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Geoff: For information, the B’s thru the E’s had the crystal holder on the right side wing closeout rib, above the door. The block was mounted on a pair of standoffs to give a little clearance behind it.
Geoff: I’ve got a B model so mine mounts differently. I took a quick run thru the IPB and depending on the s/n. In the case of your aircraft, if I remembered the correct s/n, I think you need to look at the 72033 and 72043 drawings for the mounting tabs, as the crystal holder will be at a right angle, hanging below the power supply deck. Mounting screws will be S422-8-12’s, which if I remember correctly, are button head, fully threaded machine screws and not countersunk.
Somewhere amongst all the paperwork and files around here, I have a conversion list from Stinson numbers to standard AN/MS numbers. I just got out of the hospital yesterday, after a week’s stay, and my office here at the house looks like a bomb went off in it. I’ll watch for it, but it may be a week or more before I find it.
Craig
I’ll try this again…
Charles: Here’s a 4 switch box that only needs the one switch to be added back:
There are a couple of early all metal boxes on there as well, but one is stripped and the other is New in the box and they want tall money for it.
Here’s the mount drawing someone sent to me a while back:
I know prices are going nuts on this stuff. I’ve got a couple of boxes and I think I paid 40$ for the most expensive one at the time. The set of lights is going berserk as well. I don’t think you can get a set of the bottom lights for under about 150$ and the top in clear ranges around 60-90$ and even more in blue. I managed to get a couple of the clears, NIB for about 50$ combined, recently. Had a chance to buy a huge box of fixtures that probably had a couple of dozen of the bases, for under 150$, but didn’t.
I’ve been careful shopping for bearings, rod ends, hardware and other parts for both my L-5 and Fairchild and it’s been very hit or miss on finding affordable prices on things.
Craig
I was able to find some info on the light control…. From TO 03-5-69, 20 June 1944, there was a change in the fabrication from metal to bakelite sometime prior to this. There was no effectivitey date for the changeover, but prior to the time of publication, both versions had been procured under the same drawing number, no dash number addition or indication as to a difference in materials. The book also says that the metal version procurement had been halted at some time prior to that publication date, and that both versions were direct interchange. Existing metal stock units would continue to be issued as needed until all stocks were exhausted, and after that, the bakelite ones would be the norm. By that, I would surmise that when stock was ordered for the production floor, you got what ever was on hand when the order was received at the GFE warehouse.
Charles: Here’s the sketch someone provided to me for the lower mount:
Scarf this box up and add the 4th switch. It’s already punched and engraved.
There are two early metal ones on there as well, but one is stripped and the other is complete, but they want a hefty price for it, as it’s new in the box.
Tried to reply twice now and the site has puked my post. Let me have your direct email and I’ll send you a copy of the drawing someone provided to me a while back for the light mount.
Craig
Charles: Are you hunting the bracket or the switchbox? Be aware on the switchboxes that there are two versions….one for 3 lights and another for 4 lights….
Craig
Charles: Where were they used? I would assume somewhere in one of the doors or the litter decking, based on the cage depth.
Craig
The one I got from Duncan, copied off an original one from a B model, was drilled for the AVA-10 or AVA-53 crystals, which are much larger than the FT-243’s. As the AVA crystals were removed form aircraft going overseas, and replaced in theater with Ft-243’s, they don’t fit due to using different hold spacing and pin diameter.
Speculation here, but I would believe as there were 80 or 90 individual crystals to a complete FT-243 set, that the pilots only pulled the primary two or three crystals for the day and kept them in a shirt pocket.
Hilly: 76-72018 should be the canvas cover for the holder. It shows to be part of the 76-72043 installation. From that drawing, it’s applicable to all the observer models from 76-627 and up. The holder is micarta and a little wider than the crystal, sized to hold 10 crystals, and around 1/2″ thick. I don’t have mine here at the house, but can go over to the warehouse this weekend and get some good measurements for you.
The earlier shelf got superseded by the 72043, probably for ease in manufacturing, as the original one was molded plywood.
Craig
Jim: A side question about your trip to the FAA archives….Did you have to supply your own copying equipment, or did the FAA people do it for you? How rough was the cost at the time… per page or drawing or by whatever was in the complete box?
I’d like to get into the files for a particular TC from the 20’s/30’s and see if some unlocatable drawings are within the TC files or not.
Hilly: The AVT-112 takes both the AVA-10/53 crystals and the FT-243’s via an odd socket. If you choose to go with the FT’s they are readily available down there and inexpensive…..about 5$Aus each. You want to look for ones with the Bakelite cases, as I don’t think the ones with the metal face plates came about until after the war.
