Whitley_ProjectThat was in Aeroplane Todd.
Cheers
Whitley_ProjectHi Todd
Do you mean our heli-lift last year?
Hello All,
Does anyone have any new information regarding the Whitley salvage that was mentioned in Flypast Magazine awhile back?
Thank-you,
Todd
Whitley_ProjectCan’t beat a nice 1970s haircut 😉
I’ll have to watch more of the series to find out, but I believe her boss/love interest who’s in the pilot, Steve Trevor (played by Lyall Wagner) continued as co-star through the series. They all had 1970’s haircuts despite the WWII setting – again, like Midway…
Whitley_ProjectCongrats Bruce.
I didn’t know….
Gordon Junior due date – better not even ask…..
Bruce
Whitley_ProjectDoes it say Bombsight D on the box?
If so then it would possibly be part of the Mk IX course setting bombsight.
Used on early Halifaxes I believe.
We have had a Hughes-Owens bombsight donated to the Halifax NA 337 project. we have never heard of one!
Hughes-Owens had a factory in Ottawa during the war and they made aircraft instruments. Post war they are well known for their drafting Instruments and supplies.
Anyone ever heard of their bombsights? What were they used on? Speculation here is that it might have been Mosquitoes.
Any ideas?
Whitley_ProjectHi Alan
Is this one of those 2′ long DF loop fairings… we spoke about this a while ago…
The nigh inevitable contribution from me…
There’s a Wellington throttle box, several control column tops and wheels, and sundry Wellington front turret spares out in the garage. Oh, and a DF loop fairing, too. And a leather seat cover with the aircraft’s serial number stencilled on it.
I recall stories that a section of Wellington fuselage was in use as a shed, somewhere in the Crewe/Nantwich area. Long time ago, though.
And even longer ago, as a youngster, I used to cycle to my local disused aerodrome at Cranage/Byley. Part of the attraction was the factory where Wellingtons were assembled, later a Ministry of Supply store but at that time apparently locked up and forgotten. I was always puzzled by the oval shaped structures which lay against one wall of the shed. I could never figure out what they were until many years later when I saw a sectioned view of a Wellington fuselage. They were either actual fuselage formers or possibly the jigs used to manufacture them. They’d gone by the late ’60s.
Whitley_ProjectWe’ve found the same thing on fuselage parts for the Whitley – several different shades of interior green. We’ll probably go for the prettiest 😉
Somewhere I have the DTD reference for the Whitley. I’ll see if I can dig it out – would be interested to find a modern equivalent.
I’m far from convinced there is a standard colour for this green – it seems to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. In fact I’ve even got duplicate components from the same manufacturer with different shades of green on them!
Best bet is to go and look at some BS381 colour cards I think. Compare colours such as 283 Aircraft Grey Green, 280 Verdigris Green, 228 Emerald Green and even 275 Opaline Green and 262 Bold Green, and pick the one you prefer. 🙂
Whitley_ProjectThanks Slipstream
Whitley_Project“WOULD MAKE INTERSTING PROJECT FOR SOME LOONEY”
Love it. Maybe one of us should buy it 😀
Whitley_ProjectIt’s Wastwater and that’s what he told me 🙂
That was a different lake. I was there. He was talking to the ranger to get permissions to get on to Wasswater.
Ali
Whitley_ProjectThanks AgCat
I’ll add your info on as an appendix etc.
It’s not anally retentive – it’s useful. Next time I come across a bunch of old DH odds and ends I might be able to make head and tail of them. If everyone could submit a page on ‘their’ specialist a/c – it would build into an excellent reference.
I’ll also put it up on the whitley site at some point just so there is a permanent web presence.
Cheers
Hi there, Whitley, I must aplogise for spreading duff gen ref de Havilland part numbers. I suppose it should be me that is now in hiding from the DH mafia. The early single numerical sequence of de Havilland drawings covered all types from the DH 60 to the DH 89 EXCEPT the DH 87.
For the DH 87 each part was designated by a three-digit prefix comprising a single digit followed by the Type number. The first digit was used to denote the location with the aircraft the part could be found. This system gave a much wider range of possible part numbers as the complexity of aircraft increased. The designation system for the DH 87 Hornet Moth followed this sequence:
187*** Fuselage
287*** Planes
387*** Electrics
487*** Empennage
587*** Undercarriage
687*** Engine installation
787*** Flying controls
887*** Instruments
987*** MiscellaneousAt a late stage of Dragon Rapide/Dominie development the drawing sequence 989*** was introduced for parts used mainly in the various radio fits applied to the aircraft.
For the DH 90 to 93 inclusive, the same numerical designation system as for the DH 87 was used; ie;
190*** + 191*** + 192*** + 193*** – fuselage parts for the respective type. In some cases a ‘zero’ designator was used (ie 091***) for general arrangement drawings etc.
With the DH 94 the same system of designating part numbers by the aircraft type and its location on the aircraft was used but instead of using a single digit prefix to the type number, a letter suffix was used. For example:
94A*** General
94C*** Controls
94E*** Engine installation
94******* Fuselage
94N*** Instruents/electrics
94P*** Petrol and oil
94T*** Tailplane
94U*** Undercarriage
94W*** WingsThis system then continued on subsequent aircraft types, with the letters after the type number being used more widely to discriminate between aircraft system; eg, on the Chipmunk:
C1-C******* Controls, flaps
C1-FS*** Fuselage, structureAs well as the type-specific drawing series, de Havilland used other generic designations:
DHA and DHS – used to denote de Havilland standard parts or processes applicable to more than one aircraft type.
J – used for standard material sections used across all types.
