Hi all

A warm and humid day at the workshop yesterday, but still with some progress being made.

Graham, continues with the Autopilot control panel components and had a trying time filing down a wedge packer for the Autopilot Gauge, still a work in progress but photos will follow shortly.

Meanwhile, I continued with the 2nd of the Glycol Tank cradle frames, these are a slow job with multiple bends and a lot of trimming and fettling to get them to drawing. This 2nd frame still needs some trimming in a couple of areas, but for fun I slaved it all together and rested the tank on it to give an indication of how it willfinally look.

Had a much shorter day as it got too warm for comfort, so unfortunately didn’t get time to start on the 3rd frame.

stay safe

John 

Hi Cees

That’s good to know. Are they still planning on using a Coffer Dam as they did with the Wellington a few years ago? Saw the Leemans video on that, an awesome undertaking!

John

Morning all

Just Graham and myself at the workshop yesterday; while he busied himself working up a sweat filing down a tapered packer for the Autocontrols Gauge, I carried on with the first of the end supports for the Glycol Tanks cradle. The Autocontrols panel is coming along well and hopefully we’ll have some good photos to show of that soon.

In the meantime you’ll have to put up with some more sheet metal work from yours truly. The last update showed the MDF bend template which has now been put to use for the first time with the first end support fabricated. Being a Shorts design, it was full of complex curves and angles plus the bead and flare lightening holes beloved by the Designers.

Anyhow, the first plate has been made and primed along with the 2 side pieces. Only 3 more end supports to make

take care

John 

Morning all

Firstly the Stirling is on the BBC News Website today with an article on the proposed recovery of BK716 in Holland. Allegedly, there is a possibility that a mechanical grabber could be used as opposed to the original Coffer Dam plan; hopefully this won’t be the case as it will hinder recovery of the remains of the crew and any personal items that would help identify them. Also, it’s likely to seriously damage what remains of the aircraft structure as it won’t be a precise operation

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-53199977

There was a small amount of progress yesterday, Cliff has started on refurbishing one of the Coupe pulley brackets recovered from LK488; this is in reasonable condition with only some corrosion to remove and make good. There is a small crack in one of the mounting lugs but this will be left as it’s not load bearing and we’d likely cause more damage by trying to weld it up.

Graham has been recreating the Pilots’ Autopilot Control panel so that we can collect all of the controls together in one place. Hopefully Alan (Air Ministry) will consider us kindly as a home for his Steering Lever that he recently posted on his ‘Garage’ thread.

Finally, following on from last week, the 2 side panels for the Glycol tank cradle have been finished and await priming. I’ve made 2 MDF formers for the 4 off end pieces, so we’ll see how that goes in a few weeks’ time. No update next week as I’m finally able to get away for a few days change of scenery.

take Care

John

Hi all

No photos to show, but a significant step forward was achieved yesterday with the delivery of sufficient material to allow us to commence construction of the bomb bay structure; numerous sheets of aluminium along with some 130m of alloy extrusion. We already have the stringer sections made and specialist extrusion for gthe lower part of the outboard bomb frames. All that remains is the finalising of the jig design and purchase of the jig material ready for construction.

It’s been a long time coming but I’m hoping that your (and our) patience will soon be rewarded with some sizeable structure

take care

John