Manufacture and assembly of the Pilot’s footrests are now in progress. The No 1 Pilot’s inner is the first and with the rear attachments made by East Coast Castings from Watton Norfolk now available most of the components are now ready to be assembled. The Pilot’s escape hatch is now being re-assembled after replacing the perspex and should be ready for final painting soon.

Progress on the flight deck continues whilst planning for the forward fuselage sections and bomb bay are finalised.  The area around the control column is the current area of work with the Pilots’ forward control stops now complete along with the flat panels fwd of the rudder bars.  Work is now starting on the Pilots’ footrests that are either side of the control columns and replacement of the Pilot’s escape hatch perspex. 

First up is the Propeller Feathering Panel directly in front of the 1st Pilot, this was based on an original example that was kindly loaned to us by the Fenland Aircraft Museum. Theirs was missing the support bracketry which we’ve recreated using some very grainy photos as the basis. 

The second is the Airscrew de-icing switch and Booster Coil switch panel, that mounts directly in front of the 2nd Pilot. As always, we’d like to express our thanks to Screens and Graphics of Cottenham who kindly recreated the labels for us.-icing Controls Panel and Feather Control Panel.

Also completed recently is the permanent fitting of the P2 Control Fwd Stop.

The P1 fwd control column stop is now permanently installed and painted with P2 to follow next week. The 2 bare metal channels attached to the box are the first parts of the rudder pedal footrests, 4 to make. 95% certain of the construction of these based on photos looking down from above and upwards from the Bomb Aimers compartment. The latter are always in shadow and it’s hard to define what’s there but we’re pretty much on top of the design now.

The P1 and P2 Pilots’ Fwd Control Stop near completion, the centre flight deck floor panel is now complete.  The De-icing Controls panel progress with the labels now ready for fitting.

Work over recent months has included making the Undercarriage Master Switch and Undercarriage Indicator Switch, all from drawings scaled from aircraft Instrument Panel photographs. The P1 Control Column fwd stop assembly is nearly complete with P2 under construction. The seat cushions are now in place thanks to the Stirling Society for their sponsorship. The cockpit floor panels continue to be added to with the trial fit of the de-icing pump and pilots’ oxygen economisers, also the in work is the Airscrew De-icing Control Panel.

Thanks to a donation from the Stirling Aircraft Society, we have been able to get the Pilots’ seat cushions manufactured with enough leather left over to manufacture the Navs seat cushions and the Bomb Aimers ‘couch’. These are as close to the original as we can get based on photo evidence and personal recollections. We’d like to thank the Society for their donation and hopefully our connection will be closer in future.

A new bracket and slider for the U/c indicator switch is in progress, originals of which are as rare as rocking horse poo.

The 1st Pilots control column fwd stop assembly, which is yet another example of Shorts (over) engineering is taking shape. The 2nd Pilots’ is yet to do and then the 4 off sloping footrests.

 The rudder controls between Frames 3 and 6 have been connected.

Finally a great thanks to Dormer Drills who have shown an interest in the Project and have kindly donated a selection of drills and cutting fluids to us. 

Recent work has included the completion of the Lorenz Indicator mounting (thanks to East Coast Castings of Watton for the mounting), continuing production of the cockpit floor panels (the centre panel has the edging applied along with the positioning of the de-icing pump on the Port side and the production of pilots’ seat cushions and backs template.  The leather seat and back cushions will be manufactured by a Cambridge company, however, they don’t come cheap but are an essential component for cockpit authenticity. A sponsor for these would be most welcome.

The Flight Deck Floor continues to make progress, photos show the undersurface of the panel details, edging strips are in production and the protective covering will follow.  The panels will be adjusted to fit the final cockpit contours.

 The Lorenz Gauge components are nearly ready for assembly.  The gauge having its own anti-vibration mounting.  The mounting casting was produced by East Coast Castings of Watton Norfolk.

The framework for 3 of the flight deck floor panels have been produced with the initial trial fit shown in the pics.  The windscreen de-icing pump located to the left of pilots seat with the Oxygen economiser placed under the floor.

Also now complete is the undercarriage selector down lock.  The last items fitted are the set spring and the handle which was cast by East Coast Castings of Watton.