Hi all
I recently visited Murray Griffiths to catch up on all the progress being made on aircraft restorations at Wangarratta in Victoria Australia.
I last visited the workshop in April and it was time to catch up again.
I was really surprised to see such gains made in such a short time.
A summary of what we saw is as follows
On our last visit one P40 Fuselage had been completed – that being Murray’s own RAAF example. On this occasion two more fuselages were virtually structurally complete with one having been sent off to it’s new owner in Northern Queensland recently and the other for Gus Larard , being a P40E undergoing the final structural work prior to being fitted out.
Wings for the RAAFM P40 project are well advanced in the jigs and as 7 sets will be required another jig is in use for the next set.
Jerry Yeagan’s P39 – the first of 4 has made major progress with the fuselage structure largely completed and mated to the empenage whilst the engine is expected in the next few weeks. The wings are in the jigs and are also in a very advanced state.
The Ki61 Tony – the first aircraft is well advanced with half of the fuselage structure having been replaced already – the workmanship is naturally excellent and the progress rapid. 4 Aircraft are scheduled to be produced at this stage. The wing jig materials have arrived and construction is to comence as I write so it should not be that long before we see one of these beauties in the air again.
The First of 3 Kingfishers is in the jig and the forward fuselage and centre section has been rebuilt – Again the work is stunning and we were facinated to see the quality of the workmanship being undertaken. This often involves very intricate fabrication of new components such as the complex ribs. Whoever gets one of these aircraft is getting some very special workmanship.
There are now 3 P38’s in the facility for use as components in the program which will see at least 4 airworthy machines emerge over time.
Due to arrive in short time are Murray’s Corsair and the airworthy machine recently purchased by a Victorian collector and which Murray will assemble.
Several very exciting projects are in the wings which I am not able to discuss as yet but will bring to you when I am able – will blow your socks off!!
In Summary the progress is staggering and many projects can be expected to roll out of this workshop in the next few years
Bye for now
John P
By: STORMBIRD262 - 18th August 2005 at 07:00
Nice Pic’s John
By: setter - 16th August 2005 at 09:14
Hi Mk12
Yep they have systems – much like the ones in their flying fleet – and all is done in due time …………….
regards
John P
By: Mark12 - 16th August 2005 at 07:50
Ah yes, the sheet metal. The easy bit.
When all the sheet metalwork is done, consider the projects 42.7% complete toward flying. 😉
Then it is systems, systems and more systems.
Mark 🙂
By: STORMBIRD262 - 16th August 2005 at 07:50
Will be fantastic to have a fork tail tearing around over Oz again!
BEEN WAY TOO LONG!!!
By: setter - 15th August 2005 at 23:16
Hi Cees
Good to chat again – been a while………..
Don’t worry the A20s are still happening – two wings are already in jigs – the issue is that the P40 wings for the RAAFM have to be finished before the bulk of the airframes arrive at Wang – won’t be long I imagine.
Regards
John P
By: HP57 - 15th August 2005 at 18:28
Hi John,
Any news on the Bostons?
Cheers
Cees
By: setter - 15th August 2005 at 01:38
Hi Richard
Black art at the moment – I do know but I need to get permission of the owner to tell you which I have sought – hope to post more soon
Regards
john P
By: RMAllnutt - 14th August 2005 at 23:44
Hi John,
Great to see the progress that’s being made… these guys work fast! I was curious to know more about the P-38’s. Which ones are these (new recoveries??), and who are they going to?
Cheers,
Richard
By: setter - 14th August 2005 at 22:42
Robbo
Thanks for that – Claus said it could have been a Lanc or a Halibag one – think he would know the difference – his lot shot at enough of them. Did he say what it was ?
Regards
John P
By: setter - 14th August 2005 at 22:38
Mark 12
We no longer accept Pound Sterling (Sterling – joke – get it?) in Aus but we will accept axes and beads and other more usful currency – a bit like Heathrow really – I remember when there was a que for commonwealth citizens – and it even moved !!!
Regards
John
By: Mark12 - 14th August 2005 at 22:14
Stirling stuff.
