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Post by andrewpit on Apr 15, 2019 10:28:01 GMT 12
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Post by planewriting on Apr 15, 2019 11:24:33 GMT 12
Some great memories among those photos - thank you Andrew for sharing with us.Looking at those of AMO; the Solent would have been out of the air over 20 years by that stage so to now see what it looks like after nearly 50 years out if the air (albeit some spent indoors) we can get an appreciation of what has since been achieved. I hope DC-3 BQK will one day sparkle once more in its Skyliner scheme.
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Post by emron on Apr 16, 2019 21:32:20 GMT 12
I shared the dream with many to see them all under cover one day. Among the most passionate were Graeme Cossgrove, Barrie East, Tom Craill and John Barton, I wondered what they would have thought if they had lived to see this day. I too had the thought on reading "what would they have thought..." in Emron's post. I was thinking of Joe Shephard and my father Brian Layne both who were involved with Motat - particularly Joe. I stood with them watching ZK-AMO being pulled up from the road to the future museum. Joe was the Solent's last pilot but on joining the RNZAF they trained together at New Plymouth and each flew a Sunderland from Scotland out to New Zealand as part of the 1944 Sunderland (four aircraft) delivery flight. Joe worked so hard to have the aviation hall built. Along with these men there are so many men (and women) who have been involved with the restoration in some way of the big boats. Like us today, they would be very impressed to see the dream finally come to fruition. Andrew’s first photo of the Lancaster must be about 1985 when it’s engines were run for the last time. By then there was only a handful of volunteers struggling to maintain the aircraft and the grounds at Meola Rd. The Lancaster would soon be under cover and I was amongst the first small work party that commenced it’s restoration in 1987, before we were joined by a growing number of Bomber Command recruits. I was still there in 1991 when the finishing touches were made, being entrusted to reassemble the freshly painted front and rear turrets and fit their newly moulded perspex. It was a little longer before the Flying Boats got their turn. Luckily also about that time (1987) Ray Gasparich was encouraged to join the Museum. He quickly rallied a fresh group of supporters and the care of the Solent was passed to those more able to halt it’s decline out in the weather and then once indoors begin to mend the damage already done. Later Mac Bettjeman gathered another team of veterans and retirees to do the same for the Sunderland. Over the years there must have been hundreds who gave their time and skills to save them. During these intervening years I was only occasionally called to help on the Flying Boats and was busy with the many other smaller projects being done alongside them. All of this was keenly overseen initially by Tom Craill, followed later by Norm McKelvey and most recently under the supervision of Steve Subritzky. I was only involved again with the Flying Boats in recent times when it required the concerted work of all the team to complete the exterior restorations of both. As well as the present team there are so many who have gone before that deserve the credit and would share our pleasure at seeing the result of their efforts.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 16, 2019 22:08:15 GMT 12
Great post Ron, it's brilliant how you have worked away at these restorations for so long and are still there to see the final phases where they look so good, and are indoors and protected.
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Post by paul1953 on Apr 18, 2019 7:37:57 GMT 12
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MOTAT
Apr 22, 2019 10:44:46 GMT 12
via mobile
ZacYates likes this
Post by andrewpit on Apr 22, 2019 10:44:46 GMT 12
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MOTAT
Apr 22, 2019 12:48:32 GMT 12
Post by ZacYates on Apr 22, 2019 12:48:32 GMT 12
Looks like it's in gorgeous condition! And comfy...?
