alant

Pull them apart they are screened not sealed, you should use a good quality HT lead to renew the inner lead not carbon HT lead.

I get 8 to 11 mpg with my 353 H1 but worth every penny.

Hi Ian We are renting space at Cranfield to do the Chipmunks but have smaller workshops at Tring and Princes Risborough but no strip. I do the permit renewals on a few aircraft at White Waltham and Booker, If you want to have a look see sometime let me know. The no strip bit may change soon. Just off to Booker to do the permit on G-AISX.

We have been rather busy doing the annual inspection and engine frame inspection on yet another Chipmunk G-BCPU and we have almost finished a 50 hour check and engine change on G-BXDI. The engine has been rebuilt by CFS at Coventry and cost around £30K so I hope the test run goes well. It must be flying this week as it is flying in the air display for Buckinghamshire Armed Forces Day at Aylesbury Rugby Club. Then back to the rebuild of RH as it has been pushed back with all the other work that comes along.

A dye penetrant may help you read the original number.

Thanks Enigma what I do is better than working for a living.

We finished the Annual inspection on Saturday 12th Feb and the Chipmunk is back home at Oxford. As the Chipmunk has been around for 60+ years there are a few mandatory inspections that have to be done some take a few minutes others half the day. For anyone interested the registration is G-BXDI. Now back to work on the rebuild of WK635 aka G-HFRH work that one out no prizes though.

The magneto looks the same as I had on my Fordson Major tractor, and that as far as I recall had a side valve truck engine.

You should measure compressions with the engine warm. I have a leak down tester and am near Tring Herts.

The Port wing is now covered in fabric and will be ready for painting later this week. Fabric work is very labour intensive (expensive) and involves the use of some very nasty solvents. I hope to have this wing finished before we start work on the owners other Chipmunk that needs an annual check and an engine change then yet another Chipmunk annual and two Piper Cubs to finish one waiting for new magnetos the other a rebuilt carb.

Lots of cleaning and paint stripping has been done over the last month (this is boring). The fabric has been removed from the wings and control surfaces and we are now cleaning and inspecting these and so far have not found anything too bad. I have moved the wings to my workshop at home and have the new fabric on order so hope to start the legal solvent abuse soon. Anyone who is interested is welcome to come and have a look at how things are progressing just pm me first.

The oil that gives good protection against corrosion while the engine is not in use is Shell W80 or W100 Plus. I recommend it to owners who only do a few hours a year in vintage aircraft as more damage can be caused leaving the engine standing for long periods than running it every day. IT IS NOT CHEAP. Alan

Depends on the paint and how you thin it plus the finish required. I used over 10 litres of Firwoods paint on my 353. Alan

Yes it's a Beaufort

Another week of cleaning and inspecting all real exciting stuff but if you miss anything! We are getting x-rays done on the wing undercarraige castings next week to look for cracks another £1000 +. All i have found in the fuselage was a crack in a stiffener under the floor of the front cockpit and have repaired this by following the Maintenance & Repair Manual and a lot of swearing ( not much space and I am not small ). And a couple of photos to show we take H&S very seriously.