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Post by davidd on Dec 15, 2018 8:25:11 GMT 12
Some people have trouble in knowing how to present the word "yagi" in relation to various types of aerials, and I have seen in supposedly technical publications this word being presented as YAGI as though it was an acronym. In fact it is, as many would know, the name of one of the Japanese inventors, a professor at Tokyo University, so I was very pleased to see the word presented in lower case but with a capital letter on this thread! David D
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Post by kiwi285 on Dec 15, 2018 12:22:50 GMT 12
Hello David, Thank you for the comments - I thought that that was the way it was written anyway. I hope you might be able to help us with the fitting of seats in the rear compartment of 2539. When I started work in the compartment there was a small fold down seat up against the back of the bomb bay that partially covered the window into the bay. The support brackets were mangled and the seat itself had had a rough life. We are in the process of repairing this for re-installation however in all the photos and references to the rear compartment I have never seen any mention of this seat nor any brackets that would suggest that it was a standard fitting from the factory. I wonder if this was an RNZAF fitment and something to do with target towing or perhaps agricultural work. Below are two photos from books we have been lent showing the seats ex Grumman and I am wondering which seat we should put into 2539. Our aircraft is C/no 5782 and B/no 48016 so it is a reasonably early model. I was not aware of the small seat along the port side of the compartment and there appears to be no indication of there ever being one there. However for the big fold down seat that goes right across the compartment there are a series of drilled holes on both sides of the fuse that would indicate this was the type fitted to this aircraft. Until recently I had not seen any photographic evidence of this type of seat in our aircraft. We don't have either type of seat but I am sure we could make something suitable to put into the compartment. I would appreciate your thoughts on this matter. P1430539 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr P1430538 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr
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Post by davidd on Dec 15, 2018 13:11:50 GMT 12
kiwi285, Sorry, have not had much to do with TBFs (or TBMs) apart from perusing pilots notes and the like, but Wigram does have (so I believe, or is it held by Ferrymead?) a microfilm version of the TBF parts book, which is highly detailed. I am pretty certain that this was the early TBF type. Perhaps out friend Denys Jones will know of this document? David D
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Post by tbf25o4 on Dec 15, 2018 14:56:12 GMT 12
I am pretty sure the seat mountings you found were part of the modifications carried out when the Avengers became target towing aircraft and that seat was most probably used by the winch operator as the winch was mount in the centre of the floor just by the entrance door. The original bombardier/radio operator seat was mounted as shown in the illustration. NZ2539 was a mid-range production TBF-1C. Only the first six aircraft NZ2501-NZ2506 were TBF-1's at the start of their production line run, but came off at TBF-1c's minus the internal plumbing for the wing pylon tanks which was why they remained in NZ
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Post by baz62 on Dec 15, 2018 15:39:42 GMT 12
Those Yagi aerials look great. Must be a world first to have bits of Auster on an Avenger! That TT20 Meteor looks in great condition and engine spares (at leats burner cans)seem to be plentiful. I've been following the static restoration of the Yorkshire Air Museums's NF14 Meteor which is a similar looking beast. I'm also following a chap on Facebook who has a Jet engine rebuild business in the UK called Heritage Gas Turbines. They rebuild the Avon (just done two for the Temora Canberra) and the Derwent used in the Meteor so they might be a go to for the engine side of things. Link: www.facebook.com/Heritagegasturbines/
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Post by emron on Dec 15, 2018 17:15:45 GMT 12
Mike, the levers operate a pair of Exactor hydraulic remote control units that rotate the Yagi antennae. They are mounted to the right of the bomb aimer / radio operator’s seat. They would be rare if you have them. The only ones that I’ve seen are in the TBF at Deland, Florida. Talking about the seat, if I remember right, back when 2539 was on the farm, the remains of the original seat back were still attached to those rails on the bulkhead alongside the instrument panel. Did you salvage them? This was another mod that was done to all the target tugs. There was a narrow rear facing seat fitted there instead of the original larger two piece forward facing one which was further back and hinged down from the left side. Any plans to reinstall one? Mike I can scan you the parts diagram for the seat and how it's connected. One of the recent TBM restorations in USA fully documented their quality rebuild and I'll send you the link if I can find it again.
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Post by emron on Dec 15, 2018 17:50:49 GMT 12
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Post by kiwi285 on Dec 16, 2018 5:46:01 GMT 12
A big 'Thank You' to all who have responded to these questions. The small seat that we removed from 2539 was a rear facing one, so it would be a mod. done when the aircraft was used for target towing. I am keen to have a go at building one of the production seats that went right across the fuse. Thanks for the link emron I will spend time looking over the info. Baz, that Auster strut was perfect for the job and certainly saved us a heap of time trying to shape one. I will also pass on the info about the engine rebuild shop in the UK. I know that the owner has spent a fair amount of time at Temora already so probably knows that name.
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Post by denysjones on Dec 16, 2018 14:00:00 GMT 12
Dave,
I recall those microfilms firstly as being donated to AHSNZ but can't recall where they came from nor if they were held here in CHC or elsewhere.
Next I recall Ross Macpherson got hold of them after he and the other guys from AHSNZ WLG rescued the Avenger from Opunake and took it to Silverstream and I saw the films in Ross's possession when he was living here in CHC.