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Post by Venomnut on Apr 23, 2019 20:10:34 GMT 12
A couple of old TV news clips of the Solent and ex-crew/volunteers at MOTAT-
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Post by emron on May 26, 2019 17:34:44 GMT 12
Flying Boat Update
My how time flies. It’s already over 18 months since the Sunderland came indoors. We’ve lately turned our attention back to completing it’s front and rear turrets. We’re attempting to reinstate as much of the mechanism that was cut away during modifications in their later years of service. The front turret is less intact. I’ve gathered up as many of the original smaller parts from storage but that leaves some larger complicated things to fabricate. The internals are similar to those of a Lancaster mid-upper turret and I’ve been able to take measurements and photos of MOTAT’s own as a guide as well as following progress of other Lanc turret rebuilds underway in the UK and Canada. The cupola for the front turret is now fully glazed and it’s two halves are in for final painting. The cupola for the rear turret is next on the bench and being reassembled. The front frame has been bolted up tight and the new perspex side panels are being marked out for cutting. The different gun cradles for each turret were large and heavy castings and most likely the first parts to go for scrap. So I’m drawing up a simpler design for both that will be practical to make in the workshop.
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MOTAT
Jun 2, 2019 10:23:42 GMT 12
Post by Richard Wesley on Jun 2, 2019 10:23:42 GMT 12
Great to hear you are getting the turret jigsaw sorted out. It will be great to have the turrets looking as new as the Lancaster ones. I remember thinking the Sunderland rear turret would be similar to the Lancaster rear with all the inners reinstalled. Interesting that the front turret is more like the Lanc mid upper. There are so many Sunderland front turrets around the country in various places, but unfortunately, they are all in the same stripped-down condition as far as I have seen.
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MOTAT
Jun 2, 2019 11:55:03 GMT 12
Post by andrewpit on Jun 2, 2019 11:55:03 GMT 12
I thought the one at Wigram ex NZ4111 still had a lot of the fittings in it.
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Post by emron on Jul 7, 2019 22:07:09 GMT 12
Flying Boat Update
The two halves of the Sunderland’s front turret cupola are now finish painted inside and out and ready to assemble on to the base once that’s completed. Four of the others are now helping out to fabricate the gun sight radius arm and it’s supporting side brackets. The next stage will be to build the two side plates that the cradle and gun seal rotate in. The Wednesday team has also replaced the perspex in the rear turret cupola and the rear facing half is now ready for painting. We just need to assemble and re-attach the doors to the other half and that will be ready to paint too.
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Post by emron on Aug 4, 2019 20:24:42 GMT 12
Flying Boat Update
No new made parts attached yet but the fabrication of the missing components for the Sunderland’s front turret is going nicely. Andy’s almost finished the gun sight radius arm, Steve and Mark have formed up the complex curved support brackets for the arm and they are both ready to rivet together. New Rob is cutting all the holes in the four panels that make up the side-plates. These will replace the main structure of the turret that was cut away during the modifications. Once all these are joined together and bolted tight we can take the final measurements for the gun cradle and the two gun seals. Meanwhile I’ve been sorting out the turret hand controls. They are a bit like motorbike handles, turn to rotate, twist to elevate, connected by pushrods and torque tubes that operate the hydraulic valves, a push-button below to open the main supply valve and triggers on top connected by bowden cables to the gun firing valve. I may not be able to to copy all the special fork-ends, levers and linkages to make the things operate but I’ll install as many of the originals that I can find. However one of the major parts that we’re still short of and what is truly the heart of the turret, the main valve assembly is too hard to replicate and will be left for later.
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Post by planecrazy on Aug 4, 2019 21:25:05 GMT 12
Long way from MOTAT but the Bull Creek museum in Perth has a sister ship to the MOTAT Sunderland's turret, from NZ4108 when she was converted by Ansett in 1963, long shot maybe they have some parts? I seem to remember there is a forum member who lives close by ,can't remember who, maybe he/she could inquire? Here's a pic taken 18/9/63 NZ 4108 alighting on Sydney Harbour from New Zealand, she became VH-BRF, "Islander" with Ansett Flyingboat Services.
