Halifax Cockpit Project

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Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 1,951

Any info about those trimming tab knobs anyone?

Are they metal or resin?

Is it possible to make some patterns and get them cast up. We've been busy making wooden patterns or making good original items to use as patterns so that we can cast new ones up. Rudder pedal plinths, pedal adjusters and control column upper mounts have been manufactured in this way

John

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

John,

They are made from bakelite/plastic or something similar. I have the remains of three (the two aileron ones you see in the pic some posts back) of which the rudder one has the neck broken off and is irrepairable. The other ones have "stem issues" as they are of a different type than used in the Halifax. Mine came from Blackburn Beverly's (shame on me). I just want to know if these items are available in the UK or are similar to hen's teeth. In that case I will have to combine the three to make two relatively comple ones. The faces will have to be restored too.

Cees

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 1,951

Best of luck with the search, hope something comes up:)

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

So they are made from unobtanium then:D
Think I must be lucky to have the three then.
Cees

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

short update, without pics unfortunatly. Dropping camera's is not good for their health I found out by mistake.

The cockpit as shown in the various photo's on this topic has been relocated to the display area and has now been fully assembled (apart from loosely put together with skinpins and clamps earlier. The various cockptframes are fitted to the floor and the whole thing has been transformed into something that looks suspiciously like something Handley Page used to build decades ago.

The cockpit bulkhead and pilot's floor were painted interior green this morning:) (yes I enjoyed it very much) and the pilot's seat is now wearing a nice green coat as well. The rudder pedals are in primer and will join the green queue.Next is to fit the pilot's seat to the floor so that a certain FlyPast correspondent based in the Netherlands can finally let loose on it. Pics to follow soon I hope, but things are going very very well.

Cheers
Cees

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 1,951

Hi Cees

Good to see that things are coming along really well and I hope that the move wasn't too traumatic. We might be in a position to start painting some stuff green soon as well (well after Chrimbo anyway:rolleyes:).

John

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Good to hear that John,

I am looking for the small black bakelite connector blocks (5C/431 IIRC) and
one size bigger.

Any leads in the UK?
Cees

Member for

16 years 2 months

Posts: 1,911

I am looking for the small black bakelite connector blocks (5C/431 IIRC) and
one size bigger.

Hi Cees,

I should be able to help as I have most types. Can you state exactly which size you need?

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Hi Alan,

Yes, i will look up the ref nrs and let you know.
Cheers
Cees

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,835

Well done Cees - But what a time to break your camera! itching to see how it looks now. Keep up the good work

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 1,951

Good to hear that John,

I am looking for the small black bakelite connector blocks (5C/431 IIRC) and
one size bigger.

Any leads in the UK?
Cees

Cees

If it's the next size up for the 2 way connector block, that'd make it a 5C/516. Hope that helps

John

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Hi Cees,

I should be able to help as I have most types. Can you state exactly which size you need?

Alan,

The smaller ones are 5c/430, I need about a dozen of those, and the
other ones could be 5C/516, I have put of a pic but the ref nrs are
unreadable, but they are about 1/3 bigger and have two brass scews
in them as opposed to one as 5C/430. I need only two of those.

Hope this helps,
Cheers
Cees

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

3 ways are 5C/432

I have them if Alan doesnt

Bruce

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Alan,

You have a PM.

Cees

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Hi chaps,

Plenty of progress but no working camera yet. I am working on that (too).

Does anyone of you on this forum have plans in the near future to visit the IWM Lambeth by any chance? I am in need of some close up pics of the cockpit structure in the pilot's compartment of PN323. Anyone? (Elliott, you live round the corner, do you go there sometimes during lunchbreaks?)

Cheers
Cees

Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 226

When Ian Foster recovered the bomb doors for NA 337 from the monastery up by Brackla he also placed an advertisement in the local area newspapers as he had heard that lots of Halifax parts had been distributed around the area and rumours of nose glasses used as cold frames were mentioned.

Unfortunately nothing turned up!

We eventually had to have a commercial outfit mould one for us, as everything we tried did not work out.

Member for

17 years 11 months

Posts: 2,605

For recreating bakalite,try mixing in coffee grounds with resin to get the right colour.

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Update as of today, the control column is now fitted and the
frames are growing together (must get that camera soon).

Anyone in the vicintiy of IWM Lambeth soon?:rolleyes:

Cees

Member for

19 years 6 months

Posts: 562

I am in need of some close up pics of the cockpit structure in the pilot's compartment of PN323. Anyone?

If they're of any use, I have a some cockpit photos taken during the NA337 restoration.

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Hi Mike,

The ones that are already on this forum or do you have more? I am looking for pics of the interior construction of the pilot's compartment
on the starboard side. I do have drawings but photographs show mostly a clearer picture between structures. ANY pics of the pilot's compartment is useful.
Thanks in advance
Cheers
Cees