Evening everyone

A bit earlier doing my update today but needs must.

I can finally say that I’ve finished the structure of the Glycol tank cradle and this has now been primed and painted in the fetching green of a Stirling cockpit. My original plan was to see if we could find someone who could make the straps that secure the tank to the cradle, but having found a good photo of the area (courtesy of Flea Bay) and the fact that I’m a tight wad, I’m going to have a go at making them myself . Hopefully I can do them justice.

Today was also a bit of a successful one in that we offered up the under seat flying control bellcrank assy to the seat rails; after a bit of head scratching, checking, double checking and yet more checking we bit the bullet and drilled the support castings through to the seat beams and slaved it all into position. After some biting of nails the whole assembly…works as advertised. Phew!!

This is thanks in no small part by the accurate drawing of the assembly by Graham and the superlative efforts of our tame engineer John Scott who interpreted the drawings and was able to turn it all into a wonder of accurately turned and machined steel and aluminium. Hats off to them both!

Cliff has been beavering away (filing) at the block that holds the bomb release Tee Handle to the main instrument panel; a small detail but one that is directly in the Pilots eyeline and prominent on the panel. This should be the last component that we will add to the panel before we mount the sloping lower panels and support structure

once again everyone please take care in these trying times

John

Morning all

productive day yesterday, Cliff has trial assembled the rearmost pulley block from the Coupe Roof; this came from LK488 and unfortunately we had to make new pulleys as the originals were too damaged to recover. We just need to source some new shim washers and then it can be put away for later.

The bearing cover plates to the inboard elevator bellcrank that was made recently has been riveted together and primed; unfortunately muggins here forgot to take some photos of that, hopefuly this can be done next week after it has been taper pinned to the underseat torque tube.

Finally, the Glycol Tank cradle is fully riveted together and just needs a coat of cockpit green paint and some cushion material for the tank. I’m in two minds whether to source some new tanks straps or to have a go at making some myself; we have some remnants of other straps from crashes in our possession so might be able to make something out of them. Plus we have been offered a lathe for a reasonable price which should make turning parts up like these a doddle.

take care

John

Thanks OT; my sources tell me that the data plate finally confirms it’s from BK716

where’s the photos from?

John

Shorts Bros – never knowingly under-engineered LOL

thanks Cees for the update, great news