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Post by kiwi285 on Mar 28, 2020 10:15:47 GMT 12
You are a champion Denys. Yes everything has ground to a halt. We aren't working anyway so I guess it will be safe there. Trying to remember where we were and what is in delivery somewhere will be a problem when we get back to normal.
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Post by kiwi285 on May 18, 2020 13:38:54 GMT 12
Hi all, we are back to work and trying to find where we left off before the lockdown. There are numerous maintenance jobs to be sorted out first to get the museum up and running again but everybody is keen to make a start and get back to the Avenger when time allows.
We hope that you are all well and came through that experience without problems. It produced a totally different experience that I wouldn't care to go through again.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 19, 2020 8:46:05 GMT 12
Great to see you back Mike. Yeah it's been weird, huh? Although I'm really missing the peace and quiet of lockdown.  |
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Post by kiwi285 on May 23, 2020 11:39:37 GMT 12
The spray guns were out today and the undercoat was being put onto the Avenger. Andrew wants to get the painting completed so that the aircraft can be moved up into the main display hangar. The rest of the crew are working on the Pratt and Whitney R4360 and doing maintenance work in the children's playground. Everybody is happy to be back working again and poking a bit of borax. It keeps us all on our toes.
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 10, 2020 15:33:49 GMT 12
Dave has made a start with the top coat on the Avenger and I didn't have my camera. Will try and get some photos on Friday. As soon as it is painted it is hoped to move it into the main display hangar and give ourselves a bit more room to swing the proverbial.
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 13, 2020 16:03:31 GMT 12
Here are a couple of photos taken yesterday of the dark blue going on the top surfaces. The colour is showing up darker in the photos than it actually is.  120620 (2) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  120620 (1) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2020 20:43:27 GMT 12
Fantastic to see. Just wonderful!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 23, 2020 7:43:06 GMT 12
So I'm guessing from the dark blue paint that is seen here that means the much suggested postwar silver with black/yellow target tug colours is not happening?
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 23, 2020 15:31:22 GMT 12
Yes Dave - it is heading for the standard USN colour schgeme. A case of the golden rule - the man with the gold makes the rules.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 25, 2020 11:38:02 GMT 12
Fair enough. I am happy with that. Either would have been great, it's just great to see this aircraft rescued and restored.
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 26, 2020 21:41:05 GMT 12
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Post by davidd on Jun 26, 2020 23:39:36 GMT 12
Is that last photo of the "Exactor" hydraulic control which could alter the angle of the ASB aerials under the outer wings? If that is what they are, they would be manufactured by the Sperry company (from memory). Did the one unit operate just one of the aerials, or both simultaneously?
David D
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Post by kiwi285 on Jun 27, 2020 11:21:05 GMT 12
David, yes it is an Exactor unit that operated the Yagi aerial;s under the outer wing panels. There is one unit for each aerial and we are sure that we had two of them but one seems to have disappeared unfortunately. Dave has been working for months tracking down gear that we have inherited and also contacting people around the country looking for the smaller parts and wiring etc to make the compartment as accurate as possible.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Jun 27, 2020 11:27:59 GMT 12
By the look of the exactor unit as shown above, were they hydraulically driven? I seem to remember bowden cables being mentioned in some literature I read on the ASV installation some time ago
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Post by kiwi285 on Aug 13, 2020 15:06:28 GMT 12
Have managed to get back to Avenger items and have made the two triangular doors that cover the wing fold space. They are ready to rivet on to the hinges and then be painted when the whole aircraft is covered. The only problem we have now is where the pick up point on the wing is for the cable that pulls the door shut. None of us can remember where this is located and there is nothing obvious. It must be on the outer panel internal face as this is the only place that has enough movement to pull the door up.  20200812_133532 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr  20200812_133511 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr |
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Post by davidd on Aug 14, 2020 10:10:48 GMT 12
To answer Paul's question (27th June) they are indeed hydraulic, as I mentioned in caption, with just one very small diameter steel pipe connecting each matched set of sender and receiver units - they imparted no extra boost to the system, but could be supplied with various length levers to impart better leverage (if this could fit the application and was considered desirable!) The units fitted in the TBFs were made under license from the (English) Exactor company, which amazingly (last time I looked) was still in business, and still manufacturing hydraulic equipment. Instead of making their units as per the English originals (which were manufactured from sheet steel welded together), the Sperry units were one-piece castings from what I could tell in a brief comparison. The RNZAF Museum has examples of both Exactor and Sperry-made transmitter units, but cannot recall if they had the matching receiver units off top of my head - probably 25 - 30 years since I saw them in No. 2 Store where they presumably still sit on a shelf. The Exactor units almost certainly came off one of our Sunderlands (operated throttles, prop pitch I think). Exactor controls also fitted to all earlier model Stirlings, most of the later Short flying boats (not certain about the Solents), AW Ensign, Westland Whirlwind (twin-engine fighter), DH Flamingo, and I think also on Blackburn Botha, perhaps also Saro Lerwick and Bristol Beaufort.
David D
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Post by tbf25o4 on Aug 14, 2020 13:55:41 GMT 12
Thanks for that David, just goes to show if you invent something that has multiple uses, it will be used!
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Post by baronbeeza on Aug 14, 2020 14:16:42 GMT 12
Thanks for that David, just goes to show if you invent something that has multiple uses, it will be used! Thread drift, like the bomb release fitted to the BAe146's. Something that useful has to have a place on an airliner. |
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Post by kiwi285 on Aug 14, 2020 19:24:39 GMT 12
For anyone interested, the Avenger is currently displayed in the main hangar whilst we wait for warmer weather so that we can complete the painting. Come in and wonder around - you can get a good look into the rear compartment as the door is usually open.
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Post by emron on Aug 15, 2020 11:19:50 GMT 12
Have managed to get back to Avenger items and have made the two triangular doors that cover the wing fold space. They are ready to rivet on to the hinges and then be painted when the whole aircraft is covered. The only problem we have now is where the pick up point on the wing is for the cable that pulls the door shut. None of us can remember where this is located and there is nothing obvious. It must be on the outer panel internal face as this is the only place that has enough movement to pull the door up. 20200812_133532 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr 20200812_133511 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr Mike, you asked me to check out the details on NZ2527. Sorry but Covid-19 has foiled me again and I won’t be getting back there for a while. There’s a fairly good photo of the cable layout on page 59 of the Avenger Walkaround book but even that doesn’t show where the other end of the cable is attached. Can any of our other Forum colleagues with Avengers help out with this info in the meantime? I know its fairly critical to get the cable length and attachment point right so that the door closes in sequence and doesn’t sag or pull too tight. |
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