Geedee's P-51D Cockpit Project

[Geedee]

Hi guys and thanks for the encouraging words.

Now...about the Merlin, I'm fortunate in that my gorgeous missus actually wouldnt mind if I had one...especially if it was a runner!. I think my love of Warbirds has rubbed off on her...ooeerrrr, can I say that ?... she does like the sound of a Merlin on full song ! (not sure the neighburs would tho ). There is one slight problem in this quest though and that is I'm skint (what credit crunch, I cant even spell Kredit !), I did suggest re mortgaging the house but the look I got back woiuld have burnt its way through six feet of asbestos...so I didnt.

A 190 ? not a problem as its quite a simple profile with not too many compound curves, so should be fairly easy to build. That would be quite an interesting project to attempt !. Let me see how things go when the 51 is finished.

 

[Micdrow]

Well Gary, a Allsion engine is allot cheaper and well the neighbors, you wouldnt hear then complaine any way over either engine

 

[Njaco]

Looking really great! And I complain about the 1/48 cockpits I play with!

 

[Geedee]

Well Gary, a Allsion engine is allot cheaper and well the neighbors, you wouldnt hear then complaine any way over either engine

I'm sure the missus would appreciate me walking in and saying "Hi honey....meet Allison and I'm going to be spending a lot of time and money her !"....

Anyway, was supposed to be away today but work said that where I was supposed to be going wasnt ready...so I took a days leave. Been quite busy, spraying and mucking around. Couldn't resist a quick dry run assembly so here it is. As I'm not going to be able to get the rudder pedals correctly fitted in the next 11 days, I've knocked up a simple stand to show 'Joe Public' where they will eventually be sited. I've also made the 'mounting' box to put the 51 on and this has castoring wheels underneath (Its getting very heavy now !. I still have to 'close off' the ends and apply some suitable paint. The blue Ali is actually a plastic covering thats keeping the Ali underneath clean, this will be pulled off at the 'Fest to leave a nice clean shiny surface on the outside

I'm getting quite excited now and am really looking forward to getting the instrument panel mounted...but I'm having hassle forming the interior ribs so this might take a little while. Then , when I 've finished making the seat....I can finally sit in my own 51 Whooppeeeee....Ok, its a box on wheels, but I've got a good imagination !.

 

[Airframes]

Nice work Gary. You've got quite a lot done in a relatively short time. Looking forward to seeing further progress mate.

 

[Wayne Little]

Excellent Mate!

 

[Rocketeer]

good stuff Gary...keep up good work and thanx for the huge amount of rivetting help on the spitty

 

[Geedee]

3 more pics, this time taken at Cockpitfest a few weeks ago. This was the first time I've had everything put in place and was quite pleased how it turned out.

A couple of things to note. All the woodwork around the instrument panel and rudder pedals, is purely to hold it all in roughly the correct place. This will all disappear as I carry on with the ribs (two are on the table showing people how I'm making them) and get them all rivetted in place on the skins.

The gap between the instrumant panel and the fuselage sides is there for a reason, its not cos I cant measure properly !. I still have to either get some original top longerons (very expensive !!! or somehow figure out a way of making them. These two missing longeron sections fit in the gap between the panel and the skin !. The Longerons are a H pattern with one side canted inwards a few degrees to follow the curve of the fuselage side. They are also around 5 MM thick so I am more than likely not going to be able to get Ali that thick and folded. I've even considered making them out of Hardwood as the actual shape isnt easily apparent when installed and all the bits 'n' bobs are attached, but I would rather make them out of metal.

This is the stumbling block on the project at the moment as without these two Longerons, I cant complete the lower half of the fuselage and then get to work on the top half...mounting the instrument panel surrounds, panel, gunsight and then onto the windshield assembly (I have found a source in the States where I can get an original, un-issued bullet proof windshield and two side 'windows' for a shade over £2200.00 Gulp !.)

I am also working on modifying a seat to place in the 'pit and am about half way through cutting and splicing and then onto the final build, again all to original blue prints. Just need about £500 then I could get an original seat, but I'm just about totally skint so this is the only option for me at the moment.

Probably not be doing much over the next few weeks as am getting very busy at work and now my son has decided he wants to carry on with his motocross...bang goes my weekends !, but I will continue to update as I get anything done.

The first pic shows Tony hiding behind his gorgeous Mk 5 Project, talking to a visitor. This is the kind of stage of build that I want to get to, then I'll be happier. The other two are just general shots. I did get an awfull lot of interest generated by the 51 model, and then the visitors could see what I was trying to recreate.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Wow Gary, that's really excellent!

 

[evangilder]

It's really coming together nicely, Gary!

 

[Airframes]

Great progress Gary, well done mate. Wish I had the space, and the wherewithal. to build something similar!

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done Gary!

 

[Lucky13]

Looking tits Gary! Help yourself to a pint.....or a dram!

 

[GrauGeist]

... I still have to either get some original top longerons (very expensive !!! or somehow figure out a way of making them. These two missing longeron sections fit in the gap between the panel and the skin !. The Longerons are a H pattern with one side canted inwards a few degrees to follow the curve of the fuselage side. They are also around 5 MM thick so I am more than likely not going to be able to get Ali that thick and folded. I've even considered making them out of Hardwood as the actual shape isnt easily apparent when installed and all the bits 'n' bobs are attached, but I would rather make them out of metal...

Gary, you say the material is about 5m/m thick and shaped in roughly an "H" pattern, so why not get some aluminium flat stock, cut the sides and cross peice out to suite, then have a friend or someone weld it together?

That might be way more accurate than say, wood or comparable material, and would have to be alot cheaper than having it cut out of a large sheet. I know mild steel would most likely be cheaper (and easier to weld), but the savings in weight would make the aluminium the better choice.

Just a thought, hopefully you can get something figured out!

 

[Wayne Little]

Damn nice work Gary!

 

[Tony Hill]

Looking great mate,

I understand the frustrations of getting shaped Aluminium parts made!!

Can't wait to see more...try not to let work take over your life completely (from someone who knows....)


Darryl

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

HOLY GUACAMOLE GARY, THAT'S IMPRESSIVELY STUPENDOUS MAN, WOW!!!

 

[zpd307]

i didnt realize that recreating a cockpit was such a craze. are you planning on putting on the bubble glass?can one even buy a running merlin these days?

 

[Shinpachi]

A great work.
I admire really.

 

[N4521U]

If one could get CAD drawings of all the parts, they could be laser cut, even holes for the rivets! This whole thing could be a kit. Wish I was there to document all the parts in CAD. Even a kit of DXF files for laser or water cutting. Couldn'e do this for the real thing tho, coz of anealing the cut edges and holes have to be hig speed drilled. cheers, Bill