Aircraft Cockpit Sections/Instrument Panel Projects

Can you post a pic of your cockpit to keep with the thread?

Hi guys

I’m rebuilding a 1944 L4H cub and am in need of some instruments. I have a tacco, but need the altimeter, ASI, Compass, and Oil temp/pressure guage.

The oil temp/press is in white, all the remaining are in black with a cub decal on the face. Have attached some piccie examples.

I also need a type A7 ignition switch. Cash or swap waiting.

I have many other wartime instrument bits all stored away at the parents house (far too much to list – but if you guys have any parts i need, i’ll make the trip).

Any other Piper cub parts that you don’t need, please get in touch.

cockpit crate?

By this you mean panel right? If yes, then there is the oss part on ebay but some can be pricey. There are a couple of other sites around such as barnstormers etc but the chaps here might know more.
Will keep a look out for parts for you.

Lightning T5 instrument crate

Hello All,

Ive been fortunate enough to locate a Lightning T5 instrument crate and look forwards to starting restoring it back to some sort of splendour. Should have seen Jimmy Dell’s face light up when i showed him it ….!!! WOW, what a true gent and flying legend! ..but that another story for my ‘Lakes Lightnings’ website when i get it going…..looking at end of April 07 with a bit of luck.

Anyway, back to the crate; Ive not done restoration like this before so should anyone out there know of any appropriate items (ebay or wherever) then id be very interested to hear about them…..thanks in anticipation.

All top tips and ‘steers’ gratefully received!

I will be taking the T5 crate in whatever form it is along to Cockpitfest 07 at Newark along with F6 section XS922.

Fly Safe

Superb Cees – well done!!!!

TT

Thanks chaps,

The control column has been fitted as well (some weird noises came from the attic after that according to my wife:D ). It has been removed again to fit the aileron trimming tab controls. The horizontal tube of the control column passes right through the housing. The throttle box controls duct is the next project after that so that the throttle box trunk can be fitted as well. A pilot’s seat is also nearly finished. After years of collecting loose components, something is finally ermerging.

Cheers

Cees

Looks great Cees!

I’m looking forward to future updates.

Well between you ,you are making a good job of it, and I look forward to the next installment; r.e the spitfire, maybe when I’ve made a bit more progress, I’ll post a pic.

Cees, that really looks good, have you made the rudder pedal adj mechanism?

Hi Stuart,

You mean the star wheel that makes fore and aft adjustment possible? Yes, the whole assembly has been made according to drawings by a friend of mine. I am still learning basic metal skills. I have some very good friends of mine who have the skills needed for fabricating difficult (or impossible) to find items peculiar to the Halifax. The pilot floor was made by a friend of mine ,who used to work in the prototype department of Fokker, with me assisting by making angles, and odds and ends. (learning the basic metalforming skills in the process I hope)

Any pics of your Spitfire project?

Cheers

Cees

Cees, that really looks good, have you made the rudder pedal adj mechanism?

It is Peter,

I have control over my project and I can work on it whenever I want to. So that’s an improvement. I will concentrate on this pilot’s floor and built it up from there.

Cheers

Cees

THanks for the update Cees!

Looking great and a huge step forward!

Halifax cockpit floor progress

Here are some pics of the pilot’s floor that was finished last week. I have fitted the rudder pedals (they fitted a treat). Next is the fitting of the trimming tab controls and control column. Watch this space.

Cheers

Cees

Spitfire too big??

I can imagine mate…Only two options…Take a cutsaw to it orrrrr.Build a cockpit section that you can take away..You really want to…don,t you,cmon you can tell us,don,t be shy…No pressure but you would really be cool if you did and everyone would like it.Your going to say yes arent you.Yep he,s thinking,..yes can see the gears working in his head……:diablo:
Top work on the seats.Worthy of the praise heaped upon them..:cool:

Truely beautiful seats Dave – that is fantastic work. I take my hat off to you!

All the best
Elliott

They are new build ones, got a drawing from a guy in the US (who works on B-17E, Desert Rat).
Took a while but worth it in the end

Cockpit or whole aircraft that is the question?

As someone who has hauled his replica spitfire all over the country to various events and film locations, I have to say that its a royal pain in the a**. Every time we need an 40ft artic, we have to unbolt and remove the wings and believe me thay have to be in perfect alignment to come on or off, in fact they are harder to get off than back on. I live in a terrace house and when i first bought it, it spent months stored without its wings. Its nice to have the whole aircraft even if it is a replica but I would sooner have a cockpit if i wanted to display it on a regular basis, it certainly gets more exposure and costs a fraction to move. My Spit replica used to have a removable tail(now welded) just behind the cockpit and we used to be able to transport that on a 16ft car trailer with just a little bit stuck out. I know a few scrap dealers one of which used to break Spitfires post war and the entries in their books make grim reading. They once had an imacualte MKV in the yard and as a young chap the scrappy asked his dad if they could save this one? His Dad asked him “Son who is going to want a Spitfire with petrol at 5 shillings a gallon”, i think thats 25p in new money. The aircraft was duly cut up. Anybody that saves anything whether its a complete aircraft or cockpit is doing aviation a service.Its noones fault when they dissapear except maybe a government who can waste billions each year but dont give a damn about our aviation heratage.

They are new build ones, got a drawing from a guy in the US (who works on B-17E, Desert Rat).
Took a while but worth it in the end

Dave, the seats look really good, the fluted backs look like they might have taken a while, but worth the effort; look forward to seeing the rest.

Cees emailed you about the asi i can see where its going.

Cheers Graham:)

H Graham,

The airspeedindicator arrived safely. Thanks very much for the great service.

Cheers

Cees

Seats

They are new build ones, got a drawing from a guy in the US (who works on B-17E, Desert Rat).
Took a while but worth it in the end

Are those new seats you’ve made – or old ones renovated?

If they are new… that’s some tasty tin-bashing!!

Roy.