Regardless of the reason for a crack starting , surely the result will likely be very different from a pressurised to a non pressurised aircraft ? A smallish crack in a non pressurised aircraft ( in a non critical part like around a window ) will likely cause no harm untill it can be repaired . The same crack in a pressurised situation could cause an explosive decompression ( and they dont call it ” expolsive ” for no reason ) .

Thats right Baz , shortened ( and obviously reprofiled to suit ) Lancaster blades . A guy who flies at our RC club works for SAFE and said it gave him the ” willies ” cutting the tips off servicable Lancaster blades with a band saw . I think he said it was 6 inches off ( but it was ages ago , so dont quote me on that ), and I think I recall him saying that they did 12 in total . Not sure if the extras were for spares , or a different project alltogether .

Surely it would have been the last one NOT in a museum, which by all accounts, this was.:dev2:

I think this was how it was reported in the media . In fact it was the worlds last FLYING F-111. ( ie , it was the last one to land – ever )

If you use 2 part epoxy ( which is what I’d use ) , use the longest setting time one – usually 24hrs . It sets ” harder ” and more ridgid than the 5 min ones , and so sands better . The others tend to stay a little soft and flexable . You just need to build a little ” dam ” from tape and plastic card to stop the glue running whilst setting .

what is nice is that there seems to be a set of moulds so in theory more could be built

Yes , and more are being re-built . However there is still a lot metal in a mosquito , so you really need a starting point , donor aircraft ( or substantial remains thereof )
By being able to replace the wood does however mean we will be able to have airworthy mosquitos for a long time into the future .

an example of how a ‘soft’ object can grind away a ‘harder’ one.

You do see this quite a lot in engines especially pistons wearing out gudgeon pins; as has been said before improvements in lubricating oil and filtering could reduce the particals, but I do wonder about the crank cases and crankshafts (both of them) and their serviceability.

A bit off topic , but I have seen many cast steel camshafts worn down on the bearing surfaces , where they run direct against an alloy cylinder head ( with little or no damage to the head ) . Thats why the ” white metal ” in “White metal bearing shells” is so soft , it allows debris to bury deep into the white metal , and not grind into the matching component .

It could have been windmilling. The engine certainly wasn’t seized. Can the spit completely feather its prop?

He possibly only cut the ignition at the last moment anyway – you really wouldnt want your first wheels up in a Spitfire to be following your first ” dead stick ” approach .

Sorry , cant help your search , however I was recently told a story about Lancaster prop blades that some may find interesting .

It seems that not too long ago , no less than 12 potentially airworthy Lancaster prop blades were delivered to a local company ,who then used a band saw to cut to about 5 inches of the tips of all of them !

Why ? Well the company was SAFE Air ( prop shop in New Zealand ) and it seems that if you shorten them ( and obviously re-profile to suit ) then they are suitable for use on Mosquito’s .

( wasnt sure wether to believe it or not , however it did come from a very reliable source )