I finally decided to take a day off work yesterday and get most of the finishing touches on the panel. The Hand drilling and filing is a serious PITA but I was determined to at least have a go. All things considered I think it went quite well.
The original wood mock up.
A start on the metal versions.
The metal drilled, cut and filed to get the basic patterns.
The first test fit of some of the instruments and panel fittings. I have painted the BFP and am happy with the textured finish. Part of it didn't take well though and I tried to patch it. Not 100% successful but a strip down and re-paint will be last on the list as it isn't too noticeable and I have a lot of other fish to fry. The drilled screw holes for the instruments in the main panel still need to be cleaned up on the reverse, so none of the small stuff on that panel has been fitted yet but I don't anticipate any real problems. I also still have to get together with Chris and his laser cutter soon to cut the Oil Pressure Gauge and Ammeter dummies, the U/C Indicator and some faces for the new twin needle gauges that have now arrived. One twin will be used for Oil and Fuel Pressure (unfortunately this will be an "extra" round gauge that is not on the original panel) and the other will have two identical graduated scales marked as Brake Pressure with one needle indicating Brake Pressure and the other scaled off EGT to use for adjusting mixture on the A2A Spitfire 1A (FSX only has an overall "brake pressure" figure, not one for left and one for right).
A real panel being restored and at a similar stage.
Finally, the detail of the Blind Flying Panel stand-offs…I decided to leave the main panel as complete as possible for structural integrity so rather than cut extra volume out of the middle and use brackets, I used tabs left on the panel as mounting holes for bolts. The original uses brackets with rubber boots…mainly to cut down vibration on the six primary flying instruments which are particularly susceptible to it.
A couple of small adjustments still necessary to stop the PCBs shorting on the aluminium frame. I haven't powered it up yet for that reason.
Hopefully the next step is to get the main panel "finished" and primed for painting.
Darryl