John, has work started on the Sterling wing yet?
I’ll bet a £1 that it hasn’t.
Mark
By: setter - 14th August 2005 at 22:08
Robbo
No the work is being held up by the UK paperwork which we are forging now for them and some UK insurance issues and the costs of restoring it are a little too cheap for the UK owners as well so we are inflating the bill for them. Also the secret Sterling Bunker has not been completed yet for the restoration but we imagine it will still be at leg ends for it’s once a year flight next year like all the other aircraft at Dux!!!
Regards
John P
By: setter - 14th August 2005 at 22:02
Napier Sabre
We already have a B24 downunder so I guess your one is safe for a while and there are still a few in PNG if we want another so just enjoy the Hendon one for now – I never promise forever though!!
Regards
John P
By: setter - 14th August 2005 at 21:59
Hi Andy G
The Beaufort is still going along at a great rate – the outer wings are being jigged and the fitout of the rest of the airframe is progressing well – it is at that stage where not a lot looks to happen because it’s all happening inside but rest assured it’s going very well and quite quickly.
Here’s the site but it’s two years out of date http://www.beaufortrestoration.com.au/a_htmls/141-Restroation.htm
I will go and take some more pics soon
regards
John P
By: setter - 14th August 2005 at 21:51
Thanks Dan
The staff seems set at around 20 working on the aircraft but would vary on the actual work happening at the time and I think will increase as the P38s comence restoration.
Regards
John P
By: C170BDan - 14th August 2005 at 21:29
Shop staff
Wow… great report!
How many people work in that shop?
The P-38 projects sound like an amazing addition to the already diverse collection of projects!
Dan
By: Napier Sabre - 14th August 2005 at 21:00
Setter,
The day the B-24 goes to ‘Aus’ is the day hell freezes. Nope for all of you people out there the ‘Libs’ fate seems to be that she will be entombed in The RAF mauseleum Hendon 🙁 On my next trip to Hendon ill take the sun in to photograph her if you can get close to photograph her. Look forward to seeing how they are going to get the Valiant out of Hendon.
By: AndyG - 14th August 2005 at 20:21
Nice one Setter thanks for that.
Any news on the Beaufort? or a website?
Can’t wait to see her in the skies over Duxford with our Beaufighter….
😀
By: STORMBIRD262 - 14th August 2005 at 18:38
GO WANG!!!!
Most exciting stuff Setter(John) 😀 ,
So strange that I was told so many time’s over 🙁 , by lot’s of oldish warbird dude’s :rolleyes: , while tinkering around with Harvard’s at Essendon Aerdrome as a teen,
NO no no no 🙁 , sorry son you will never see any of those aircraft, you and your mate’s, so much want to see flying again, NEVER it can just NOT happen anymore now.
WELL………. :rolleyes:
Let’s just say I bugged them a lot back then about, getting the Oz 262 back in to the air 😀 , I alway’s knew it was not possible of course, but still kept that dream deep in my mind 🙂 , but………… :rolleyes:
NOW in 2005 😮 , I will accept a brand new 262 for Oz, if anyone has 2.5+ million US to spare to bring one downunda :p , based at Essendon maybee…. 😀
Where can this all end John :confused:,
THIS is just Magic 😮
Almost the ressurection of lost living, throbing species long dead 😮 .
WELL DONE ALL!!!! 😀
LET THE RESSURECTION CONTINUE!!!! :dev2: :dev2:
LONG LIVE ALL THOSE WARBIRD MAKING GOD’S IN THE WORLD 😀 , THAT MAKE ALL OUR DREAM’S COME TO LIFE AGAIN, ….AND ACTUALLY FLY!!!!!! :dev2:
By: setter - 14th August 2005 at 12:46
Yes Robbo
But it’s a pretty big cottage with about 40 aircraft “in work’ at the site or in the que it will go on for a long time – Still it is fantastic and the best bit is they ENCOURAGE people to wander round and watch it all happening – a lesson to be learned there I would think for others – thats how we get new people involved.
Regards
John P
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August 14, 2005 at 9:50 am