Looking to buy that No32 'scope.........

[Brian Dick]

4 BA oval head slotted x 3 front and flat head slotted x 2 rear

[Peter Laidler]

Steel and NOT brass! But realistically, the chances of someone elses repro pad holes mating up exactly with your original body holes are pretty remote to say the very least.

Just make sure that you read the thread that details the alignment problems that you are liable to encounter

[Merlin266]

Used to be on BBMF, working on Eurofighter Typhoon now since 06 However once you've been bitten by the Lancaster, spitfire and hurricane you can't let it go, hence I've been volunteering at Duxford for the last 9 years. Ref alignment of the holes, I shall a read, thanks

[CINDERS]

Good for you Merlin266 - My father said to me there was nothing like a Merlin in full song and I agree what a power plant Sir Henry Royce designed and the plane Reginald Mitchell developed the marriage created a beautiful combination so much so the Americans put the power plant into the P-51 after the Packard was not the go and thus was created one of the greatest long range fighters.

But of all the aircraft that could paste you in WWII on the allies side 3 I would not like to face their fire power The Mossie - 4 x 303 & 4 x 20mm Hispano/Suiza or a Olens cannon and the Tiffie 4 x 20mm and 8 x 60lb rockets and last and the most horrid one the Beau 4 × 20 mm Hispano Mk III cannon (60 rpg) in nose, and depending on role 4 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns (outer starboard wing)2 × .303 in (7.7 mm) machine gun (outer port wing) 8 × RP-3 "60 lb" (27 kg) rockets or 2× 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs no this thing was just plane nasty......

---------- Post added at 09:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:06 PM ----------

Peter just a question if you were to fit a repro pad could you fit the pad to the suit the original holes sorta reverse engineer if you get my drift rather than try to get the original holes to fit the repro pad just a question for you TIA

[Peter Laidler]

If you got a repro pad that was UN-drilled, tyhen you can 'reverse engineer' it to fit. It's a bit tiresome BUT.......

You can sweat the pad on in the usual manner and sert up any telescope alignment as described in the article and while the pad is still relatively secure to the body, you can carefully centre pop the rear of the pad through the inside of the body, via the original holes using a centre punch ground down to the EXACT core diameter of the threaded body holes. Punch carefully while supported and then you can drill the marked holes from the rear knowing (?) that they are exactly in line with the existing holes.

Me and another Armourer did this to a pad-less L42 that'd been used in some field trials that he'd purchased. Of course, we had all the facilities to do it in a well equipped REME fitters shop.

Incidentally, we did try several pads taken off old ZF L42's prior to destruction and they didn't even come close to aligning

[Gil Boyd]

Merlin,
Pop into a decent museum in the Airspace when you get a minute, and pass on my best to Smudger Smith. A good friend and an amazing talent on rebuilding Blenheims from scratch and crashing in them too once they are finished

[Merlin266]

Yeah, will do. Shouldn't be long now before the Blenheim flies again. Referring to my rifle it has the original rear pad fitted with only one pin punch mark to lock the screws and looks very well done. Would it be fair to say the pad has been replaced complete with replacement screws? I remember reading somewhere that if removed and re-fitted they would have more than one pin punch mark. I have a singer sight fitted that has to be raised to remove the bolt, I hear with a bit of fettling you can remove the bolt without raising the sight. Once I find a scope for it then I'm going to have to remove the scope to get the bolt out as I'm not keen on travelling with the bolt fitted to the rifle.

[Peter Laidler]

I would pull up all the No4T threads as the Q's have been answered time and time again there

[CINDERS]

Just some pics of my fathers fitting books he brought back with him there were 0000's printed but only this set belonged to him therefore they have a special place with me.
I do collect all sortsa military stuff but nothing comes close in my collection to the value of these 4 books.
The basic fitting one Dad may have borrowed from the person so named he cannot tell me this now but I thought I would just share with you this little part of my Dad.
It is all I have now 1 RAAF pic, his medals, service pay book, discharge cert and these 4 books.

Though I do not forget those fathers that never had the chance to meet their children and vice versa they having paid the ultimate price.......

[Merlin266]

Would it be fair to say that a repro scope would perform as well as an original? I know the original No 32 scopes were solid and were expected to perform in brutal conditions, but the days of lobbing em out of aeroplanes have long gone. I'm now considering a repro, as the originals are stupid money and finding a good one is nigh on impossible, especially with an original mount and the £1500 in my gun safe is gathering dust along with my rifle..