Stirling Bits

[Peter]

Apologies if these have been seen before but wow what a large amount of structure!
http://hummersblog.blogspot.ca/2008_01_01_archive.html

[jamesinnewcastl]

Hi Hindenburg

Thanks for the info, again! Though your pic doesn't seem to want to open, I've noticed that some don't.

Attached are the pics that I found in a search for the distances. In the complete aircraft image the rods are shown pretty much lying flat on the fixed fore-aft member and the links at about 45 degrees, though with a little trig on your numbers I will be able to confirm that pretty closely.

I've noted something else from your picture in that the undercarriage is made of tubes with what look like castings to give the appropriate connections at each end - that explains all the rivets(?) Some helpful corrosion for once!

James

[hindenburg]

I never tire at looking at those pictures Peter,amazing the paintwork survived so well.I wonder if they`ve got everything from those pictures at Stafford?,yes that is a lot of wreckage.
Sorry you can`t open the pics James..I had that problem with my own thread pics a few months ago but it seems to have sorted itself out at my end.If you need anything in particular I`ll mail it to you.Yes ,steel tubes James,the last photo I posted also has wood inside the tube connected to the pivot arm,theres quite a bit of wood in the undercarriage door structure I think.
As for the stuff in the photo at Hemsby,... what a shame!!! all scrapped as far as I`m aware...the bit I had must have been missed or kept as a momento...still kicking myself for parting with it,I`m sure I`ve got a photo somewhere,got it from a chap called Jamie Clarey I think,he lived in that neck of the woods at Long Sutton,always had a lot of interesting swops...lost touch with him sadly.

[jamesinnewcastl]

Hi Hindenburg

Just noticed in AP1160C&D in the list of associated APs:

Smoke Screening Equipment AP 2457A

Could relate to the SCI but not necessarily to the control panel. I will see if Hendon have a copy when I go down.


James

[Wyvernfan]

Apologies if these have been seen before but wow what a large amount of structure!
http://hummersblog.blogspot.ca/2008_01_01_archive.html

That is an amazing amount of wreckage. Nice photos.

[hindenburg]

Be interesting to see that AP2457A James,I`ve located an SCI Panel and Junction box,so hopefully a closer examination may solve our conumdrum, just a massive round journey to get it !!
Yes ALOT of wreckage Wyvernfan,still not convinced the RAF Museum recovered all of that...has anyone seen the engines at Stafford ???????

[jamesinnewcastl]

Hi Hindenburg

A picture of the control panel and the labelling of the switches should help greatly, apparently the operating instructions were written on it.


James

[hindenburg]

Sadly,only four rivet holes remain where label was,judging by the size of it,there were alot of instructions!!!

[hindenburg]

James,found a footnote in my bomb aimers notes spec 1944!!.SCI unit replaced by release/jettison unit (5D1483) twin ?installation....BTW James, Do you have AP1661 Vol II `Pyrotechnics` ????

[Air Ministry]

Hi H,

Got your PM. Here is the item. I've got notes on it and its associated equipment somewhere but cannot lay my hands on them at the moment. I'll keep looking.

[jamesinnewcastl]

Hi Hindenburg

I don't have a copy of AP1661 but I have put it on the list for RAF Hendon!


James

[hindenburg]

Thanks Alan,be interested to get some gen on it....is that your unit?any ideas what else they`re fitted to?.... as it`s not a Stirling bespoke fitting.
Nice one James!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hindenburg]

Attachment 204532 Cylinder head from LJ822 of 190 Sqn,crashed at Knighton Farm at Hampreston 6 minutes after take-off from Tarrant Rushton.11/4/44

Attachment 204533Part of turret control handle from R9306 which crashed on Bulbarrow Hill near Blandford in Dorset 16/2/43.

[hindenburg]

Attachment 204722[/ATTACH][ATTACH]204714[copy of Squadron records for the fateful trip

Attachment 204715

Attachment 204716 A map of the positions leading up to the crash drawn by the Mid-Upper Gunner William Hurn. The Army Camp where the injured and dead were taken is now part of a logging company and has a few remaining buildings.The crash site is now overgrown with bushes in the middle of a field ( can clearly be seen on Google Earth).

