Working on the gills at Tikkakoski

Suomeksi

When the transporting of ace Kyösti ” Kössi ” Karhila’s war trunk from Katajanokka to the Air Force Museum at Tikkakoski was added to the trip to Mikkeli, the opportunity offered itself to go and visit the Museum restoration shop to see and discuss the Myrsky restoration with the assistant conservator Antti Lappalainen.

The main switchboard has been under work lately (of which there’s been a blog) and the engine radiator gills. They were, of course, rather an advanced construction because they moved lengthwise with the fuselage, without adding drag when deployed. According to historical documents the idea was taken from the gills of Junkers Ju-88, although in this bomber the gills opened outwards, at least according to photos.

Of the Myrsky gills mainly parts of the gill actuating motor and some bearing housings have remained, in other words much has been done and must be done as neo production. A big entity are the actual gill plates, which superficially seem simple, but are rather complicated entities.

The gill mechanism, that leans on the cowling support frames, works so that the gill motor transforms the rotating movement through an axle and chain to screws, which when rotating move the gills lengthwise on their axles. The gills can be left in any position between their fore and after positions.

To install and accommodate parts of the gill mechanism, the engine exhaust pipes had to come off, that’s how cramped it’s beginning to be around the engine. In the photo above the before mentioned gill axles are visible in the foreground on the floor.

The gills are rather ”interestingly” shaped by the machine guns. In the photo carpenter/artisan Mika Rautasaari holds in his hand a mould or last of a gill that was milled out of wood in the spring. Based on this mould the part of the gill by the machine gun will be made.

The final stretch in the restoration of MY-14 is looming on the horizon.

Photos: Reino Myllymäki

Translation: Matti Liuskallio.