R – used for Repair drawings. For the early types using the original all-numeric drawing series the repair drawings were mixed up in a single R-series. Later models included R as a prefix to a number allocated in the normal drawing sequence; eg, from the Chipmunk RC1-FS*** would be a repair drawing for damage to the fuselage structure. As a slight complication, some repair drawings were prefixed RD – repair drawing – rather than R, as if the system was not complex enough already.This is all very anally retentive, but I describe it in detail to illustrate how drawing designation systems changed even within a single company. Then there are the drawing systems of the SBAC and even the aerospace series of the British Standards Institute to consider, as well as the Inspector’s Stamp numbers that each of the companies operated.
This could be quite and interesting subject and it would be very useful to have some form of on-line database that carried this information. However, I suspect that this Forum is probably not quite the right place. Any suggestions, anyone?
Whitley_ProjectAllison – our mutual friend has told me he dived on it – apprently he saw a four gun rear turret down there.
I read a story about the four engined thingy at the bottom of Wasswater. There are stories that a few people have actually dived it but who? Everyone who has said “joe Bloggs” has dived it I can’t seem to get hold of him. Has anyone ACTUALLY seen it or dived it or got photos, or is it just one of those myths like the Windermere Sunderland picture that was in The Times?
Ali
Whitley_ProjectGood stuff DS
Maybe someone on the forum with Russian contacts might know more… 🙂
OK, a quick Google revealed:
http://www.sudden-strike.ru/modules.php?name=Pages&go=page&pid=672
which, when run through Babelfish gave an amusing but interesting account, the relevant bits being:
“Evaluating bomber “Sterling”, the majority of aviation specialists speaks about the disappointment, which accompanied entire difficult way of this aircraft. Nevertheless, “Sterlings” fought war entire war, and their test had a significant effect for the development of British and world aviation.
The only aircraft, officially transmitted to foreign customer, obtained the Soviet Union. One copy of “Sterling” our inquired for the study in 1944- m. since in England the aircraft already it disappeared from the scene, it sufficiently willingly they agreed to grant. During November 1944- GO the command of royal VVS published order about selection and training of one “Sterling” OF III for the sending into Russia. It was assumed that the machine will be ready to distillation in the middle of December. It was intended to transport directly the most necessary spare parts in the aircraft, and in addition to this, by the sea through the north was sent container with all necessary for three months of operation. In particular, they sent motor oil – Soviet for “Hercules” it did not befit at all or it required the addition of imported additives. For English crew it was in prospect to outdistance bomber into Abadan or Teheran for the delivery to Soviet pilots.
For the sending selected “Sterling” III with number LK615, taken VVS in plant “Austin motorz” during July 1944- GO. It for a while find in the reserve. So that aircraft was almost new, not worn. Nevertheless, preparation tightened itself. Possibly, they equipped machine for the flights in the hot climate. From the English air base Of molton “Sterling” it flew away only during February 1945- GO. After two days, during March, it arrived in Shuaybu (Iraq). Again they there verified it and English identification marks were replaced with the Red Stars. The crew of Lieutenant dzh.Ueber outdistanced “Sterling” to the airfield Of mekhrabad near Teheran, where English aircraft rested. Our asked Englishmen to fly over to the adjacent Soviet airfield.
But troubles further began. They first revealed that the radio station was defective. Then with the taxiing they damaged tailed wheel. And finally at rest casing of one of the basic wheels broke, in this case it tore away folds of one of the wing bomb bays. To accept “Sterling” in this form Soviet side refused and Englishmen again chased it to the repair into Iraq, only to another base. Repair occurred until 30 April, so that the official inspection of aircraft occurred only during May. “Sterling” they delivered to the airfield OF LEAHS NKAP into Kratovo. There on it flew the crew Of g.M.Shiyanova. As bomber English aircraft no longer presented any value. They recognized machine as that become obsolete, and its data – low. The separate design and technological receptions of British aircraft constructors more interested our specialists. When tests were completed, came up the question: what to make with the aircraft. But aspirant was located – the administration of polar aviation To glavsevmorputi (UPA GUSMP). The aircraft pool of polar aviation in the years of the war fairly of podsokratilsya became obsolete. After the end of war shooting there was poured much captured technology, to it was added “Sterling”.
English aircraft entered into the Moscow air group UPA in spring 1946- GO. Group then was based on airfield Zakharkovo in Khimkakh. During May on “Sterling” (in his our documents was called “sterling”, and “sherling”, and simply “Shortt”) completed several check flights (in all they flew 2 h. 40 min.). Machine obtained the number OF THE “USSR N -415”. However, aircraft unambiguously was evaluated as become obsolete, and its applicability to the operation in the Arctic caused large doubts. Nevertheless, on 1947-1 they planned “Sterling’s modification” at the plant in Krasnoyarsk. But actually aircraft there did not act. It continued to be located into Zakharkovo, moreover it did not rise into air. From April it counted by defective. Machine was not restored also they copied between October and December 1947- GO. So that “our” “Sterling” temporarily survived his English fellows. “
There is no specific source of reference for the fate of the Russian Stirling, but the article quotes:
Wings of the native land. Vladimir Kotelnikov. Not justified the expectations
Wings of the native land. Vladimir kornilov. Four-engine “Disappointment”These would be interesting to see!
So, was it a ‘temporary’ survival or does LK615 still exist in a Russian airbase…… :confused:
DS
Whitley_ProjectAh… the genius of Distiller… 🙂
Jaeger Le Coultre “Chronoflight”, 1942/43 I assume.
Whitley_ProjectThanks for the info Cees
To be continued… 🙂
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