With regard to whats happening with the repairs, to date both wings are complete and the centre section is in building 66. The bottom spars have required dismantling for inspection and some repairs are required to the spar web and this is well advanced. Only one skin requires replacement. Both undercarriage bay frames are complete and ready for fitting and one set of oleos are complete with the other awaiting paint before assembly. Work on rescuing engine spares is ongoing.
With regard to fitting the MkI nose the main flying controls are the same as the MkIV as they transmit via the pilots seat frame which is in the same position as the MkIV, hydraulic controls are completly different and will require replumbing.The throttle quandrant is located on the port side and will require shortening and lengthening of torque tubes. One of the main problems is the placing of the pitch, carb cutouts, carb heat and other ancillary controls which are behind the pilots left shoulder this is patently dangerous and would require rethinking and along with the different types of instruments, used for engine management, is one of the main problem areas, of course the main flying control panel is the same as all British aircraft.
The MkI nose was built by AVRO and the the aircraft served as a night fighter throughout the BoB being struck off charge in December 1940 so it is an interesting piece of aeroplane.
As with all major repairs it is the cost that dictates the pace but be assured there is something always being done to the aircraft and the Blenheim will fly again

The type 149 Blenheim and the type 149 Bolingbroke are the same aircraft. The name Bolingbroke was used by Bristol but changed by the Air Ministry to Blenheim IV. The main difference is in the cockpit layout. K 7072 the first Bolingbroke converted from a MkI was sent to Canada, with a number of others to set up the production line, crashed and was converted by Fairchild to accept North American sourced instruments although the blind flying panel was kept as per British built aircraft. At the same time the throttles, trim, carb cutouts, pitch change and hydraulic systems were converted to be opereated by the right hand so making the aircraft very much more `ergonomic` is the modern parlance otherwise the original aircraft are exactly the same. A number of Bolingbrokes served operationally with the Canadians on maritime patrol and in the Aleutian Islands supporting the Americans against the Japanese. With regard to the larger port nacelle this was enlarged to carry the dinghy on the maritime machines and was released by a cable located in the port wing fairing. The canadians also carried a 4th crew member as a radio operater and the radio was situated aft of the bomb bay. When the Bolingbroke was used as a trainer its then when the oil tanks were enlarged to facilitate longer training runs. With regard to converting the Duxford aircraft to a MkI a certain amount of re engineering the torque tubes to put the throttles back on the left hand side would be required and obtaining the vertical reading instruments of the British versions would pose a great deal of difficulty, also whether it would be safe to put the hydraulic systems down by the right side of the pilot and the pitch, carb cut outs and pitch chain behind the pilots left shoulder, if these systems can be found. A great number of Blenheims were lost because the pilot hadn`t got enough hands to cope with emergencies with such a poor layout and of course we were needing aircraft in squadron and there wasn`t time to make the cockpit controls better. As regards the flying controls these are the same between the MKI, MkIV, Bolingbroke and Bisley (MkV). The production break at the rear of the fuselage is the same for all models which would allow the MKI nose to be fitted to a Bolinbroke fuselage. All in all the MKI is viable allowing for the problems described and of course money and time, and as said to change back to a MKIV at a later date is always a viable option.

At least two RCAF Bolingbroke Sdns served in the Aleutian Islands against the Japanese
alongside the USAAF.