Not modelling per se - P-40E Instrument Panel

[MilitaryAircraft101]

Well, I had a bright spark idea just a few days ago.  (Oh no, not another one of MA101's "good" ideas) - With a love for aircraft, especially vintage, ie Pre-1960, but no where near enough cash to actually buy one, I thought to myself, maybe restore only part of the plane. While I was searching for WW2 aircraft Surplus on google, I came up with lots of results for aircraft instruments, some factory fresh, in-the-box ones, some dented and dinged combat operational ones. So, I then thought, what could I do - the result - RESTORE AN INSTRUMENT PANEL. Thinking, what's a nice, pretty small (meaning single seat/engine fighter), rugged plane that was mass produced, so there'd be lots of parts. My answer came in the form of the P-40. One of my favourite piston fighters, there were roughly 13.5 thousand built, and they shared instruments with other US fighters, like the P-51 and sometimes with naval fighters like the F6F and F4U. I chose a variant - the P-40E, famous for use in North Africa, briefly with the Flying Tigers, and also at Milne Bay. Then, a quick google for P-40E blank panels brought me to the conclusion that originals were pretty rare, so I went to look for some plans. Over at WW2 Aircraft.com, I found some other P-40E panel restorations, with some plans attached. So, here I am. I will post some photos of what she'll look like all finished up. I would like to use all original instruments, including an original N-3C gun sight. I'm not sure if a museum would want it, but hey, it'd be a sweeeeeet decoration in the living room!







Jack

[Mr.Creak]

An excellent way to sneak an aircraft into the house under the nose of your wife.
Piece by piece...
"Are you sure there was that much of an aeroplane there last week?"

[MilitaryAircraft101]

Hehe... Found a P-40 control column & a rusty old seat for the old gal when I was looking. There was half a u/c leg on evilbay a few months back too. 

[PR19_Kit]

There's a sub-set of the aviation preservation movement here in UK that does this. Newark Aviation Museum keeps space for the panel restorers at it's annual CockpitFest and some of them are fascinating.

[MilitaryAircraft101]

I've compiled a list of the instruments/accessories I will need to complete the project.
Instruments
-Flap & Gear Indicator
-Fuel Gauge
-8 Day Clock
-Air Speed Indicator
-Altimeter
-Bank & Turn Indicator
-Climb Indicator
-Compass
-Tachometer
-Directional Gyro
-Manifold Pressure Gauge
-Suction Gauge
-Coolant Temperature Gauge
-Temperature + Oil & Fuel Pressure Gauge
-Artificial Horizon
Other
-N-3C Gun Sight
-"Fuel Sig." Light
-"L.G Warning" Light
-Aerobatics Warning Plate
-Checklists 1&2
-"Coolant Warning" Light
-"Coolant Temperature" Plate
-"Spare" Plate

That just about covers it!   I hope to start on it soon, there are a few instruments going online right now!  

[tanktastic43]

A great idea.

You'll be 'making history'! 

Good luck in your search.

tt43.

[Modelling_Mushi]

Well, I had a bright spark idea just a few days ago ... I'm not sure if a museum would want it, but hey, it'd be a sweeeeeet decoration in the living room!

Jack, sounds great and I would not waste it on a museum. If you build two, hows about putting one in front of your cars passenger seat and wire up some of the instruments  - out of the list you've given you could wire the following up and have them working :

- Fuel Gauge
-8 Day Clock
-Air Speed Indicator (suitable calibrated to ground speed - could scare the willies out of someone if done properly  )
-Altimeter
-Bank & Turn Indicator
-Compass
-Tachometer
-Manifold Pressure Gauge
-Coolant Temperature Gauge
-Temperature + Oil & Fuel Pressure Gauge
-Artificial Horizon
-N-3C Gun Sight
-"Fuel Sig." Light
-Aerobatics Warning Plate (Could be a lark here)
-Checklists 1&2 (more fun to be had)
-"Coolant Warning" Light

Ciao

[MilitaryAircraft101]

Okay, a little update, no pics yet, but I have punched the pinpoints for all of the instruments. The panel is bloody huge, 27.5 in across the bottom 
I have also purchased myself another instrument; this time, the Manifold Pressure gauge, which is extremely close to the one in the P-40, same company and type, just a different sub-variant (this one was Navy, the other was AAF, no physical difference). I am currently bidding on an ex-B-17 Directional Gyro, which I am currently highest bidder on 
Pics of panel on Tuesday maybe 

[MilitaryAircraft101]

I got that Gyro.. Doubled in price in the last 30 secs of auction  Better not mention that 
Note the edge of the panel and how it rolls back? I have not seen this reproduced in other replica panels, but I am working on a devious scheme to get around that... 

[Sticky Fingers]

Real cool project, that there. Good luck with collecting all the other pieces, oh and pics, please!

[MilitaryAircraft101]

Yep, in the process of marking out the edge of the panel now 

[MilitaryAircraft101]

Ok all, I've mananged a few photos of the panel. Don't mind the scratches or the seemingly mindless scribbles... I also took some pics of the three gauges I've got, and the eBay images for the other two. There's some tools in there too  


Suction Gauge - Common to P-40 and P-51. I believe this one is from a P-40

Coolant Temperature Gauge - Common to P-40 and P-51. I believe this item is from a P-51D

Fuel Gauge - Definitely from a P-40, probably an E

My little auto punch

I'm going to use this to cut the aluminium, as it is adjustable to fit my hole sizes. I will probably cut the 2 1/4" holes tomorrow
The instruments I recently won on eBay

This is a beautiful Sperry Directional Gyro out of a B-17G, it has considerable wear, but looks brilliant. The item itself was common to most American WW2 aircraft.

This is a very very nice Manifold Pressure Gauge from a USN fighter during WW2, though the P-40 was operated by the AAF, the instrument was common to both and only vaires very slightly, and not at all cosmetically.

[MilitaryAircraft101]

And the panel herself

References


There are a few scratches, but I will find a way around them after I hit her with some primer. But thats too many steps ahead for now. Cheers all. MA101

[MilitaryAircraft101]

I lost out on the Turn/Bank indicator, as I wasn't watching the auction, but I hope the Tacho will be mine I have marked out the points to drill for the screws to go through on the 2 1/4" instruments' holes, I will probably cut them soon, but that will probably need to wait until Saturday. Update soon   MA

[MilitaryAircraft101]

Lads and Lasses, I've got me self a 0-3000 RPM Pioneer Tachometer out of a RNZAF P-40, that brings the total to 6 out of 15 instruments.