I seem to recall something about him intending to send them to Wigram, seeing the project in WLG had collapsed, but can't vouch that he did. We certainly don't have them at Ferrymead. I suppose there is the chance that they could have ended up in the Wings archives in which case we'd have to ask Callum what he knows of them.
cheers
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Post by kiwi285 on Dec 19, 2018 15:01:37 GMT 12
The team is getting closer to completing the lower surface of the port wing panel with the closing in of the area around the wheel well. Bob is continuing with the wiring up of the mags into the cockpit area. Bruce tells me that when he restarts again after the break he is going to start fitting the hydraulic rams for the wing fold and testing the lines to that point. We are moving along. 191218 004 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 191218 010 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 191218 005 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 191218 008 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr
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Post by kiwi285 on Dec 21, 2018 18:42:04 GMT 12
Quite a few of the team were not in today and some of those that were managed to get other jobs that had to be completed before year end. Alan and Bob were putting filler tubes into an oil reservoir and Mike and Richard were finishing off some skin replacement. I spent most of the day making up some of the mount brackets that will be used to anchor the seat in the rear compartment.
This will probably be the last newsy item for the year, so we would like to wish all our viewers and contributors all the best for the festive season and we trust that 2019 will be kind to you each of you and your families and we look forward to hearing from you all again. Cheers
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Post by kiwi285 on Dec 28, 2018 13:42:54 GMT 12
I went in today expecting to be on my own, but there were about 7 others there to keep me company. Perhaps all needing a break from the festivities. Bob and Alan were preparing the filler and overflow pipes and their mount plates so that Dave can weld them up. I notice that the bottom surface of the last wing panel is just about complete so I would guess that we will be finishing paint stripping, undercoating and final colour soon into the new year. I am making the mount brackets for the bombardiers seat and trying to nut out all the complicated angles needed to get this to fold down straight across the fuselage when it is completed. I see that Dave S had left the bomb intervalometer on the bench for me to try and do something about. As you can see the decal with all the wording on it is so old and fragile the even trying to gently wash the dust and grime off is flaking off it off. I have taken some photos and I need to try and find the complete wording so that we can get another one made when the unit is cleaned and ready to put into the aircraft. Recently we needed to get a piece of ali. sheet goggled to finish off an area that had rotted away. Because the google was not a straight line we couldn't do it ourselves so I got in touch with Brian from BOP Insulation and Sheetmetal in Tauranga and he spent some time running test pieces thru his small machine until he got it right. We would struggle without people like this to help out. Thanks Brian. 281218 001 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 281218 002 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 281218 003 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 281218 005 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr
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Post by kiwi285 on Dec 28, 2018 19:58:29 GMT 12
I have just managed to find, via Mr Google, some photos of an intact intervalometer showing all of the wording on the face plate. We should be able to get this recreated (hopefully) and then be able to restore the unit and get it batter looking than it is at present. I note on the front face of the unit in the photo here that it refers to an AN B212 but another article I have found refers to an AN B3. Not sure if there were two different units or some other explanation. Where would we be without the internet ?? Intervalometer 3 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr Intervalometer 2 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr Intervalometer 1 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr
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Post by camtech on Dec 29, 2018 9:26:40 GMT 12
Mike, looks like different version of same basic unit. your one has a max ground speed of 400 versus the internet one of 500. Similarly, the max spread differs. Will be differing models for different types of aircraft, dependent on aircraft role and performance.
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Post by emron on Dec 30, 2018 9:51:13 GMT 12
Mike, instead of a decal those markings may be screen-printed luminous paint. Have you given the intervalometer a radiation check already? I'd rule out that possible hazard before treating it further.
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Post by davidd on Dec 30, 2018 11:51:08 GMT 12
PV-1 Venturas and PBY Catalinas were routinely fitted with Intervalometers, probably also most other standard types of US Navy patrol and attack aircraft such as PB4Y Liberators, PBM Mariners, etc, etc, all with their individual attack profiles, requiring different speed ranges. David D
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Post by shorty on Dec 31, 2018 7:09:13 GMT 12
You mentioned "goggling" a piece of ali, later going to "googling" it, I presume you meant to say "joggling"?(would make more sense)
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Post by kiwi285 on Dec 31, 2018 12:25:00 GMT 12
Hi Shorty, Yes I did - sometimes you need to read what you think you have typed as it doesn't always come out the way you intended.
To everyone on the forum and who comes into this thread - all the best for New Year, keep safe and we hope that 2019 will be kind to you.
Cheers Lois and Mike
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Post by kiwi285 on Jan 4, 2019 15:47:41 GMT 12
The team members who were in today have finished the wing repairs or as much as they can do without moving it so they pulled the ailerons out and were test fitting the cover plates over the pushrod connections. I guess that Des and I had better get hold of some glue and renew our covering skills again. I can see that the wing panel will be hung onto the fuselage in the very near future. The hiab is available so real soon.
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Post by kiwi285 on Jan 9, 2019 14:46:30 GMT 12
The wing panel is being painted today and they are talking about putting it on the fuselage next week so we will even the old girl up again.
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