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Gloster Gauntlet - Silver Wings + AIMS

Started by Max Williams · 216 ≡ · ↻ 1 year ago

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Spiros Pendedekas said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Yes, these are the ones I am talking about, my friend @maxw. I think (not sure) I can spot them on your above pics, if somehow vaguely.
John vd Biggelaar said 1 year, 6 months ago:

I do too have the impression that the wires are there, Max @maxw
But they are very vague, so I could definitely be wrong.
Are these the ones that could be across the fuselage?
Max Williams said 1 year, 6 months ago:

As I said John @johnb, it’s difficult to “read” those period photos, but the wires you have indicated I think are flying wires between the upper and lower wings, the most inboard ones. I’ve had to study these carefully to get the rigging right on my Gauntlet so I’m confident in my interpretation.
John vd Biggelaar said 1 year, 6 months ago:

@maxw, a pity those old reference pictures are not always clear. Especially "reading" the rigging is a real challenge, I agree. I'm sure you come up with the correct rigging.
Christopher Amano-Langtree said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Hi Max
Spiros is correct, those wires are a common feature on interwar biplanes of all nationalities including the Gauntlet and ran from the upper wing to the fuselage at right angles bracing the cabane struts. They met at the centre line but for most biplanes entered the fuselage first. They are a pain to do as one really needs to add them after the wing is on.
Christopher
Max Williams said 1 year, 6 months ago:

I know and understand that the cabane struts/wing centre section had bracing wires, in the Gauntlet AND Gladiator’s case running alongside the fuselage fore and aft, what I don’t think the Gauntlet had, and what the Gladiator most certainly DIDN’T have:

were the wires running athwartships from the fuselage centre line out to the top of each cabane strut. There is so much commonality in design from the Gauntlet to the Gladiator, and why wouldn’t there be, so I can’t see why the Gloster engineering team would change the bracing wire requirements unless there was a good structural design reason to do so.
Christopher Amano-Langtree said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Hi Max
It's a good point - there was a lot of commonality between the Gauntlet and the Gladiator but there were also a lot of improvements in the latter. Someone designing the Gladiator thought, "why don't we put those bl***y inconvenient wires elsewhere" and they were moved to the outside of the cabane struts. If you look at photos of the Gauntlet you'll note that it doesn't have the Gladiator's arrangement either. If you have the MMP book - they've managed to find a few photos which show the wires. If you don't I can copy these and send them to you over the next couple of days (there's not that many). You have to look for them but they are there.

Christopher
Max Williams said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Thanks Christopher, I do have the MMP book so will have a close look.
Later……gotcha Christopher…..several reasonably clear pictures showing those pesky wires….ah well, I’ll have to see what I can do!
Regards
Max
Max Williams said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Following on from Christopher's helpful observations about the gunsights:

so we currently have

Just trying to work out now the positions of holes for those bracing wires and the best way and time for installing them!
John vd Biggelaar said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Great work on the sights, Max @maxw
Looking forward to see how you get the installment of tose wires done. Seems challenging.
Spiros Pendedekas said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Looks amazing, my friend @maxw!
Christopher Amano-Langtree said 1 year, 6 months ago:

The rear pair of wires attach to the fuselage behind the sight bracket. Normal practice was to have these particular wires at right angles to the fuselage. My own personal technique is to drill location divots and then fit pieces of brass wire cut to length after the wing is fitted. This is not an easy operation though.
Max Williams said 1 year, 6 months ago:

The die is cast! The base of some of the struts will need a bit of work once the rigging is complete, the fit’s not great. So the plan is tomorrow the port top goes on. Bit of a compromise with the “under centre section” bracing wires, the front ones were easy but I cannot for the life of me see how to wangle fitting the rear ones with the radiator extending up to the centre line and the gunsights in place…..so I’ve not even tried to include them!
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Spiros Pendedekas said 1 year, 6 months ago:

Looks amazing, my friend @maxw!
John vd Biggelaar said 1 year, 6 months ago:

They look superb, Max @maxw
Looking forward to see the upperwing mounted.

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Work in Progress – Aircraft

Gloster Gauntlet - Silver Wings + AIMS