John Aero

I too have just dug out this book and the radio fit/ops panel is located behind the pilot. The radios were probably stacked in this position against the pilots bulkhead. The dark curved area is probably the kite shaped cockpit door, seen open, I'll try and scan the photo later. The engine generator fit probably accounts for the top cowling shape. John

These are the reduced drawings. This is a dorsal turret, Hudson/ Halifax, the lower illustration by dogsbody is a nose (Halifax) turret, note the pivot bearing on the top and it's slightly narrower. John

Yes if Photobucket will let me in tonight. I couldn't use it yesterday. John Success, It's not a very good shot.

Yes if Photobucket will let me in tomorrow. I couldn't post use it yesterday. John

I do have a set of factory drawings for the C type but they are massive. I have some smaller copies and I've scanned them and if Photobucket will let me in tomorrow I'll try and share them. John

G-AHKV 6792 I believe that it was primarily for reporting and broadcasting on traffic jams so it would have had a Radio op's desk, probably behind the pilot. The aircraft had a long and varied career with a standard seating fit. I have a photo of it in AA use and you can just see that it has a full load of passengers on board so the interior fit wasn't too different. John

The winch type B was the most common wartime version. The drogue when released, pulled out the cable which was de-clutched from the windmill by a cam when the mill was at the lowest angle of attack, ie horizontal. The cable run-out was controlled by the angle of the windmill to the airstream via the clutch and a drum brake so the cable could be brought to a controlled stop (either way). The target drogue was drawn in by rotating the windmill from the horizontal to the vertical (fully into the slipstream). The angle of the windmill blades to the slipstream controlled the speed in which the cable was drawn in by varying the the axis angle of the windmill by the combined clutch and speed control. The clutch was operated by a cam on the windmill pivot so that the speed of the cable return was variable up to a point when the clutch ceased to drive the cable drum The operator had a rev counter dial and he could monitor the cable length with a calculated placard and a counter. John

The Time Bandit strikes again. I’ve spent some time planning the clutch change and unfortunately this means re-arranging garage 2 and moving the car out. My engine/workshop crane is folded up and partly dismantled in garage 1 and rather than taking it all around the house and into the garage rear access door, and as the car (which is on axle stands, and an engine out scenario wasn't in the original plan) has got to be moved back to create sufficient room at the front of the car, the crane can go in first. I’ve worked out that by removing the spare wheel and moving the car back, I can gain about 15”/37.5 cm more room at the front. This should give me just enough space to lift and draw out the engine/gearbox. Well that’s the theory. I plan that during the day the car can be pushed back further through the doorway and winched back in with my boat winch. Just to make it more fun, to get the crane out, I will also have to re-arrange garage/workshop 1 by moving the vac former, the vacuum casting rig and the spray cabinet/storage cupboards cum bench. These are all designed and built by me to the John Adams chaos theory, so they are all fitted with castor wheels, ready for just such an Armageddon.

I'm currently doing a rebuild diary here on Chat, John

A good call on the flag colours. I'd say that in this case the main stripe is Blue. John

Alan, I too feel that I've seen a photo with the Belgian reg applied, It might have been in Aeroplane Spotter, or as you suggest in Aeroplane monthly. Either way it will take a bit of time to find. I wish that the Freighter picture was clearer, because it does appear to have the roundel missing. In the meantime Photobucket has let me download the new version (which I like), hence the attached pictures. John Aeroplane magazine January 30 1948. Cover and back cover page Aeroplane Magazine February 20 1948 back cover.

Yes this is very similar but G-AILL had no Wayfarer script on the side and silver cowls. The Freighter gets a lot of coverage in the Aeroplane magazines of 1948. I remember as a boy, sitting on the fence at RCAF Langar (Nottinghamshire) watching the Canadian ones. Of interest is the Belgian Stirling in the background. John

I've finally heard from Photobucket today and I've installed the new (quite different) version which after a shaky start, now seems to work fine, so I've restored most of the missing photos to this thread. I'm afraid that the only way to "Getafix", (with apologies to Asterix), as there's no magic available, will be to split the engine and gearbox. I can also replace the oil seals and clean up the inaccessible parts easier. I think that Tilly might just be ready for next years Shuttleworth shows at this rate John

The front and back covers of Aeroplane for Jan 30th 1948 has G-AIFF (Black letters) shown in colourised format. It is OA Silver with a wide dark red stripe/ flash, similar to the earlier illustration, from nose to tail, which then extends up the fin about a third of the fin/rudder height. This Red flash has a thin Yellow stripe along it's entire lower edge. There is then a natural/Silver skin coloured space of about 3"s and then a mid blue lower cheat line which mirrors the Red and Yellow lines from nose curve to rudder. The Yellow/ Silver /Blue edge is repeated on the top of the extended Red band on the fin and rudder (only). It also has yellow spinner front halves. Pre-war, the colour Black was often used on Bristol civil aircraft fuselages, as suggested in the earlier illustration. I can't scan it as Photobucket is still not working. Addendum. The wide Red stripe actually goes over to cover the whole fuselage top aft of the raised cabin. John

Meatbox 8, The Wings series is available on DVD in a 7 disc set. code 132305. (I have a boxed set). Available from the BBC. The Dutch recovery teams are expert and caring and they have been doing this kind of work since the war's end and they know exactly what they are doing. I'm sure that all will be well. Even with a coffer dam a digger may be the only possible way as at times as simple spadework just isn't possible in such waterlogged conditions. John