F.B

Indeed, you are right, the common (UK) abbreviation for POL is ‘Petrol, Oils, Lubricants’ but, I fear that it is not likely in this particular instance, especially that Martyn’s grip is of US origin and not UK MOD. 

I too have a Mason grip of unknown origin/use that has an  up/down ‘coolie hat’ switch and the abbreviation ‘POD’ next to it.  No idea what POD stands for but, my gut instinct seems to point my grip being rotary wing use however, that’s another story somewhere in the middle of this column/grip thread and I’m no nearer to identifying it either!

GYD  

Hi Martyn,

Any chance of a picture of the front and top?  Are there any manufacturers marks or numbers?

GYD

Indeed FB, lets hope all the current ‘changes’ to this platform don’t scupper the plethora of erudite knowledge it currently has available and lose too many contributors!

Regarding the ‘full’ Herc column mentioned above, it may well be from a simulator as the bottom half of the column does not have all the bell-crank and pulley’s  that my two columns have?  Also, it may be worth mentioning that the RAF yokes had different switch gear to the majority of other Hercs.

GYD

Hi Hawker1966,

The B5 grip you have there was indeed fitted to the P-51 along with the P-47, P-39 and probably the P-40 family too.  Like the later modern B-8 grip, they are almost impossible to tie down to a specific aircraft type unless you have positive provenance.

However, the type fitted to the P-39 is unique, as it has the word ‘Cannon’ engraved around the top button.  Some later variants of the B-5 had the same button fitted into a small recess, effectively lowering the button as apparently, they were often ‘kicked off’ during over excited efforts to gain entry to the cockpit or, so the rumour goes? 

GYD

Hi Brightspark180,

a couple of nice new additions, well done.  Indeed,  you are quite right the first is a Scimitar, probably the last incarnation used as all previous handles start AC14… but, your S1 Buccaneer AC61578, was the initial used, it then replaced through modification to an AC60962 then yet again replaced through modification to AC62916.  All handles look exactly the same from the outside!

GYD

Hurricane heading South over Rutland Water at 19:00 hours today, any idea to it’s identity?

GYD

Welcome back Alex!

Did you get the panels ‘lazer cut’ or, did you do it by hand? Very impressive I must say. Do you have a pair of yokes to complete them too?

GYD

Hi Brightspark180

The AC 14728 (27J / 461) was the next progressive Hunter handle from the AC 12590 (27J / 386). The corresponding modification was Dunlop 2961 14/02/1963 and it was issued because of:

‘Wear and tear on the dural parking catch which has prevented the parking lever from being firmly manipulated from one extreme position to the other, thus allowing the lever to remain in an intermediate position, causing a residual pressure in the brakes. The modification prevents this by introducing an improved adjusting screw and a steel catch in place of the light alloy catch’

This modification was initially applicable to all Hunter aircraft from the F4, F5, F6, T7, T8, GA11 & GA12 however, subsequent export variants were also fitted with this handle until modification yet again, requiring handle number 4 – AC 61044. (There was one previous though, it was only ever fitted to the F58, AC 14264).

Glad to help,

GYD

Source: A.P. 4343X Vol 2 Leaflet No G-7, A.L. No. 96