A friend of mine asked me if I was interested in working on a project. I said yes, even before I asked what it was. It turns out he has an original Bristol F.2b fighter that he is bringing back to life.
This airframe, along with 5 others, was sold in 1919 to a Mr Boddington, a wheelwright from Weston on the Green, Oxfordshire. 'Shortfinals' wrote the story is here. He used these brand new fuselages as roof trusses in his barn. In 1965 a British aero club discovered them and bought the lot. This one found its way to Canada where the buyer started restoration. Years ago, he passed away and the project was taken up by a restoration facility in Texas. My friend purchased it from them.
At best reckoning, there are only seven original Bristol F.2b fuselages left. Most of the Bristols on display and flying are replicas, all well made and accurate, but not original. This one is the real thing. The owner’s goal is making this one fly. As it was an unassembled airplane when it became a barn truss, it never flew, so when completed, it will make its first flight at that time.
He asked me if I would work on the engine, a 1921 Wright H3 with eight water-cooled cylinders producing 300 horsepower at 1800 RPM. He actually has three Wright H type engines.
One is an H2 that is just a few hundred serial numbers before his earlier H3. His second H3 is a few hundred serial numbers newer than this one. I started on the earlier H3, finding that it is stuck tight. I bolted a turning lever to the prop hub hoping to get it to turn, only to find it is as stuck as the sword in the stone.
Logically,we have named this engine Excalibur.
We are trying to break it loose without breaking it.
Our next step is parting the crankcase to unbolt the connecting rods and then remove the crankshaft. The right and left cylinder blocks will lift off the crankcase with the pistons stuck inside. We can then remove the pistons individually.
The other two engines will get town down and evaluated next. The H2 is badly corroded, so it will be last.
The newer H3 looks like it was just overhauled and preserved.
The bad news is the crank case which has a bold warning stamped on the case — NOT TO BE FLOWN in ¾ inch high letters.Just look at it! Almost one hundred years old and show-room fresh!
The plan is to remove the cylinder banks from this engine and place them on the older H3 crankcase. I hope they are as nice internally as they look externally. Time will tell.
Meanwhile, the magnetos and carburetor go to the shop along with the oil and water pumps.
The fuselage was just trucked to a shop for fuel tank, radiator, cowling fabrication and fabric covering.
The wings are nearly done, being totally rebuilt as most of the original wood has rotted away.
The owner wants to see the engine running in about six months when the fuselage returns to his hanger.
Wish me luck!
Continued at Part two here.