My Former WC51 "Flying Control Dodge" - A New Chapter

[Jessie The Jeep]

That is the main reason I feel I can get away with moving it out of site. If you start studying airfield vehicle photos, there is generally a lot of kit missing, and a lot of 'field mods' added ( mainly to keep out the English weather! ). I'm planning on removing the pioneer rack too.

 

Many airfield vehicles can also be spotted with civillian tyres, allowing the bargrips to be used in Europe where off road need was greater.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Jessie The Jeep

[Gordon_M]

I think the most interesting airfield substitution was when the USAAF traded a bunch of their 4 x 4 Dodge WC 53 ambulances and were given a bunch of Austin K2's instead. I can never get proper historical verification of this tho'.

 

Logic was that 4 x 4 ambulance would be better used up the sharp end and Katies were fine for flat airfields, though I personally would have paid a few Groats to see a bunch of US-types getting to grips with driving a K2 ....:cool2:

Edited October 18, 2010 by Gordon_M

[Jessie The Jeep]

I've seen pics in late '42 when the USAAF were given UK vehicles before the supply of materials for the 8th Air Force really began to build up.

[Tony B]

Sorry to lower the tone of the discussion. But part of the reason that USAAF recived British vehicles might have been cost. The USAAF and the US charged the British for everything supplied. The British however supplied equipment to the US forces F.O.C. Tyres though, if you see pictures of vehicles ready to be shipped from US they have the skinniest tyres usable, and no spare. Most rubber at that time came from Malaya, which was of course smack in the middle of the Far east war zone.

[Jessie The Jeep]

Dodging in and out between showers ( Very heavy rain! ), I got the instrument panel fitted today. The panel was positioned after dropping the weather vane drive rod down through the ceiling and into the panel. The bottom of this rod rests on a brass plate to act as a bearing surface. This can be seen below.

The panel itself is screwed down to the table with three screws and nylon kitchen cupboard corner blocks, which can also be seen in the previous picture. The weather vane mast was then fitted to the roof and the vane aligned with the gauge before gluing the drive gear to the shaft. The front of the panel was then screwed in place.

The only gauge which isn't connected now is the anemometer, which is waiting for me to make the anemometer head which catches the wind.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

The picture below shows the meteorological station as it will be viewed by the public. As it is mounted fairly low, all the instruments can be clearly seen when standing outside the truck. From the radio operators seat, between the radios and meteorological station, he is looking square on to the instruments.

Not yet connected is this panel light, which came from a Lancaster ( so I've been told ). I've just ordered some cotton insulated wire, to wire up various pieces of equipment where the cable will be seen, as modern plastic coated wire wouldn't look right. While there is a small switch on the light itself, I'll fit a master switch on the panel.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

While I was working on fitting the instrument panel, the rain was running into the weather vane mount in the roof of the truck, and dripping onto the panel. Even when the weather vane mast is fitted, rain water was likely to run down the tube. To stop this, I turned a resin cone on my lathe which fits over the bottom of the weather vane mast and is glued in place.

This cone sits just abover the metal mount in the roof of the truck, with the gap taken up by a large leather washer. This washer should seal the joint fairly well. All that remains to be done is to mix a little grease and oil to pour into the mounting socket in the roof. This should form a last water seal on top of the bearing in the bottom of the vane mast socket.

I've got another event tomorrow, so I'll try and get some overall views of the weather vane and instruments etc. Fingers crossed the rain stops long enough!

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[private mw]

you have got alot more patience than me well done ,:-\

[Jessie The Jeep]

I have almost infinite patience for things, but very little for people!!

[mike65]

A nice job there.

Is that Lego Mark 3 I see in there?

I always used to raid the Meccano Mk 2 for making brackets and stuff.

 

Mike

[Jessie The Jeep]

Yes, Lego. My Meccano vanished many years ago. I guess my dad passed it on to someone or sold it, as I don't recall disposing of any.

