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Spitfire Update

Story added 15th December 2009 by Fred

Rear fuselage completed and test fitted.  Forward fuselage painted in epoxy primer, wing roots in silver, cockpit ready for re-wire.  Electrical conduits and junction boxes fitted externally in preparation for re-wire in the new year.  Canopy frame awaits new  armoured glass and Perspex to be polished and de-crazed.

Cowlings currently being restored by Mike, Gareth and the scraping and cleaning department (Dave Yorke, Clive, Johns x 2).  All 82 cowling fasteners are being restored and new springs to be fitted. 

Roger is ploughing on with the second tail plane and both spars are now re-rivetted and structure going back into jig as we speak.  Tail plane skins are unserviceable due to cracking on dimpled holes (probably at manufacturers in 1942).  Air frame assemblies will supply two new skins, wing fillets and formers being repaired and test fitted prior to painting.

Very pleased with progress so far this winter.  Next headache making wing jigs…….

Oh! And we are looking for experienced volunteers for a weekend team (one day a week).  Must be recently experienced on aircraft metalwork and riveting and/or jig building, to speed up wings, rates of pay………….., volunteer = no pay at all.  No relevant experience = half that amount and very experienced = double that amount.

Ian Lariman

Engineer in charge of project