De havilland Dove G-ANAP Cockpit restoration project

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Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

Hi to all out there, thought it was time to put a thread on about our project. My brother and I are now in the process of refurbishment and restoration of G-ANAP's cockpit.
Our interest in the Dove is through our late father who worked on the Doves (including this one) operated by the Civil Aviation Authority, when they were involved in rating pilots and aerial survey work and checking of landing systems. The aircraft last flew in 1976 to Bristol (lulsgate) airport. Here it was worked on by students of a technical college or university. We presume it then fell into disrepair or was fire damaged and removed from site, as we have seen pictures on the internet of the cockpit section loaded onto a lorry trailer along with other aircraft sections. It then worked its way over the years to us, having been thankfully dry stored, as it is rot free.
As can be seen from the pictures I hope will come on the post, the condition was rough. However, after using two gallons of paint stripper and removing three layers of paint, the state of the metalwork underneath is not bad, there only being surface corrosion in some places. The skin is damaged in several areas but is repairable, and the missing panels are being renewed. A lot of the instrument panels and levers are in position and those will be populated as we find them. The seats are missing and the canopy is gone.
We would be interested in hearing if anyone has any further history or help finding parts we require to complete the project.

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Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

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Some more pictures of the progress so far, things moving forward.:eagerness:

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Member for

10 years 9 months

Posts: 1

Nice work, PM sent

Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 2,245

Cool project!

Member for

7 years 2 months

Posts: 211

Good luck with this worthy project. Good to see civil aircraft also being worked on.
I remember seeing G-ANAP doing ILS runs at Elmdon back in the early 1960s, when I was a young schoolboy spotter.

Member for

19 years 9 months

Posts: 1,424

Great worthy project and good luck with this. For your information there were some Dove cockpit interior pilot instrument panels for sale recently on eBay USA but the listing doesn't seem to be there any more.

Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

Thanks for the replies and positive comments, everyone. The cockpit looked much improved after the old paint was removed, I had found from use that generally available paint stripper nowadays is nowhere near as good as that of time gone by. However I found some on a well known auction site that was effective.
We will keep an eye open for parts, and hope that if anyone sees or hears of anything interesting out there, they will let us know via the forum or PM.
We hope to get the Dove into a decent ongoing condition for next years cockpitfest at Newark.

Member for

14 years 11 months

Posts: 300

We are working on getting a new canopy made for G-ANUW also ex CAFU at the Aeropark if we can get it sorted they could possibly make a batch to cut costs, I will chase it up.

Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

Thanks VARSITY, please keep us in mind if you find a manufacturer/ supplier.

Member for

20 years

Posts: 4,561

I really like this project - will be superb when its finished - keep up the good work!

TT

Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

Thanks for the kind words, more pictures to follow soon.

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 5,088

the 'rehab' looks to be going well!

Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"medium","data-attachmentid":3861202}[/ATTACH][ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"medium","data-attachmentid":3861201}[/ATTACH][ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","data-tempid":"temp_261855_1555957542788_67"}[/ATTACH]​Modifications to trailer before mounting cockpit.

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Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"medium","data-attachmentid":3871227}[/ATTACH][ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"medium","data-attachmentid":3871228}[/ATTACH] More bits being gradually done, trailer bearings and brakes have been repaired, some painting in progress.

Many belated thanks at this stage must go to John B from New Zealand and George N from the UK, who have both very kindly donated various spares to the project.

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Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

A few pics of refurb on internal components to show things are still advancing?

Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

Hopefully two new progress pictures ?

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Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

Project coming on as time and weather allow, removal of lower tatty skin made easier by making new stands. Trailer mounting brackets to be made, fitted and will then re-skin around them. 

Thanks to family members for Lifting operations ?

Member for

7 years 9 months

Posts: 16

Have now replaced  the damaged and ripped outer floor skin and inside stiffeners and  fabricated brackets to enable securing to trailer at front and rear. Primed for paintwork. Bulkhead repairs next 👍

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 5,927

One cannot help but admire your perseverance with this project - and your progress reports concerning it. I wish you success.

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 2,123

I agree: nice job. I like the Dove.

Laurence