Attachment 204717

Attachment 204718 Norman Hartney ( bomb aimer) left and RCAF Pilot Jim Brydon on the Right

Attachment 204719Pilot Jim Brydon in the Pilots seat and Flight Engineer `Jock` Rodger

Attachment 204720Bomb Aimer Norman Hartney.

My Thanks for this information go to Vic Smith ( who witnessed the crash as a young lad)for showing me the crash site and his kind donations and surviving gunner, Bill Hurn, for his research information and photos.

[hindenburg]

Hi H,

Got your PM. Here is the item. I've got notes on it and its associated equipment somewhere but cannot lay my hands on them at the moment. I'll keep looking.

Managed to get a new one of these Alan... and it`s labelled as `pilots panel control`??????..it has connectors to activate 12 stations.

[hindenburg]

Attachment 204883

[jamesinnewcastl]

Hi Hindenburgh,

Didn't find anything on the Stirling control of the SCI, but found this!

James

[Gingie]

Any ideas on these bits?

[hindenburg]

Interesting James,I see fitted to Fighters,wonder if they put these in the bomb positions on the Stirling then.Gingie,You`ve got me stumped there,they look like some sort of large pivot...any numbers stamped on them????

[Gingie]

I'll get some close up shots over the next couple of days.

[Gingie]

Hope this helps, this is from the smaller thingy.

[hindenburg]

Your bits are part of the mountings for the engine installation Gingie.

[Gingie]

Cheers Hindenburg, more mystery objects to follow.

[hindenburg]

nice photos of Mk 1 Stirling interior.Oakington 1942.Possibly the interior of W7444 MG-G.

Attachment 205390 general services junction box is at far end of rest bunk.

Attachment 205391

Attachment 205392 notice the framework hanging from the roof to take the FN25 Vental Turret (see post 943)

Attachment 205393

[hindenburg]

Attachment 205394

Attachment 205395

Attachment 205396

[hindenburg]

After moving tons of `umska` in the scrappies,I`m starting to uncover definate proof that it received Stirlings (or parts of) from various local airfields.Below are a couple of large jacking adaptors..and one still had its label !!!

Attachment 205486

Attachment 205487

[hindenburg]

Some of the many junction boxes found,These large General services Panels(I) I`ve so far found three of.I think they may fit at the end of the crew rest bunk on the starboard side (see above interior shots).The nice thing was one still had its label with S29 clearly marked.I`l post some pics of the other bits when they`re cleaned up,Hopefully there`s a lot more to come.....


Attachment 205488

Attachment 205489

Attachment 205490

[jamesinnewcastl]

Hi Hindenburg

I don't think that these are 'junction boxes' so much as Bus Bars, but a rose by any other name.....

There were two batteries which needed connecting in series and I suspect that this is what your item is doing, so A Batt is one and B Batt is the other. The cables to this unit would be extremely thick hence the big wooden cable clamp.


With the batteries connected in series this probably also distributed the main feeds to the two root panels.

Refer to AP1660 A&B Vol 1 Sect 6 Chap 1 - The Location Diagram - General Services sheet which shows most of the planes various C and UC references. Find the Accumulator (Battery). Oddly this is shown as 4 concatenated Boxes

Above the battery is a Bus Bar - This is what I think that you have as the signals running to and from that item are:

Accumulator
Ground Supply Socket
Starboard Wing Root Panel
Port Wing Root Panel

No mention of the Ground/air switch but that is where it would be! The bus bar does not appear on the circuit diagrams, not surpring though as it an in-your-face item and the internal wiring is probably just three thick copper (tapped) bars.

You could help us out by opening the things up and showing us 3/4 pics of them!

Cheers
James

[hindenburg]

Attachment 205502 Yes found it on the schematic James..there was a ground socket switch unit found with them ,so that makes sense.

[jamesinnewcastl]

Hi Hindenburg

The crimps look new - if the wood doesn't show compression marks where the cables would have been held then you probably have an unused item!

Hmmm just looked closely at your pics of the wheels behind the spars that controlled the fuel tanks - there is a Radio Direction finding indicator there! What on earth would one be there for? Isn't that where the Flight Engineer would be?


James