You can see the water level, its half way up the windows!

Brewerjerry and Anon

Are we all talking about the same bits here chaps, 166,170 and 171 are one item of heavy construction, the keel being particularly solid. I do wonder if this is not some sort of boat hull, possibly built by a company with an aircraft background, ie Saro’s.
167 and 168 have the red paint on them and looks to be a much lighter build, and more like an aircraft part, while 169 is a third item that has me beaten.
Wish I lived near there.

Richard

I have a three issues with this item :-
1. The part of the structure that runs through the middle of the complete item(visible on the other forum pictures) is the fin spar, possible one of two, but would run vertically or slightly angled back if it were from a swept fin. The swastika is painted with its edge aligned with the spar. If you rotate the swastika to stand on one corner(as they were) the spar would be at 45degrees to the vertical. I cannot find a german WW2 aircraft where the fin would be like that.
2. The ‘L’ sections, or spar caps are extrusion, not folded metal. Did the Germans use extrusion in aircraft construction. It is very common not but I dont know when its use started.
3. Looking at how the original item was cut would suggest they used a band saw, so the complete fin would have been placed flat on the cutting table of the saw. Just seems to me to have been an unlikely method for the part to have been salvaged.

Richard

Yes I have often wondered how effective the Swordfish was, I can only think its lack of speed was made up for by its rugged simplicity, handling, endurance and the ability to lift a heavy load. It could operate from a tiny carrier deck in most weathers.
In effect was it very much different to a modern helicopter, such as the Westland Lynx, in what it could do.
The bravery of those who flew the Swordfish on operations was unbelievable.

Richard

It is nice to see this project progressing so well, can someone explain something though, They say in the words that go with the WD840 project that one item they have used is the main fuel tank from the spare fuselage section. The top of it is visible in one picture.
My question is, whats it made from, I would have expected it to be a rubber self sealing bag tank that old age would have made unuseable, or is it a metal tank, perhaps with a self sealing layer over it.

Richard

Just to let everyone know G-AORG is well and should be flying again very,very soon. We, the group based in Jersey, have spent quite, NO LOTS, of money on this beautiful historic aircraft including a re-paint and new interior. Unfortunately the re-wire and new maintenance schedule is causing us a few problems with people known as the CAA! When will you see the Duchess flying again??? Well please be patient as we are in the hands of Gatwick. You know what that means.
Yes we believe the Duchess is the only Heron still flying in ORIGINAL state.
A FOUNDER MEMBER…

Its good to hear that she is in safe hands and being looked after in the way she deserves. Its easy for examples of our heritage to be allowed to slip away, remaining only as a memory.
Your efforts and investment are appreciated.

Regards Richard

While the wing outer panels may be identical to Lancaster the York Centre-section is obviously of a wider span due to the fuselage width and significantly different in that area due to the high wing mounting and transport fuselage configuration, ie no bomb bay floor, no mounting for the covered wagon section of fuselage, and too wide for it in any case.

Mark Pilkington

Mark
I always thought the centre section on both York and Lanc were essentially the same in size, both have a span of 102 feet.

Richard

Boom boom!