Mosquito RS700 Restoration (1 Viewer)

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Crimea_River

Marshal
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12,938
Nov 16, 2008
Calgary
I've decided to start this new thread as a continuation of the one here http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/warbird-displays/calgarys-mosquito-sale-23846.html.

We left off in the last thread with a series of pictures taken last year at the opening ceremony to kick off this Mosquito's restoration work. Since then, we spent many sessions over the winter cataloging and crating a lot of the parts, documenting parts to be removed, and building display stands for fund-raising exhibits for various shows that we attended. We also got our hands on a set of structural drawings that should help us a lot.

As this project is partly funded with public funds, our society has had to submit detailed execution plans and progress reports to pass various stage gates. Stage 1 was the aforementioned cataloging and planning work. This summer, we received approval to proceed with actual restoration work so we are now well into building lifting jigs and a permanent steel stand for the fuselage. I'll post on the following pages a series of photos summarizing some of the the work done over the last year. This will give me a good starting point to keep those interested in this project posted with more regular progress pictures.

For more info o this project, please visit the home page for the Calgary Mosquito Society here:
The Calgary Mosquito Society
 
February 23, 2013. Adding oil to the Merlin cylinders through the plug openings:

130223 Adding Oil to cylinders through spark plug holes.JPG


March 23, 2013 Arrival of the plans:

130323 Plans arrived.jpg


Dismantling the prop:

130323 Prop Dismantle 1.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 2.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 3.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 4.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 5.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 6.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 7.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 8.jpg

130323 Prop Dismantle 9.jpg
 
August 17, 2013

Bracing across the canopy opening to prepare for future lifts:

130817 Dick and Bob making temporary canopy strut.jpg


Measuring placement of hydraulics on Bulkhead 3.

130817Tim measuring up Bulkhead no 3.jpg
 
Great stuff Andy, and enough to keep you all occupied for some time !
I wish I was a) fit enough and b) close enough to a restoration facility, to help out. If I ever win the Lottery, I think I'll move to Duxford !
 
Today's work saw us finish the bracing in the cockpit area. With the canopy removed, this area is very weak and I suspect our bracing is stronger than the canopy now. The rear connections of the braces have been connected to the wing attachment point. All this is in preparation for lifting the entire fuselage section out of its present shipping cradle into a new custom-fabricated steel one. This will be a few weeks off yet.

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In the background can be seen the two Rolls Royce-built Merlins as well as the wing.
 
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Dam, that fricken rocks! I am so jealous!!! I do not know if this will help you guys out or not, but in Nov of this year Hayes is publishing their
De Havilland Mosquito Manual: 1940 onwards (all marks) - An insight into developing, flying, servicing and restoring Britain's 'Wooden Wonder' fighter-bomber (Owners' Workshop Manual)
 
Great stuff and I wish you the best of luck with the restoration.
Is the plan for it to be made airworthy?

Cheers Chris
 
Alas no. It will be a museum piece with as much original structure and equipment as possible but we hope to have it in taxiing condition. To get a Mossie to flying condition is essentially a complete rebuild.
 
For sure. As much as I'd like it to look like the original PR version it was built as, it will be restored to its post-war Spartan Air Services scheme.

Here's a model:

IMG_1745.jpg
 
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