J.A.M. Car-door Typhoon rebuild.

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Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

Having now pretty well completed the rectification/replacement of the cockpit frame structure at phase one; we are commencing fitment of electrical/hydraulic/pneumatic components; the completed flying controls module, and the pilot seat; followed by panelling and instrumentation.

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The following components are still missing. If anyone has any of these that they are prepared to part with for suitable amounts of folding stuff, or knows where they might be available; any information would be most appreciated.

1x Newton Automatic Carbon Pile Voltage Regulator Type A.
1x General Services Junction Box. CZ. 22000/1.
1x General Services Junction Box. CZ. 22001/1.
1x General Services Junction Box. CZ. 22002/1.
1x General Services Junction Box. CZ. 12184/0.
1x Generator Suppressor. Type H.
1x Graviner Gravity Switch.
1x Dowty Hydraulic System Air Bottle Inflation Valve.
(Gauge: Budenburg Pressure (60lbs) 27Q/4863.
Valve Body: 27Q/3883 or 27Q/3884.)

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Original post

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 5,196

Beautiful

Member for

20 years 6 months

Posts: 7,025

^^^^^ Agreed ,looks superb ,well done and good luck with getting the parts.

Member for

20 years 3 months

Posts: 1,494

Excellent progress. I'm looking forward to seeing it close up. Is it available to view in the museum?

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

At present, it is still in the workshop. There is much to do... reconstructing the firewall from segments of the original firewall; but using a non-asbestos material inner sandwich; fabrication of the forward windscreen coaming; aft cockpit head fairing; side panels, etc.
Then there's the fun of the hydraulic and pneumatic systems pipework; main wiring looms, and reconstruction of the "A" frame.
The museum management want it by August of this year.

Member for

13 years 8 months

Posts: 195

Wonderful to see so much Typhoon activity! Well done chaps. What a labor of love. What is the provenance of this structure?

Cheers
Anthony

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

The dismembered cockpit section recovered from the famed, and long-since disappeared Flowers scrapyard, Chippenham was unable to be identified; as the constructor's plate had been liberated at some previous time, together with the external aluminium fuselage panels. The spade grip of the control column had also been liberated by means of sawing it off with a hacksaw.
It was, however, noted that the tubular frame construction exhibited some deformation; suggesting that this airframe had suffered impact damage such as would be evident in a crash landing. It may, however, have been as a result of some mishandling during its life in the scrap yard.

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Cockpit section as recovered.

With regard to the above suggested service life mishap; further research threw up two possibilities as to the identity of the airframe. For the cockpit frame structure to have survived suggests that the aircraft had not hit the ground vertically; but rather suffered a belly-landing-type contact with the ground.
Typhoon airframes that were scrapped by resident RAF station Maintenance Units or civil contractors usually had the cockpit sections stripped of salvageable instruments and fittings, with the cockpit frames being ignored because the frame surround was constructed from low value, heavy steel tubes. These frames were usually cut up in-situ with oxy-acetylene torches and the segments of dismembered frame discarded into nearby purpose-dug pits or conveniently-sited disused quarries.
The locality of the recovered cockpit frame suggests that the aircraft would have met its demise within an approximate ten-mile radius of the scrap yard... no scrap man would have bothered to transport the heavy, and low-value hulk from much further afield.

Two Hawker Typhoon aircraft are known to have come to grief within this ten-mile radius:

The first; a Hawker Typhoon 1B, serial DN295, crashed some five miles east of Colerne as a result of engine failure, killing the pilot, Flt. Lt. Charles Mervyn Burfield on 28.2.1943.
Flt. Lt. Burfield was a flying instructor with 257 Sqn based at Warmwell; and it is reasonable to assume that, as a flying instructor, he would have attempted a "Dead-stick" landing.

The second; a Hawker Typhoon 1B, serial EJ947, of 175 Sqn; overshot Colerne on landing; 13.04.1943.
No further information on this incident is, as yet, forthcoming.

Extensive research on these two specific serial numbers has confirmed that both of these aircraft were early, framed canopy, car-door versions; and either might be our example. This is mere supposition, however; and considerable further research is required.

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Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 5,196

The Flowers yard was not known for treating its inmates kindly. I think the damage is likely all from being buried under tons of scrap. I remember finding some Wellington geodetic under a huge amount of rail steel scrap. Also the London to Christchurch air race Canberra was well buried and mangled. It may be worth looking towards localish ATC units/schools that may have had a Tyffie at some time or other. My bet, FWIW, is that it was a cockpit that survived into the 50s and found its way from a local MU or ATC unit. The huge pile of spitfire legs might have come from the same MU source?
any which way, cracking project that you have done justice too.

