Mosquito RS700 Restoration

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Understood. Just surprised at the seamingly random pattern, almost like each had a purpose, location wise, at one time. Interesting.
 
A fine example of collaborative efforts appears in the below trial assembly photo. The main support post, at center, was obtained from a group restoring Mosquito FB. VI HR339 in New Zealand in exchange for some control cables that we had as spares. We fixed a crack, filled some unneeded holes and painted the unit with a black wrinkle paint. The aileron trim wheel is original to our airplane and fits perfectly on the post. The panel mounted at the top left of the post was made for us very early on in our project by a colleague at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada. The mounting holes that he drilled in that panel many years ago aligned perfectly with the holes on the center post from New Zealand. Gotta love when things come together like this!

Since that panel was built (known in Mosquito lingo as the "Fixed Instrument Panel"), we have come across photos of a Spartan panel that show modifications that they made to this design and we will be incorporating these changes directly onto this panel once we have the other two instrument panels trial-fitted. That work will be the subject of future posts.

 
Thanks guys. In the above pic, the missing gauge above the oxygen flow gauge is the flap position indicator. The one that was in the hole actually fouled the edge of the post so I had to remove it to make the panel fit. I need to investigate that. The flap position indicator was present on the Spartan panel but other changes will be evident from the below detail from a 1966 photograph.



At top center is the flap position indicator and to its left can be seen the undercarriage position indicator, which is the same type as the one in the posted picture of our restored panel. To the left of this are the 4 engine start buttons (1 booster coil and 1 starter each engine). Though the buttons are correct on our example, the spring-loaded covers are different and these are very hard to come by. One major change is to the magneto and master switches. Spartan replaced these with a single American Scintilla unit which incorporates the master switch and four mag switches into a single unit. I've sourced one of these on EBay and will change out our switches for the Scintilla unit. The oxygen panel and valve have been replaced by Spartan but there seems to be space for just a blinker so that will need to be looked into.

What I really like is the makeshift cup holder seen below the undercarriage control handle. I'm going to make one for sure! The box with the two buttons to the immediate right of the cup holder are the relays for the tropical air filters. We have a New Old Stock (NOS) unit and I'll be putting that in.

Below the cup holder is the aileron trim wheel, same as on our post, and to its immediate left and slightly above is the glycol windscreen de-ice hand pump right next to the brake air pressure gauge. The de-ice pump was repositioned to this location from lower down on the post via Mod 1349 to prevent the parachute straps from snagging on the pump handle on exiting the aircraft (how did they find out this was a thing?!?). I will have to cut an opening in our panel, fabricate the support bracket, and mount the pump there.

All in a day's work....
 
There are several difference with the mk4, but still I can use your pics for details.

But.......... You can draw a lot of details in de gauges, but when printer into the 32 scale, all disapears, maybe I should make a changeover to the 1/12 scale
 
Capt. Vick said:
Why the two different windscreens?
Click to expand...
You mean the flat panel vs the split V-shaped screen with center post? The latter was the original design for the bomber versions. The flat panel was needed for fighter versions as the gun sight needs a flat plate of glass in front of it.
 
The various fabricated instrument panel supports that I fabricated (shown earlier in post #205) have now been painted and have the newly purchased Lord vibration mounts riveted in place.




With that done, I was able to trial fit the engine panel today. This would have been a two man job but, since I was alone working on an off-day today, a little extra time and perseverance saw the panel successfully installed. A few minor adjustments will be needed later to level everything. However, the trial fit was successful and some minor interferences were noted.



Those of you who know Mosquitos well will see that the instruments on the engine panel at the extreme left are not the same as on your typical RAF Mosquito. The panel was rebuilt by Spartan to include American Instruments, switches, and warning lights and simplified dual displays for manifold pressure (removed at top), RPM, and coolant, oil, and carb air temperatures were used instead of the British gauges. The two oil pressure gauges are, however, original British types and the suction gauge is American.

The circled bits in the following pictures are some of the loose parts from the first picture now in their final places. Painting of the bare aluminum washers (also newly fabricated by our team) will follow after disassembly.



Thanks for your interest!
 
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