this cockpit has been substantially finished. Canopies can be notoriously vunerable to “hangar rash” when they live on a shelf, floor, etc. and I want to minimise exposing it to any potential before it gets permanantly fitted. (Leaving it to the last minute also allows for the fact that if the cockpit is seen at some events, it could draw an original canopy out of the woodwork – you never know?)

Cheers, and good luck with the canberra! I spent an ATC summer camp at RAF Wyton in 1987, with the FLM team (flight line maintenance) on their canberras – doing start-up’s, ground checks, etc. They are big machines, but fly so gracefully.

Daves Hornet

Dave,
Project looking good, amazing work. COuple of questions……..

1. WIll it be a live cockpit
2. Have u worked out how to make a canopy for it, or will it dare I say it, be Topless?

Bex

Excellent work as usual Dave, nice to see things are progressing well with this unique project, keep up the great work sir.

Regards,
Dave

DH Hornet cockpit updates

Here are a couple of updates on the Hornet cockpit build.

The first photo shows the inner skin in place.

The second photo shows the mould before the inner skin was put in place.

Thanks awfully old chap…

Pigeon received old bean…:D Will see what I can organize…:)

Thanks OLDspitty

Please check your pm’s

Repeat please….

😀 😀
To name a few..First bloke to call on
http://simhardware.org/index.html
This one looks familiar..
Or you could try these guys..http://www.y2kspitfire.com/
http://www.warbirdrestoration.co.nz/current.html#vc
http://www.spitfirespares.com/SpitfireSpares.com/Pages/home.html
http://www.warbirdsrestoration.com/
Any other queries just holla!!:cool:
Also click on my sig if all else fails.

Spitfire parts

Does anyone have any links or info for spit parts? A friend over here is beginning a cockpit project and is need of help with parts etc.

Cees do you have the drawings for the throtte controls in case one doesnt show up?

Peter,

I have one drawing of the pilot’s position showing the throttle box fitted to the pilot’s chassis. But as the throttle box was made by Bloctube the IWM has no further drawings. I tried Bloctube but although there are very helpful and interested there are no drawings in their archive (or a spare throttle box on a dusty shelf unfortunately).

We will see what turns up in the end.

Cees

Hornet cockpit

At Peters request from the DH Hornet thread, here are some updated pictures for the DH Hornet cockpit, as of March this year. The wooden nose mould is still being built, and it is hoped to have the first try-out skin lifted from this, and attached to the sides of the cockpit assembly, in time for this years cockpit-fest in mid June 2007.

I have updated the website recently for more details.

Throttle Box

Cees do you have the drawings for the throtte controls in case one doesnt show up?

Your attic must be huge!

Peter,

Well, it is compared to the previous house heh heh. This cockpit will be about the pilot’s postion only so the flight engineers compartment has been dropped. This way the cockpit will be compact and doesn’t need too much room. We need our clothes drying there as well you know:D
Next step, riveting the throttle box controls duct next to the floor and then the throttle box trunk can be fitted. This baby will keep on growing.

Cheers

Cees

Anyone know where I can find a pair? Or something similar to tide me over in the meantime?

Oooh, bet your the talk of the neighbourhood ????

😀

F27 Seats

Anyone know where I can find a pair? Or something similar to tide me over in the meantime?

Looking good Cees!

Your attic must be huge!

Todays updated

I was fed up at work this morning so took the afternoon off.

Time well spent I must say as the cockpit floor has been assembled
in the attic with the pilot’s floor propped up above it. The aileron
trimtab housing has been fitted and the control column fitted
temporarily. The new and old parts matched very well. It’s beginning
to look like something familiar.

Cheers

Cees

Sort of, its not so much a cockpit rebuild, more a kind of total restoration, however I’m sure someone out there has the parts to allow me to complete.

And before anyone says it, yes i know its bright yellow, it is actually an L4 fuselage, but the previous owner tried to convert it to a j3, I am in the process of reversing the work he has done.

you can follow the restoration process at:

www.planeheritage.com

its a bit under construction at the moment, but a big update should be featured by the weekend