Thanks to VACB we now have pics of top of the Flare Tube and the bottom end door and catch with the following pics.

Tom

Ian,

That’s the first I’ve seen of and existing Signal Discharger, many thanks for putting the photos up and scanning the info, I’m guessing it’s from the AP?

Chumpy, the irregular door forward of the area of patched skin (which is over the area where the rear flare door was located) is the forward flare door. On the inside there is a hefty hinge which fits to the outer edge of the door so that when the flare is released the door swings open and is held there by the slipstream until the aircraft has landed and the poor old Erk had to re-load it all again. There were many different variations on the door setup until they settled on this one as the flare tended to jam in the tube when the slipstream hit it during trials.

Also, until recently I had no idea that with these tubes fitted the elevator cables are re-routed around them via pulleys fitted to the lower longeron, you never stop learning when it comes to old aeroplanes 😉

I’ll try and get some more info on here soon regarding the fitting of both systems.

I like the neat CAD work QldSpitty……

Tom

J.Boyle, I know what you mean, I spent ages searching for info and sources for drawings etc, Plessey were the Manufacturers but they reckon they have nothing in their archive.

The actual landing flare tubes are another mystery item to me, other than a very general GA drawing there is very little info, it seems like they were afterthoughts on both sides of the pond!

JDK, have you got a cherry-picker? 😉 doubt the various museums would be too willing for me to be weilding a spanner on any of the ‘airborne’ spits, might drop something!

Ian, thanks for the info, PM on its way.

Regards Tom

Well done to everybody at Avspecs, it’s a first class job, another addition to Mr Lewis’s fine fleet.

Tom

Hello Benno,

If you or one of your friends has a copy of Charles Young’s ‘Into The Valley’ you will find some info regarding Col. Frank Krebs’ association with Otto Smik whilst being hidden from the Wehrmacht by some very brave Dutch families, I do recall them being hidden in a small room under a wood pile close to the lines before Otto made his own way ‘back’. Feel free to PM me ff you would like any further info.

Regards Tom

AFAIK the Summerfield land didn’t extend as far as the airfield though back in the day who knows??? The link has the airfield remains in the centre but it is very difficult to pick out, the telling bit is a kink in the road near to one of the old water towers between the Docking and Ringstead roads:

http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l&map=52.93313,0.67576|14|32&loc=GB:52.9005:0.6247:13|docking|Docking,%20Norfolk

You probably buzzed over me once or twice back then Skybolt 😉

Tom

The lads are busy getting fairings and the top cowl fitted, paperwork is just about ready for our CAA man to inspect her once everything, including the canopy which is being completed by a sub-contractor, is fitted.

Tom