Hi Elliott,

Do you have instrument panel dimensions? The types and model #’s for the instruments. That would be a huge start! I will email you within the next few days with the Whitley part found at my Uncle’s crashsite. My digital camera is in for repairs.

Thank-you,

Todd

Todd

If you drop me your address i’ll send you a tracing of the panel via snail mail – it’s too big to scan.

It would be great to have a few more Whitley panels in circulation out there. I’ll start a thread on it.

Very nice Peter!

I would love to build a Whitley panel. I just don’t know where to find the instruments…

Cheers,

Todd

I will post a drawing of the Whitley panel – I promised Cees I would do this a long time ago!

The website where I found the pic puts 64 Sentai in Malaya where they were deployed at advanced bases for approx 8 weeks. There were 4 Blenheim squadrons operating in the defence of Singapore at that time. (http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/blen8.html)
—
Allan

Allan is spot on – the 64th sentai spearheaded the japanese rampage through SE Asia in 1942. There were many clashes with Blenheims, Hurricanes and other RAF types stationed out there. Sadly, for the commonwealth forces, the Oscar was superior – even the Ki-27s bested the Hurricanes at times.

Shame on the person who called it a Bollingbroke!

I agree, it would be great to see a Hurricane or Mustang in Krakow.

Surely it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility to organise another swap deal (a la Spitfire / DH9A fuselage) – airworthy MiG-21s (especially 2-seaters) seem to have value in the USA, static Mustang projects (P-51Ds) and Hurricanes (ex-Russia) are obtainable.

Come to think of it, the RAF Museum have a ‘spare’ Mustang now, at Cosford………I’m sure they’d like a nice MiG-23 to display in their new Cold War ‘shed’……..hmm…….

I would have to bring in an Oscar – preferably that nice Mk I that ended up in the US, but i’d be very happy with a wreck.

Hey Mark 12 – any movement on those Oscars the Hunts own?

Mike welcome out of the woodwork! Geez you’ve been quiet lately…….

Just a note to protect Graham’s honour – he is building a Lancaster cockpit.

Cees,

I think you will find that Tracer-Adlam has a stall at Shoreham.

Collecting has always been about bank accounts – that is market forces. Clever knowledge and enthusiasm however will usually triumph over cheque book collecting in the end but you are going to win some and lose some.

But just think of the scope the ebay has given to specialist collectors. Surely better on ebay at any price than stuck in an attic unknown and unloved.

I make no bones about it, I am an ebay fan and have acquired some wonderful items, some at very reasonable cost. When it has been one of those ‘must have ‘ items I have bid exceptionally high but I take an overall view.

The key to ebay bidding in my view is to bid the very highest, wince, you would be prepared to pay, right at the last moment. If you are out bid there can be no recrimination.

Mark

Mark 12 is a sniper?

I would never have thought it 😉

I was mainly after the contractors who built sub components…one example is the pressed steel company (found out this morning that it was based on a site next to the Cowley plant and was merged with BMC in the 60s).

I am interested to find out where some of these companies were based, if they are still in operation etc.

Well, there were thousands! Are you concentrating on one particualr type of aircraft? If so, I suggest you look in the part catalogue which should have an appendix in the back of proprietary companys. I have been able to get some large wadges of drawings from companies that made Whitley parts so it is worth following up.