My '44 Flying Control Dodge

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

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After I'd packed away all the flags and aerials etc, and just before taking the first Jeep home, I parked the three vehicles together for a few photos. "Hope", "Faith" and "Jessie".

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Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

July 29th - Brakes Service

I brought the Dodge home, late on Friday 28th, and not long after I got home, it rained hard, soaking the drive. That was going to be fun when crawling around under the Dodge! Fortunately by the following morning, the wind and occasional Sun had dried the drive, though the grass was still wet.

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I planned to just change the brake fluid and bleed the brakes, but as I stripped each corner down for inspection, I found the rear brake linings were at their limit. I replaced the front linings back in Spring 2011, soon after getting the Dodge, but the rear ones had plenty of life left in them at the time. Now the rears are virtually down to the rivets in places, so all four rear shoes have been removed for re-lining.

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Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

The fronts are still good, and being glued rather than riveted on, have much more life in them. All the brake cylinders/pistons were cleaned, and one split outer rubber seal replaced. The Dodge is now wrapped up on the drive, brakeless, until I can get the shoes done, refitted and system bled.

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Steve Carr

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Roset Trailer -- B-17G Fortress BO-1 #42-31035
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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

It's that time of year again where Faith clocks up another year. 73 years old today!

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Fortunately, I got the new brake shoes fitted and the brake system filled and bled a couple of days ago, followed by a 5 mile test drive. So Faith is back on the road again for her 73rd birthday, and will probably be out to the local aircraft museum for an event on Sunday.
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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

Back in June, in an attempt to stop water pooling on the roof, I added a steel tube support just behind the dome. This afternoon, I made a quick change to the support I put in for the roof. Since fitting, I've found it does get in the way of setting up the observers chair under the dome, and generally can get in the way moving around the truck. As it is only really necessary when it is raining. A removable support would be more suitable. While the original wasn't fixed, if removed and the roof sagged, it was impossible to refit without jacking up the roof.

So I cut off around 3/4 of an inch, and turned down a nut to fit inside the tube. This was welded in place. A bolt was made with a small spigot at the head end that fits into a hole in the steel plate on the roof cross member. The support tube can now be fitted in place, and the bolt screwed out until the roof is pushed up and the support is secure. So now the support can be fitted quickly when needed, but stored clipped to the inside of the truck when not needed.

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Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

NELSAM Trams & Transport - August 13th

I took the Dodge along to the Trams & Transport day at the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum today. A fair few vehicles in attendance, but I think my MV was the only one that doesn't live there. It gave the Dodge another test run, after which, the rear right shoes were adjusted as they were rubbing a bit once warmed up.

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Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

The museum's Bullet replica is coming along since I last saw it at Sedgefield. It now has a dummy engine which has an MDF crankcase and 3D printed cylinders. Each cylinder took around 54 hours to print. The wings are progressing too.

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Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

Here's a few more shots from around the museum.

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The Dodge was taken back to the storage container after returning from the museum, after a couple of weeks stay on the drive for the brake work. I'll be back here in September for their "Jeeps & Jets" event.
Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

It's been a quiet season for the Dodge, partly due to Lynne's health problems that has resulted in my going out on my own in a Jeep, where otherwise we may have all gone in the Dodge. However today, "Faith" got a run out to finish the season.

National Railway Museum Shildon Classic Car Rally - Oct 1st

Probably the last event of the season for me at 'Locomotion' the National Railway Museum at Shildon. It was my 16th event of 2017, and due to the damp forecast, I decided against taking the GPW a couple of days before the event, in favour of the Dodge. The Dodge hadn't been out much in 2017, so it was a chance to give it a decent run out, around a 60 mile round trip.

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Early in the day, the concrete apron was quite empty, but as public opening time got closer, it soon filled up.

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It was a very foggy trip down, but it slowly brightened up to give us some sun later in the day, and not too cold either. Some interesting visiting vehicles on display in addition to the rotating railway exhibits which frequently swap with those at York. My daughter and I also took the mile round trip walk to the other end of the line, to see some of the original buildings and the Timothy Hackworth cottage.

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Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

Here's a few pictures of the vehicles and locomotives on show.

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Steve Carr

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Roset Trailer -- B-17G Fortress BO-1 #42-31035
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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

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From 3pm onwards, the cars began to depart, leaving our Dodge the last vehicle there. By the time we packed away the aerials and windsock, it was 4pm, and we headed home soon after, both quite tired, having clocked up a number of miles walking around the site on a railway themed treasure hunt I'd made up to entertain my daughter across the day.