[Jessie The Jeep]

The windsock works and the gauge also works well. Trouble was today, is that it told me the wind was from the North all day, and it was FREEEEEZING, despite the sun!!

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

A few days ago, I picked up a second BC-348 Receiver. It has had a few modifications which probably aren't authentic such as the metre on the front, but I'm doing what I can to make it look its best. The handles are missing, but I'm hoping to cast some replacements. The aerial quick release terminal had been replaced with a coax socket and one or two knobs have been replaced. The mounting frame on the bottom is also missing.

The new receiver along with the one I got from Rupert

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

I have removed the coax connector and made a replacement from brass tube and chemiwood. I have got a wanted add on the forum for an original connector, but for now, this will do.

The brass mounting plate bolts into the back of the panel face using the holes left by the coax fitting. I've built a spring into it so that it functions like the original. It's a bit clean at present, and the original Ground terminal below it, has lost almost all its paint, making the contrast even greater.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

I've also done a bit of minor re-wiring on the receivers ( neither are fully original inside, so I don't feel bad about this ). Of the two bulbs in each receiver band selector, only one of the four worked, and that was a 6 volt bulb. I've ordered some replacement 12 volt bulbs, and rewired the bulb circuits through the master switch, so the lights come on when the master switch is selected on.

Just arrived in the post this morning is several metres of cotton insulated wire, so next time the truck is home, I can begin to wire up the 12v battery, panel lights and radios. No progress this weekend however as I've a wedding to attend shortly.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Enigma]

I am impressed with the amount of detail your putting into the project.

Well done.

[Jessie The Jeep]

Cheers! I think that one of the next jobs will be to make some receiver mounting plates.

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

Today I spent a few hours making replacement handles for the new BC-348 radio. Originally I was going to cast them, but the plaster I use for mould making had gone off and wasn't setting properly.

Instead I decided to make them from flat sheet. I didn't have any sheet aluminium, so had to cut some strips from some channel section. This was then annealed, and the main arched folded around a shaped block. It was re-annealed and the end lugs folded over.

The holes were drilled next, then final shaping done with various files, followed by a light rub over with wet and dry paper.

Close up of one of the new handles fitted to the radio prior to painting.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

Both receivers are now fitted with the new 12 volt bulbs, and the new handles painted.

Further progress has been made on the second BC-348 Receiver over the last few days. There were several features that were post war modifications, such as the meter and a couple of switches. I have seen a video on Youtube about modifications to improve the receiver that match the changes made to this radio.

The switches were removed and small aluminium discs cut and filed to fit the holes. The meter left a large hole, so this was just covered over with a thin aluminium panel.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

After trial fitting, the two discs and the square panel were all etch primed, followed by a hammered finish black.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

Both the new receiver and the original one had the incorrect switch on the AVC/MVC control. On the new receiver, there was a rotary control and an additional switch had been fitted. The switch was removed and the hole filled as shown above, and both of the rotary switches removed. This is how they looked before.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

Two new switches were machined from aluminium. The main bodies were turned on my lathe, while the arm cut and filed from flat sheet which was then welded on. The main body was then drilled and tapped for an M3 screw and a bolt cut down and slotted to form the set screw that holds the assembly in place.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

BC-348 Mounting Plate.

As can be seen in the picture below, the mounting plate is missing. This plate connects the receiver housing to the FT-154 mounting tray. So, after a quick visit to the farm to give the truck a run, I bought some aluminium sheet and bar to replace the missing mounting plate, and to make two FT-154 receiver mounts.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

I annealed the aluminium sheet along the fold line first, then clamping the sheet between two pieces of wood, folded the front lip. The rectangle was cut out next with a metal nibbler, then dressed with tin snips and a file. The holes were drilled next for the mounting pin and retaining clip.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

The tray was then drilled to match the rivet holes in the radio housing, etch primed, and when dry, sprayed with the hammer finish black. That was left to harden over Friday night, and was given a matt clear coat before fitting.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Jessie The Jeep