Avionics is not my subject.
But my good pal showed me the air frame section of the works and they now have very sturdy RSJ frames for the wings and other parts of the air frame. They had just received new tail upright sections and the main wing tips sections.
And i understood these were made at the same time as the Canadian Lancaster's, as it was cheaper option to have 4 made, and nice they were.
While i was there they were fitting the Nav lights and drilling the new transparent polymer covers. And also the rear facing main wing tips identifying lights, ie 3 colours bulbs that they would use to aircraft inter chat to each other without using the radio.
Original identifying lights replaced with LED fittings said Spen," hell of a job as the original were bulbs just packed into position with any old paper/card they had to hand at the time".
Being inside and scrambling over the main wing spars, it was obvious that the main fuselage was requiring attention. About every 24 inches down its length there are rolled formed fuselage frames/bulkheads, there not fancy or complicated but all will need remaking new.
"blimey" i said, "but every one is differing diameter/oval size." It seems that they are going to make wood templates from each original so new aluminium frames can be made exactly as the old. Now chaps, to me that looks like one hell of a job.
"Spen" i said what about all the new wiring your putting in. "not really a problem" said Spen, as the fuselage is in sections and can be just un bolted and my new wring unplugged and refitted into the new",
Above new lights and fittings into the new wing tips that are stored upright before fitting to the plane. "Managed, after much profanity to get the Nav lights fitted and connected, " said Spen.
This internal fuselage photo shows the internal frames/bulkheads, each one is different and all will need re-making.
