Air Diagram AD 4551 and Junction Box 1

Posted on 29 March, 2020 by nicko

In an effort to identify modifications incorporated in to Vampire FB.9 R1382’s Junction Box 1, I went searching for a later revision of Air Diagram AD 4551. We already had issue 3; this came from Gina’s Vampire library. My general Google search came to nothing. Not really surprised!

I found a reference using NAA RecordSearch to ‘Vampire FB Mark 5 Electrical Installation’ by chance while I was having a look for something else on Vampires. The FB.5 and FB.9 are largely the same, the essential difference is that airconditioning (an ACRE 8 cold air unit) is fitted to the FB.9. I imagine that this file is in the Australian archives because the RAAF had a single Vampire FB.5, A78-3 (formerly RAF registration VV465).

So I ordered a digital copy in February; the order cost just under $40 including GST and took 12 days to process. That copy is available at the NAA here:

http://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=3398245&O=I

So it turns out that the file contains AD 4551 Iss. 3. The AD 4551 pages are scanned at a suitably high resolution and overall the result is very clean. I had a look through this just to make sure that Iss. 3 was Iss. 3! Apart from the NAA version not having some small hand mark-ups that our copy had, I didn’t see any edition differences.

When working through the Gun Firing circuit to convert this in to a wiring/routing diagram for Junction Box 1, I had trouble reading some pin IDs on our version. The hardcopy in Gina’s library is a bit tatty (some tears) and grimy; also in the original photographic repro process, the pages weren’t flat so some of the schematic is blurry.

Gun Firing circuit scanned from Gina’s version of AD 4551.

The GF circuit from the National Archives file.

So I took a look at the NAA version to see the pin ID and found a lot more than what I was expecting. There was in fact a significant difference in the actual circuit. The version we already had included Mod 3146. Looking at the circuit diagrams you should be able to see that they are fairly different. There may be other differences too, in other circuits. No idea yet if this was a relevant discovery for R1382, but at least the NAA file is now there for anybody who is interested or may find it useful!

Vampire arrives

Posted on 10 June, 2017 by nicko

On Wednesday 24th May, Vampire R1382 arrived to join Australian-built Vampires A79-175 and A79-733.

Thanks to Gina and the guys at Steve Holland Transport and Turner and Central Cranes.

Dispatch

Posted on 10 June, 2017 by nicko

We loaded R1382 on to a semi on Friday morning, 19th May. The truck and load went back to the depot; no travel to NSW this week.

Brian, the aerodrome safety officer, and the almost empty hangar

Thanks again to Alwin, Catherine, Gina, Rod and the CVT guys, Brian from the Central Goldfields Shire Council, and the guys from Steve Holland Transport.

Disassembly of Vampire R1382 – Day 4

Posted on 18 May, 2017 by nicko

Port wing detached:

Early afternoon, starboard wing:

Disassembly of Vampire R1382 – Day 3

Posted on 18 May, 2017 by nicko

Wednesday: With the headache of trying to get the main gear up and over-centre, I forgot to take any photos! Below is a photo showing that day’s efforts, taken Thurs morning. One of the things that stopped us getting the gear over-centre was the door lock Teleflex, which was seized. Once that was freed, we still couldn’t get her the rest of the way (working on port gear first). Alwin then made an observation about the tyre and suggested we deflate it. That did the trick! The point being that the tyre normally is jammed against a rub strip attached to the cut-away rib that arches over the wheel-well. This is normally done by a ram and with a fair bit of inertia. I was lying on my back pushing the wheel up with my legs – slow and only human! After letting the tyre down, it was 5pm and we had one leg up so that was it for the day.