Homemade Replica Lancaster Bomber Cockpit
canopic jug writes:
Retired electronics engineer, Norman Groom, 85, has built a exact, full scale replica cockpit of a Lancastrer bomber fitted with all the correct WWII equipment with the major equipment being in working condition. Construction started in the early 1990s and took six years to complete. It is 14' 6" long and 5' 6" wide. During the work, he had out-of-hours access to the Lancaster bomber held at the Imperial War Museum in London, UK. The replica cockpit is a showcase for working WWII electronic equipment which he has painstakingly restored.
Back in the early 1990s equipment was still available on the Second World War surplus market or aero jumbles but nowadays virtually impossible to find.
The completed section was built offsite (which had been built in three basic sections) and was transported by Norman and his friend on a two-wheeled trailer towed by his car to the Pitstone Green Museum in Leighton Buzzard where it has been ever since. It has proved a big attraction at the museum especially the Merlin engine sound simulator. This allows visitors to start and run all engines up individually to full power using the appropriate starting controls and throttle controls. The power levels not too dissimilar to those of real Merlin engines.
Also at Newbury Today. Most likely by the time this is posted, the replica will have been auctioned off on Thursday, the 24th of November.
From https://www.autoevolution.com:
The highest estimate for it was 150,000 ($181,442 at the current exchange rate), which is a lot of money, but not if you consider what you got for it: a full-size, fully-functional cockpit replica of a WWII-era Lancaster Bomber, built from scratch.
[...] No word yet on whether the Lancaster cockpit replica sold during the event, or if it did, whether it reached the highest estimate. We've reached out to Flints Auctions for clarification, and will be updating the story if we hear back. Regardless of the auction result, this extended, incredibly detailed project is one that deserves its time in the spotlight - as does Mr. Groom.
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