Here are some shots of one of my nicer finds on the US side of the pond. Complete and needing only light restoration. Installed a small carburator spring in the left spoke to keep the brake lever in the correct postion. The cap is scratch-made. If any forum members know where I might acquire a correct Lancaster cap I would much appreciate learning about it. Thanks!

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Nice B25 yoke Tony. And interesting wiring attached. The only usage I’ve seen of the braided loom is with the C-1 autopilot release on B17 and B24 yokes shown below (in a photo of a yoke I can only wish was in my collection).

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Here’s one of the more arcane yokes in my collection. I’m sure some members of this forum will know it’s origin….

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That’s a good question you pose about the yokes potentially being different in the front and rear pits. My guess would be not…for changes in hub design and mounting. The later yoke also mounts to a smaller diameter shaft on the column. Changes like that (in my estimation) get made between production blocks. Some photos of both types attached.

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Assuming the photos display as I posted them, the top row is (I believe) the earlier style. The hub is both wider and deeper that the later design. The cap on the earlier design is held in place with two set screws. The later style hub is not drilled/tapped for cap retention.

Cheers Martyn….

Ahh Ian; you have several yokes there on your plank that are on my wish list. Below is a shot of the 102 just after I made the stand for it.

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Ian:
Your P38 yoke is every bit as nice as mine! Was it an ebay buy? If not, if I may ask, what was your source? Is your left trigger locked? I believe that every 38 with the dive brake switch has that feature. Also, was very surprised to learn you were able to find the yoke I sold on Ebay. I thought their SOP was to delete old auctions after 90 days.

My actual “work bench” is in my garage. When it’s cold outside I put a temporary work surface on my dining room table…not married anymore so I can do that… LOL. I had a couple of yokes opened up at the time. You are spot-on with you identification…it is a F102. I have it mounted on a stand now. Got it cheap (relatively speaking) and did a minimalist restoration on it. Have it mounted to a stand now, similar to your 38 but without the nice acrylic data plate.

If we’re discussing the same Grumman yoke that sold 4-5 months ago, that was C2 Greyhound yoke (same basic airframe as the E2). Very few of them were built. And as it happens, I was the buyer. It bid higher than I had hoped but was worth it due to it be uncommon.

Attached are photos of part of my collection.

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Hello Martyn and to others who replied. Have had much difficulty replying to replies. This site would not allow me to reply…continually coming up with error messages. We’ll see if it works this time….

I also consider the late model P38 yoke to be one of the early ergonomically correct designs….one of the earlier adopters of the HOTAS concept. But from what I’ve read, fighter pilots of the day would have much preferred a conventional stick/grip.

I was fortunate to find the yoke I have. I sold the column it came with to WestPac Restorations in Colorado Springs, Colorado and they may end up using it in one of the flyable P38 restorations they are working on. Earlier I restored a different late model P38 yoke (before and after photos attached) and sold it on ebay some time ago…

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I have many yokes in my collection, mainly US bombers, cargo and airliners (I do not collect stick grips). I do have a few English and other European yokes/wheels. I’ll be happy to post photos of some of my yokes here if there is interest. I am interested in (slowly) expanding my collection of non-US yokes and have very nice Lockheed P2V-5 and Martin B57 yokes available for interesting trades.

Now for the test…will this reply successfully be posted….? Here we go…

My favorite has to be this P-38L yoke in my collection.

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