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Post by emron on Aug 4, 2019 22:41:19 GMT 12
NZ4108’s turrets had already undergone that modification before being sent to Australia. This one looks to have been well cared for ever since it’s removal. Unless they obtained other parts separately, this was all they would have got. If you look closely through the shiny perspex you can see the welded frame inside that supports the replica armament and seals. This is just a simpler version of what MOTAT is rebuilding. It’s interesting to see the detail of the bearings that the turret carriage slides back and forth on. You can’t see that easily from the inside. It’s driven in and out by a hand-cranked cable / chain and sprocket. Some of these parts are missing from MOTAT’s NZ4115 but I’m gathering up sufficient roller chain and fittings so that it will be mobile again shortly.
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Post by emron on Aug 18, 2019 20:12:01 GMT 12
Flying Boat Update
I got aboard the Sunderland again this morning and checked out the spare parts stowed on the galley bench. I only found one length of the small chain there when I was looking last time but good news today, I turned up another chain soaking in a tin of oil. Even better, once I got it back to the workshop and emptied out the tin I found all the missing linkages in the sludge at the bottom. So everything had been put away safely after all, probably ten years or more ago and just waiting for us to get back to the job. Next I got all the fittings cleaned up, the forkends and turnbuckles were lubricated and then twisted freely by hand and I rivetted the connectors on to the chain ends ready for a test fit. It was getting late when I started to fit one of chains around the sprocket and soon realised that it wasn’t quite straight forward. Before I go back there next I have to take off the connector from one end of each chain. Then I’ll need an assistant so we can start both chains evenly and simultaneously on to the sprockets as the chain-guards prevent any adjustment later. Then we can join up the turret carriage end first followed by the other end on to the cable turnbuckle for final tightening up.
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Post by emron on Aug 25, 2019 19:37:17 GMT 12
Flying Boat Update
During the week I overhauled the original length of roller chain. Although it had sat soaking in oil for ages some of the links were still frozen, so I freed them up and washed the whole thing in turps afterwards to get rid of any rust and old grease remaining. Then I laid both chains out together and found that the new one was short. First thing this morning I joined in one more segment and then they were ready for fitting. Mark helped line up and feed each chain on to the matching tooth of the sprockets and we wound them right through. Then I was able to fasten the adjustable connectors back on to the front end, but that was a bit fiddly, two sets of tiny screws and nuts tightened up and peened over to lock. All done crouched over in the forward compartment working by torchlight in the gloom. These fork-ends then slipped on to a fitting on each side of the turret carriage and were held on by 4BA bolts which as usual proved to be in an awkward place to start and tighten. We decided to take a break for lunch after the last of the nuts were lost down into the bilge. I came back after with more spares and conscripted Rob to help. We soon had both chains tensioned correctly so that they would pull evenly on the carriage. Then all that was left was to join the other chain ends to the cables below. Both turnbuckles lined up well and were quickly tightened and locked. Time for a test run. The turret tracked in and out but not without strain. We inspected the tracks afterwards and noticed some distortion and burring that was causing tight spots that will need looking at once the turret has been removed. I noticed that others have already loosened all the bolts holding down the turret and the hood fairing above it, so these can be lifted off at anytime now and I won’t be surprised if they are gone before I’m back next. If not too difficult we will probably end up pulling out the whole carriage as well. Then we will be able to repair corroded parts, lubricate the rollers and repaint back in the workshop. We will have access then to the full length of the track and be able to straighten and smooth it completely before the other parts are put back. Then it will all be back to rolling freely as it should.
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Post by campbellbox on Aug 25, 2019 21:44:03 GMT 12
I have a peculiar fascination with aircraft turrets, and I am really looking forward to seeing the Sunderland's in the same shape as those on the Lancaster. Keep up the good work!
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Post by fwx on Aug 26, 2019 19:40:15 GMT 12
Caught a glimpse of the turrets the other day, looking mint ..!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 29, 2019 7:40:46 GMT 12
Richard Cornwall (Corsairarm) has asked me to post this photo on his behalf. Wow, what an amazing job that has been done on this turret!
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