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alant

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Everything posted by alant

  1. 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.
  2. I get 8 to 11 mpg with my 353 H1 but worth every penny.
  3. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    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.
  4. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    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.
  5. A dye penetrant may help you read the original number.
  6. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

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

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    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.
  8. 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.
  9. You should measure compressions with the engine warm. I have a leak down tester and am near Tring Herts.
  10. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    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.
  11. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    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.
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    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.
  15. The parts look 1930s british ie steel frame fuselage with wood stringers to give shape and fabric covered. Good luck with your next look. One tip for photos use a contrasting background with a coin for size comparison. Alan
  16. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    Another day of rivet counting and cleaning. So far we have only found two cracks in the fuselage skin under each end of the bottom tie bar and this is a known problem and a repair scheme is in the Maintenance & Repair Manual. The engine has gone to be rebuilt at CFS near Coventry so we now have more working space so I will start a more detailed inspection of the wings tomorrow. Time to do more paperwork now as the aircraft is not fit for flight until the weight of the paperwork exceeds the unladen weight of the aircraft.
  17. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    A few more photos taken while inspecting the airframe and counting the boxes of new and used parts. No 1 is obvious. 2 is under the front instrument panel looking forwards. 3 fuselage centre section tie bars, these hold the wings on. 4 port wing and big box with engine ready to go for rebuild. 5 rear fuselage looking from tail forwards. 6 rear cockpit flap lever, lots of cleaning to do. The airframe appears to be in very good condition with only a few little dents and cracks which is not bad for 41 years of military use and 17 years storage.
  18. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    No she is a family friend of many years and the best grease monkey I have known. The only problem is the workshop is 500 feet above sea level and being Dutch the air is a bit thin for her.
  19. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    The history on the Chipmunk is built 1952 RAF until early 70s then RN at Yeovilton until 1993It was sold by the MOD and has never flown as a civilian registered aircraft. The history on the grease monkey is much more complicated, she is of Dutch origin and has lived in the UK for nearly twenty years (should have been sent back years ago) and has two daughters that go to the same school as my daughter and is one of those annoying people that you show them how to do something once and they can do it better than you. I have the full history of the chipmunk and will dig it out sometime. I am at the workshop tomorrow and will take more photos. They are the poor mans spitfire and great fun to fly, I have about 500 hours on them. What we do is much better than working for a living.
  20. alant

    Chipmunk Rebuild

    Pics of arrival and initial inspection. Rule 1 do not go down the fuselage when you can a grease monkey with a camera (she did volunteer).:cool2:
  21. A scraper is about the only way to remove this horrible stuff. You could try some petrol to soften it but be careful and only do a little at a time (do not use hot air gun). Good luck
  22. Have just started on a little project for a customer. We are rebuilding a DHC-1 Chipmunk that has not flown since 1993. I will be inspecting the airframe over the next couple of days and if anyone is interested can do a few pics and updates as we progress. Alan http://www.aircraftservice.co.uk
  23. The engine in my GMC was rebuilt in Norway and I would like these two words translated 1. baerelager. 2. veivlager. Alan
  24. alant

    Fiesler Storch

    The French used a RADIAL engine otherwise known as a rumbly round engine. A friend of mine used to display an Argus engined one in the 70s 60knots cruise @ 60 litres per hour Avgas is around £1.70 litre now. I will stick with my 1955 Druine Turbulent 75knots @ 12 litres per hour. Alan
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