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Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

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November 18th - Winter Check Out Visit

It had been a few weeks since the trip to Shildon for the classic car rally, so I decided to go and give the Dodge a check over. We took the GPW over for a very chilly drive to the storage unit. After a prime, it took quite a few goes to get the Dodge to fire. It was a particularly cold day, and it took all the effort of the 6 volt battery to turn the engine over and provide enough energy for the spark!

Once the truck was running, it was left at a high idle to charge the battery. The clutch and brakes were exercised, oil and water were checked before starting. The lights were all tested and after about 15 minutes running, with the truck at normal temperatures, it was moved forwards a few feet to avoid flat spots on the tyres.

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December 31st - Winter Check Out Visit

This was the last visit of the year to the Dodge, and it was just squeezed in to the last few hours of 2017.

It had been a little over six weeks since my last visit due to a number of factors interfering with normal life. I turned up, opened the container checked the radiator and notice the level had dropped a bit. I topped it up with some water from the emergency bottles in the back locker and and gave the Dodge a run. It started at the second go. There were no signs of any leaks after the top up, and the Dodge was moved backwards in the container a few feet.

With the recent cold spells, and having just added plain water for the engine run, I decided the anti-freeze ratio in the Dodge should be increased, just in case. Everything was locked up again, and I made the three mile trip home, got some gear together and headed back. The radiator was partially drained into a bucket, and the drained liquid still smelled of anti-freeze ( I couldn't remember where my tester was ). About a litre of Prestone anti-freeze was added back into the radiator and the engine run again to circulate the coolant. Everything was locked up once again until 2018.

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

It's been all quiet on the Dodge front for a while now while most of my attention has been focused on one of my Jeeps, doing some bodywork repairs and overhauling the starting and ignition system. I've also been turning the Jeep into an RAF 'Follow Me' vehicle for the 100th anniversary of the RAF this year. The markings are painted on magnetic plastic for a quick change from USAAF to RAF.

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However with the season getting closer, I popped over to check on the Dodge today. There wasn't much fuel in the Dodge, so I wasn't planning on running it. I'll take a jerrycan over next trip. After a delay getting into the yard, following a change of padlock, I opened up the container and removed the Dodge battery to bring home. I wanted to add some acid tablets to the cells and give it a good charge before it is next out. I may try and bring it out after the Easter weekend if the weather dries up. So far, Spring in the North East has been somewhat damp.
Steve Carr

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Roset Trailer -- B-17G Fortress BO-1 #42-31035
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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

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I took the battery back to the dodge today. After fitting it, starting up and backing out of the container, I tipped about four gallons of fresh petrol into the tank and went for a short local drive. This was the first trip out this year and the first drive since the event at 'Locomotion' in October last year. I've got a couple of Jeep events in early May and then will probably take the Dodge to Blyth Battery Goes to War on May 19/20th.
Steve Carr

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Re: My '44 Flying Control Dodge

Post by armyairforce »

While Blyth Battery was to be the first event for the Dodge in 2018, I've had a number of other events already in one of my Jeeps. The first was April 15th to York Castle with the Yorkshire Military Vehicle Trust. We had about 60 vehicles in total. ( http://www.sacarr.co.uk/mymvs/events/2018/crankup.htm )
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Next came the Radial Engine Fly-In at Breighton Aerodrome ( http://www.sacarr.co.uk/mymvs/events/20 ... radial.htm )
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A week later was the "Against the Odds" RAF event at the former RAF Elvington, home of the Yorkshire Air Museum and reproduction HP Halifax "Friday 13th" ( http://www.sacarr.co.uk/mymvs/events/2018/elvington.htm )
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One week after that was Blyth Battery and next weekend is the Jeep out again at "Lanc, Tank and Military Machines" at Eask Kirkby airfield, home to Avro Lancaster "Just Jane". It's a busy May this year!

Blyth Battery Goes to War - May 19/20th

Day one of the Blyth Battery event was sunny, but there was a bit of a breeze off the sea which pulled the temperature down. Further inland it was quite hot, but on the coast, I had my HBT overalls on.

The displays followed the usual format with the German camp to the South of the battery and Allies to the North. Because of an ignition problem with my M201 Jeep at the start of May, I took the M201 up to Blyth for the first day as a further test that wasn't too far away from home. I planned to take the Dodge on day two.

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I wasn't the only RAF content, and only a few yards from where I was parked was an RAF truck and Rolls Royce Meteor engine, the tank version of the RR Merlin aircraft engine. The engine was run several times a day during the show.

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Meteor Video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnfXScG9Sf8
Last edited by armyairforce on Mon May 21, 2018 11:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
Steve Carr

Dodge WC51 - 'Follow Me' Jeep - '43 Ford GPW
Roset Trailer -- B-17G Fortress BO-1 #42-31035
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