1:1 Scale P-40 Control Panel Project

[THeMaNRJ]

I am also going to confine it to the panel itself and possibly the gunsight and not let it get carried away as the P-47 panel did!

Below is a drawing I made of the Electric Panel for a P-40E. The hardest part is trying to find 7 Heinemann circuit breakers.

That's sure something to think about Peter. It would save me a lot of work. I did a google search but couldn't find any idea of how much something like that would cost. $100? several hundred? anybody have a rough idea? up to $200 would be worth it, but that would be my limit. I'm afraid a one-off custom job like that would be way more than I could afford.

Ben Saunders ([email protected]), from Saero Design (Saero Design - coming soon), gave me the prices for a P-40E panel a long time ago. I wanted something a bit different from what he had (exactly what Peter did). He said he would do it but he disappeared and so I gave up.

Then there's Dan Collier. I tried to contact him ([email protected]) for information but had no luck. What he did is amazing. Check out his work at P-40 Parts part 1 by Dan Collier

In the end I envy you guys (in a good sense). What you have accomplished is beyond perfection.

Cheers,
Joe.

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks Joe, That drawing will be helpful, I already have the cockpit lamp, but I can see coming up with thoes circuit breakers could be a problem. I looked at Dan Collier's stuff and it is amazing.

Found this on youtube. Gives you a good impression what it's like to ride in a P-40!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCrKDz8hH5E

 

[T Bolt]

Here are some of the parts I've collected that I'll use in the panel.

Picture 1) The instruments in the rough configuration that they will be in.

Picture 2) A Grimes cockpit light that the P-40E had under the switch/breaker panel.

Pictures 3 4) My N-3C reflector gunsight. I've hooked it up to a 12v power supply and it does light up although it is missing the glass reflector plate and bracket which I will have to fabricate.

Pictures 5 6) Recognition lights control box. I was getting ready to put one I had in my P-47 cockpit when it went missing. After it failed to turn up for quite a while I saw another one up on eBay and bought it. Soon there after the original turned up leaving me with two, so I can use the extra one with the P-40 panel. I know the P-40E had it on the side wall, but I'll mount it off to the side or under the main panel.

 

[Airframes]

Great collection of parts there Glenn. Looks like you'll need a hangar by the time you finish both projects !

 

[T Bolt]

This one will defiantly be smaller than the other one Terry. Hopefully something I can hang on the wall.

 

[vikingBerserker]

NICE!!!

 

[T Bolt]

A few more parts came in the last few days. Two panel lights and a clock. If the lights aren't the exact type used in the P-40E panel they sure look close enough. The clock was sold for "parts only" so I got it for five bucks. I already have a working one in the P-47 panel and I don't really need two. Not at the price they seem to be going for now. There is a minute hand there too, its just black. Nothing a little white paint won't cure.
I plan to put in an order for the aluminum sheet I need for the skin of the P-47 in a month or so and I will include a piece for this panel.

 

[Crimea_River]

Neat stuff Glenn.

 

[ozhawk40]

Good score Glenn. The panel lights are the correct ones. The clock was a bargain. You've done well!

Cheers

Peter

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks for the conformation on the lights Peter, I wasn't sure about them.

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Glenn. The lights remind me of the warning lights I had fitted to my rally Escort back in the early 1970s.

 

[eb43bsa]

Hi

I came across this forum and post while searching the net for info on p-40's. Rather than start a new post thought i would ask the question here
I am wanting to do up an instrument panel for a p-40e. Does any one know of reproduction panels available or a dxf file that can be taken to a laser cutter to have cut out.
If i can't find a pre done cad file i may be able to get someone to draw it up in cad if i had some good dimensionalised drawings. The one in this post was a bit hard to read all the dimensions on
Any help would be appreciated

Thanks
Eben

 

[jjp_nl]

Truly amazing work on these cockpits! Perhaps a bit of a dumb (more general) question, but I'm rather intrigued by it....where does one find all the appropriate instruments? Is there like a 'market' for these things among the people working on recreating things like these, (maybe not unlike people who work on classic cars or something)? Or do you need to look among the people and organizations restoring classic planes for museums or to flying state? How does one go about these things?

 

[T Bolt]

............I am wanting to do up an instrument panel for a p-40e. Does any one know of reproduction panels available or a dxf file that can be taken to a laser cutter to have cut out.

I don't know of any source of readymade panels or I'd get one myself as it's quite a lot of work to make them (as I found out doing my P-47 panel) I've sent you a private message.

Truly amazing work on these cockpits! Perhaps a bit of a dumb (more general) question, but I'm rather intrigued by it....where does one find all the appropriate instruments? Is there like a 'market' for these things among the people working on recreating things like these, (maybe not unlike people who work on classic cars or something)? Or do you need to look among the people and organizations restoring classic planes for museums or to flying state? How does one go about these things?

I found 99% of them on eBay Jelmer, most of them non-working so they were fairly inexpensive, although some of the unique ones were somewhat pricey. The trick to finding them is to keep on looking, week after week until you find what you need. It took me well over a year to acquire all the instruments for the P-47 panel. Many times after I found one that was "close enough", I would find the "perfect one", so in the end I ended up with many "extras". That's why I decided to make this P-40 panel too.

 

[kato333]

Nice build of the 1:1 scale p-40 panel i really like but how much instrument is left behind to complete the another panel?What is the range of maximum speed of the panel?What,s update about the panel?


Prime Scales|Floor Scale

 

[Rocketeer]

Good stuff Glenn! Well done!

In July's Flypast there is a photo of Peter Teichmanns time capsule P40 panel!

I could do with a drawing of your P47 panel (dimensions etc) as I am going to expand my windscreen. Also need a P47 throttle!!

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks Tony, sent you a PM

 

[MacArther]

When this is all said and done, can I come visit and play in the cockpit and pretend I'm with the AVG?