James from Nitro Graphics applies Markings to Tiger Moth

 James owns and operates Nitro Graphics and specializes in 'dressing' cars, airplanes and anything else that moves!

Garnet Fedorowich, Transport Canada, approved the use of roundels and some military markings to commemorate the role Brandon's Commonwealth Air Museum's Tiger Moth played in Great Britain in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan 1939-1946. The Commonwealth Air Museum is a National Historic Site and an excellent example of the approximately 200 airports built across Canada to support the Air Training Plan. Over 200,000 airmen from around the Commonwealth came to Canada to be trained.
 

James from Nitro Graphics applying CF-JNF to lower left wing

 James from Nitro Graphics - attention to detail ensured the markings fit smoothly over all the rib stitches, ribbons...and other lumps!

Hardware is attached to the Tiger Moth Wings

 Five pairs of hardware needed to connect flying and landing wires and the wing-attach hardware were put into position with the original British Standard Bolts; however they are over 70 years old and insufficient threads are left to safety the bolts. Tom Phinney recommends using AN bolt-nut combinations.

Rick figures "the 90% done and 90% to go isn't quite true anymore - he figures we're 90% done.

Vic Prefontaine waved his magic and the Elevators now fit

 The day was spent cleaning paint and polybrush off bushings and hinges; lubricating hinges, attaching hardware, cotter pinning the tail section - the right elevator hinge was fighting us until Vic arrived in a terrific rain storm and within a minute he had the hinge working perfectly!

Preparing the Ailerons for the Tiger Moth Wings

 Marissa and Martin dropped in when the aileron hinges were getting cleaned out and hardware attached. There's always a job for visitors! Some jobs in the 'job jar' include polishing the brass fittings, picking up the reupholstered seats from Quality Aircraft Interiors at Portage La Prairie, helping attach the wooden walk ways, attaching the wings...

Multiple Sclerosis Club Tours the Tiger Moth at Lyncrest

 The Commonwealth Air Museum's Tiger Moth attracts a steady stream of visitors, including the MS Club that toured Lyncrest on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Aligning the Cables with Neighbours Kendra and Candice

 Kendra helped us check out that the rudder and elevator cables were working properly!

 Candice and Kendra brought over sandwiches - it was a great treat as we were pretty engrossed in getting the tail section assembled so supper wasn't on our minds!

Ken and Colette Pierce double checking the elevator and rudder cables.

 Kendra doing the final check - it was really neat to see them actually work!!

Candice and Kendra seeing off their new friends, Ken and Colette Pierce, on their way back home to Beulah.

Rudder, Ken & Colette flew in from Beulah, and Reconditioning the Leather

 Maurice April and Rick Riewe installed and rudder. We began with the small pieces, re-installing hardware and following drawings to mount each piece.

Dan's colleague dropped in for a visit - their father/grandfather worked on Tiger Moth's in WWII. Within minutes they both had a clean rag in hand along with a leather re-conditioner and completed the job of cleaning and reconditioning all the leather pieces.

 The Tiger Moth attracts a stream of fascinated visitors - soon this amazing antique will be back in Brandon and many Winnipegers are taking advantage of the opportunity to check it out while it is at Lyncrest Airport.

Cleaning and lubricating the bushings on the horizontal stabilizer.

Jill working with Ken and Colette Pierce to re-mount the rudder horn.

Rick, Jill, Colette, & Ken - Ken and Colette decided to stay a few hours longer to help assemble the horizontal stabilizer and elevators - after participating in the 99's Poker Derby.

Blake Reid's Tiger Moth Ground School at Lyncrest

 Blake Reid flew in from Ottawa to teach his Tiger Moth Ground School to about 16 participants.

 After a power point presentation covering the history and the key features of each part of the aircraft we did a tour of the Brandon Commonwealth Air Museum's Tiger Moth being restored in the RAA workshop.

 Donna and Grant Pronishen checking out the Tiger Moth.

Colette & Ken Pierce and Al Tring with the Museum Tiger Moth.

Blake Reid (far rht) pointing out magneto on DH82A.

 Colette, Ken, and Blake checking out the antique English instrument panel.

Ken and Colette Pierce flew in from Beulah Manitoba on the Saskatchewan  border in their C185 - The Tiger Moth was quite a contrast!

Peter Moodie and the Instrument panel - including an original compass in the centre of the panel.

Gil Bourrier Painting the Flying Wires

 Vic Prefontaine's 60+ years of experience saved the day again - our mount for the flying wires was looking like a 'dog's breakfast' until Vic dropped by and within 20 minutes had a solid, manageable mount built and the flying wires were now ready for the paint booth. Yesterday the wires were cleaned and metal preped.

 Betty and Henry Riege dropped by to see the wings which he led the team to cover with fabric.

Gil Bourrier suiting up to paint the flying wires with 2-part epoxy primer after we wiped them down three more times with paint cleaning solvent just in case they picked up some grease on the move to the hangar set up in Jill n Rick's hangar.
 

 Gil Bourrier spraying on the first coat of 2-part epoxy primer.

The flying wires curing - we'll leave them in the mount Vic designed to dry and the top coat will be black, using the same paint as Gil used for all the hardware.

Flying Wires

 Maurice did the initial cleaning using green scotchbrite pads.
Then the wires were wiped down and washed with POR15 Cleaning Fluid diluted 5:1. George Inman built a 2x4 trough lined with plastic - Vic's idea! to hold the fluid and the wires. Then the wires were rinsed well using the hose and dried thoroughly. The clean wires were then soaked in the anti-corrosion POR15 solution, kept wet for 20 minutes, rinsed thoroughly with the hose and then dried thoroughly. This was repeated 4 hours later. They are now ready for 2pt epoxy primer and paint.