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Replica of the
Wireless Operator and Navigator section of the Lancaster
fuselage. Wireless Operator at left and Navigator at right
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Wireless
operators position showing T1154 transmitter and R1155 receiver
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Navigators
position showing Gee Indicator Unit Type 62 at left, and the H2S Radar
indicator unit and controller at right
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Lancaster Wireless Op. &
Navigators station
This exhibit is a full size replica
of a cut-away section of the fuselage of a Lancaster bomber containing
the Wireless Operator and Navigator crew positions.
It is located in the New Airspace Hangar in front of the IWM
Canadian-built Victory Aircraft Lancaster
bomber KB889 and contains some working equipment which can be
demonstrated working
(subject to suitable supervision).
The project was inspired by a smaller replica owned by DRS and the
entire activity, from concept to completion, was project managed by
Denis Willis RAF VR, DRS Vice-Chairman and Collections Manager.
The replica was built by a team of specialists from the Imperial War
Museum
Duxford (IWM) and from the Duxford Aviation Society
(DAS).
The Duxford Radio Society (the DAS Radio Section) was
responsible for project leadership and for the restoration and
installation of the entire radio, Radar and
navigation equipment.
To be continued
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Equipment
background story
The
interior of the IWM Lancaster aircraft KB889 is still radioactive, due
to the
radium paint which was used on wartime instruments to make them glow in
the
dark. As a result the aircraft is closed to the public and access
is restricted to selected Duxford staff for short periods of time.
This means that the public is unable to see or experience the internal
layout of the aircraft or the conditions under which the crew operated.
This replica of part of the Lancaster fuselage was constructed in order
to provide the public with a
realistic representation of selected crew positions from the interior
of the
aircraft.
All of the electronic equipment is real war-time RAF issue, and the
only non-original parts
are two dummy lead-acid accumulators.
Construction of the replica began in late 2005 and in January 2007 the
exhibit was moved into position in the Airspace hangar for final
assembly and system testing.
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Conservation
and restoration process
The
replica fuselage section has been skilfully constructed by woodworking
specialists, and other IWM staff have fabricated some of the mounting
fittings and brackets.
The radio, navigation and Radar equipment has been jointly provided by
the Duxford Radio Society and the IWM.
DRS volunteers have been
responsible for the conservation and restoration of all the individual
equipments.
As Project leader, Denis Willis was able to
provide the essential mechanical and electrical guidance necessary,
based on
his personal experience with the equipment during World War 2.
Denis also personally restored back to working order a number of the
individual equipments which make up the complete exhibit.
To be continued
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