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

Agreed; provenance regarding our old girl is difficult. We are in contact with Hendon records... but that is a bit like getting blood out of a stone!
A considerable number were also dismembered by No. 5 Maintenance Unit, at RAF Kemble and their sub-site at RAF Aston Down. Several Typhoon airframes were also scrapped by No. 8 Maintenance Unit at RAF Little Rissington; but almost all of the cockpit structures at these sites were cut up and buried.
The other main scrapping location was at RAF Fradley (Lichfield). Some cockpit frame structures were dumped at various scrapyard sites at Brownhills, near Walsall; almost 100 miles from Chippenham... a hell of a long way for a scrap man to lug getting on for five hundredweights of corroded steel tubing!
A further problem is with the constructor's plate. It is widely believed that the constructor's and mod plates attached to the aft port "L" joint tubes 18 and 52 supplementary bracket (see below) relate to the aircraft identity.

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This is not the case; these plates identify the cockpit tube structure (P/No: E102500), and bear no true relationship to the aircraft's serial number. This was stamped on a separate plate located in the cockpit; and sometimes chalked on the firewall if the aircraft had been returned to Glosters for modification.

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Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 5,196

They never made it easy!!! I have those plates on my L structure. Must read them!

Member for

13 years 8 months

Posts: 195

Thanks guys

Appreciate you taking the time to reply, very interesting indeed! Such a wonderful piece of history there.

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

Last week, we installed the restored side panels, Trim wheel assembly; Hydraulic pump, pilot's map case; and aligned the bottom Blind Flying Panel mounts.
Next game (subject to our tin basher not saying it will get in his way) will be to assemble the Compass mounting tray assembly...

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Still searching for the electrical and hydraulic components mentioned in the initial post, though!)

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Member for

15 years 9 months

Posts: 1,306

Come on, how many Typhoon restorations do we need? They'll be as common as muck in no time. Where are the Spitfires? :stupid:

Seriously though, this looks fantastic. Bravo to all involved.

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

Difference is; our old lady is the only genuine Car-door 1B.
All the rest are Bubble canopy versions, with the notable exception of the replica model hanging from the roof in Caen.

Member for

15 years

Posts: 1,712

Looking forward to seeing it on display. I was at the museum this afternoon with my son. We really enjoyed it, great little museum.

Member for

20 years 3 months

Posts: 1,494

Last week, we installed the restored side panels, Trim wheel assembly; Hydraulic pump, pilot's map case; and aligned the bottom Blind Flying Panel mounts.
Next game (subject to our tin basher not saying it will get in his way) will be to assemble the Compass mounting tray assembly...

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Still searching for the electrical and hydraulic components mentioned in the initial post, though!)

This really is a superb restoration.

Member for

19 years 7 months

Posts: 1,566

Another wonderful restoration and rebuild being done - thanks for posting those pics.

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,172

Where did the seat originate from?

Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

The Mk.1 seat fitted is ex-CARG stock which was donated to the project. It is an early Gloster Meteor Mk.1 Pilot seat, and conforms with regard to the mounting points; except, that the larger cast seat mounting inserts attached to the seat are of a smaller thread diameter than the two machined steel plugs/bushes that secure the seat to the adjuster handle on the starboard side; and the seat mounting bracket on the port side.
There are also slight variations in the side fitments (clips, brackets etc.)
The Lower Seat Frame Support Torsion Tube and seat adjuster assembly acquired from Graham Adlam; (Spitfire Spares), was marketed as being a Hurricane assembly, but is part number identical to that of a Typhoon. The only anomaly in the marriage of the seat to the support torsion tube and seat adjuster is the mounting inserts thread variation as mentioned above.

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Up until the F8, all Meteors including T7s were non-bang seat and very much a case of "Sod this; time to go... I'll have to step over the side."

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Member for

10 years 2 months

Posts: 319

Things moving on a pace now. We now have a production line set up for fabricating the monocoque formers by hand to original Hawker/Gloster drawings; and I am busy doing the plumbing.
It was decided on the grounds of cost to use commercial copper tubing (which is a tenth of the cost of the same diameter aluminium tubing and can be painted silver if required by High Command.) This will probably ruffle purist feathers but the project is only for static museum exhibition.
Here's how it is going.
First the Port side...

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and the Starboard side...

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