Poor weather in the first half of 2008 prevented any major outdoor work on the cockpit. External activities were restricted to assessment and strip down with Spring being mostly devoted to bay servicing/restoration of panels


Initial condition general views as received Dec 2007
(Photo credit R McNeill)

The wooden floor had rotted away leaving only trace remains where metallic components had been attached. Although the main spar looked to be in reasonable condition it had crumbled internally where the bottom fuselage mountings are attached. Woodwork attached to the frames for canopy support was also assessed a poor and would require to be replaced to provide adequate support for the metalwork.

Attention was first given to the throttle box, main panel and starboard fuel panel.

Initial condition general view as received Dec 2007
(Photo credit R McNeill)

The starboard fuel panel was stripped, primed then repainted before fitting out with pushbuttons and switches. Similar attention was given to the throttle box with almost all the original nuts and bolts being recovered and refitted. The instrumentation fitted to the blind flying panel is a combination of Canadian and American and so the British pattern standard BFP is not a suitable substitute. Using the BFP cutout on the main panel a replica was fabricated from 3mm Aluminium plate leaving only the mounting hole for the turn and slip indicator to be punched out when a suitable Pioneer instrument was sourced.

Damage to the rev counter area of the main panel needs to be made good before stripping and repaint of this item continues but a significant number of the missing instruments have been sourced.

Progress photo of Main Panel/BFP/Throttle Box/Stbd Fuel Panel as of 22 April 08
(Photo credit R McNeill)

Using the remains of the cockpit floor combined with a General Arrangement drawing provided by the Calgary Aerospace Museum a mock up of the internal framework has been made in Pine. This will be used to check the locations of the internal mounting blocks before the full replica is fabricated out of Spruce battens and covered in 3mm plywood.


Progress photos of pilots floor as of 19 May 08
(Photo credit R McNeill)

A dry fit of panels/cockpit floor/seat/control column is intended for early June ready for display at 2008 Cockpitfest at Newark Air Museum.