You'll never guess what ? !!!! SHOCK HORROR PROBE !!!! I've done some more work on my '51 ...wheres the fanfare smilie ?
Decided to have it off today...oeerrr, can I say that ?....and I've put in 6 hours solid on my babe. Doesn't actually look as though I've done much, but thats the nature of the beast.
Started off by stripping everything out of the tub so I could finally get the rudder pedals bolted into place, instead of 'perched' in place. This is now complete and I'm now on the trawl for details about fixing the springs to the pedals, sorting out a 'brake' feel for when the pedals are depressed (why they be depressed ?...beats me !). Oh, and I need to get the springs themselves as well.
With the pedals sorted, it was time to install the new main electrical panel...which in the best tradition, didn't quite fit in the same place as the first one I made. A half hour of fiddling about got it all lined up and now its mounted properly and doesn't wobble about either. I also stripped the ammeter down and stopped the glass from rattling as well.
Then it was time to start putting it all back together and in the right sequence this time. Started off with lower instrument surround, closely followed by the top and then put the main instrument panel back in place. I've been having a nose through the blueprints to sort out the ones for the windshield and discovered where the gunsight mounting bracket fits...its now held in place with a clip until the glare shield is done.
And then it was time to look at the seat. Hmmmmm, its been bugging me for some time now that the back is way too high...remember its not a pukka 'Stang seat, its from a 'Seaking' chopper but is close enough for the time being to use. Marked it all out and then got to play with grinder. Once cut down to size, the seat looks a lot mor like the Warren Mcarthur. What I will be doing this friday...yup, having it off again !!! is to trim the section I cut out and use that to support the back of the seat back, with a fresh trim sheet of Ali cut from stock on the front of the back rest. With some steel rod inserted into the tubular 'edges' of the back rest to provide structural strength and the two sections of ali rivetted in place with proper rivets...not 'pop' rivets. this will look like a field repair and should last me for some considerable time. Then it was time for a quick couiple of shots with the seat in place...and still in pieces... and thats it for today as I'm off for dinner function at the Officers Mess at Boscombe Down tonight (can you imagine me in a DJ !!!)
I am really hoping that the weather holds over the next few weeks as I'm getting back into the swing of working on the '51 and you what ?....I'm really enjoying it !
And finally, sorry about the pics, they aint quite level as I was leaning over the back of the rear bulkhead for some of them, cos I noticed in some of them, things look a bit 'squiffy', they aren't, its just me not taking level shots ! (queue loadsa comments !!!
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