A new elbow rest for the Bristol Blenheim bomber pilot's seatTorstai 16.4.2026 - Tuesday Club member The pilot’s seat and rudder pedals of the Finnish Air Force’s Bristol Blenheim Series V aircraft BL-106 have been restored by Aviation Museum Society’s Tuesday Club. However, one task still remained unfinished. The original leather-upholstered and padded elbow rest, on the right-hand side of the pilot’s seat, was still there but in poor condition. The leather on the top surface of the elbow rest was badly worn and partially torn, revealing the padding material underneath. The leather-upholstered rest has a wooden core. The elbow rest is attached to the seat’s armrest with four bolts.
It was carefully considered whether the original leather-covered elbow rest should be preserved and refastened to the restored seat’s armrest, or whether a new, identical padded replica should be made and fitted to the restored seat’s armrest. A replica of the elbow rest would better suit the fully restored seat. Therefore, we decided to make a new elbow rest, matching the original. The original elbow rest would be preserved and stored. So, on to the task at hand.
The original elbow rest was measured carefully, and a drawing was made of it. Following the drawing, the wooden core of the elbow rest was made from 50 x 50 mm pine. The wooden core was rounded at the ends and corners by sanding. As the elbow rest was attached to the seat’s armrest with four bolts, holes were drilled in the new wooden core for the four mounting bolts.
The original bolts were 4,5 x 40 mm. As such bolts were not available in hardware stores, 5 x 40 mm bolts with locking heads were purchased for the elbow rest. The locking head is important, as it sinks into the surface of the wooden core of the elbow rest. This prevents the bolts from turning when the leather-covered elbow rest is tightened onto the seat’s armrest with four nuts. Once the wooden core was ready, its fit to the seat’s armrest was tested. It fitted well. All that remained was the leather upholstery for the wooden core of the elbow rest. We took the new wooden core of the elbow rest to be upholstered according to the original model by upholstery master Kaisa Haikola at Verhoomo Koto. The original elbow rest was also brought along as a model.
Photos: Verhoomo Koto We discussed our objectives with the upholstery master. Consensus was quickly reached. Antique leather, well suited for the purpose, was chosen for the upholstery. Pieces were cut from the leather according to the prepared patterns to upholster the top and bottom surfaces as well as the sides of the elbow rest. First, the leather pieces for the top surface and the side were machine-stitched together, using a piping seam matching the original. For this, the sewing machine was fitted with a piping presser foot. The piping core, as in the original elbow rest, was made from linen thread.
Photos: Verhoomo Koto Under the leather on the top surface of the elbow rest, recycled grey wadding was placed as padding to replicate the original. The original elbow rest’s upholstery was also followed by placing the glued seam of the leather pieces on the sides in the same position as on the original. Bison Tix contact adhesive was used for gluing the leather pieces. As the final step, holes for the four mounting bolts in the base of the elbow rest were made using a hole punch.
Photo: Verhoomo Koto
Photo: Antti Hyvärinen Thus, the replica of the pilot’s elbow rest for the Bristol Blenheim V series BL-106 bomber was completed. The replica elbow rest was attached to the restored pilot’s seat armrest. It was found that the new elbow rest looked splendid with its surfaces in the fully restored pilot’s seat. Photos: Lassi karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Bristol Blenheim |
The engine cover and landing gear wheel covers are repairedSunnuntai 12.4.2026 - Tuesday Club member The PIK-21 “Super Chug” OH-XTM is equipped with upper and lower engine covers made of fiberglass, using a mould. The landing gear wheel covers are also constructed from fiberglass. In the aviation accident that occurred in August 2024, the lower engine cover was damaged, though not severely.
Photo: Harri Kaikkonen
Upon examining the damage to the lower engine cover, it was found to have dents and one larger fracture, from which some fragments had also come loose. Both wheel covers had minor dents, while one of them had a somewhat larger damage.
The repair of the engine and wheel covers began by sanding off the paint from the damaged areas to reveal a clean brown fiberglass surface underneath. This step is essential to ensure that the new fiberglass mat adheres properly when repairing the damaged spot. Sanding was carried out manually with sandpaper, but also with a belt sander and a multi-tool fitted with a triangular sanding head. All damaged fiberglass was cut away.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola On the lower engine cover we sanded the edges of the damaged areas both from the inside and outside, so that several centimetres of clean bonding surface for the new fiberglass mat was exposed on both the inner and outer edges of the damaged area. The same procedure was applied to the edges of the damaged areas on the wheel covers.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola Once the damaged areas on the lower engine cover and the wheel covers had been sanded to clean fiberglass, their repair was begun with fiberglass laminating. Laminating was carried out using cross-woven fiberglass reinforcement fabric and epoxy resin. We laminated the fiberglass mat with epoxy, as the mat does not absorb water when laminated with epoxy, even if the surface of the laminate becomes damaged. For the laminating, we used Biltema’s two-component “Laminating Epoxy Art. 30-103” epoxy-based resin.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola On the lower engine cover we started laminating the damaged areas from the outside on the corner where there was a major damage. For this, we made a mould from a plank, and the lower cover was fixed around the mould with clamps onto the workbench. This ensured the cover remained in the correct shape while laminating it from the outside. No stresses are left in the laminated area that could later break. Between the clamp and the mould, we placed yellow plastic tape, to the backside of which the epoxy resin would not adhere. This made it easier to detach the cover after laminating.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola After laminating the engine cover’s fractured area from the outside, we laminated fiberglass mat onto the corresponding damaged spots on the inside of the lower engine cover. This ensured that the repaired area achieved at least its original strength. In the same manner, we laminated all other damaged areas on the lower engine cover as well as on the wheel covers.
Photo: Meeri Siirtola After laminating the fiberglass mat, sanding was started. This was done with a flat sander using grit 60. Such a coarse grit can cause deep and difficult-to-repair pits and scratches if used incorrectly, so care must be taken during preliminary sanding. However, sanding with coarse sandpaper levels the materials with different hardness at the repair site, without leaving harder material protruding. Additionally, sanding is quick and the result is already relatively neat. After the initial sanding, the laminated areas and smaller repairs made without laminating were filled with epoxy-based filler. For this, we used “Biltema Lightweight Epoxy Filler Art. 30-648”, a two-component filler. After filling, we sanded the surfaces with a flat sander, using grit 180. This grit smooths out any unevenness in the epoxy filler as well as any scratches that may have occurred during the initial sanding.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola
After the treatment with Lightweight Epoxy Filler, we moved on to priming. For the priming, we purchased grey “Sparymax 1K AC-Fyller” primer from Pintaväri shop. This spray-applied primer evens out the remaining small irregularities and covers well the mottled appearance of the sanded fiberglass surface. An added benefit is the short time before re-sanding can be done; sanding can be carried out just 15 minutes later.
Once the primer had dried, we sanded the repaired spots by hand, first with sandpaper of grit 360 and finally sanded the entire surface of the lower engine cover and wheel covers using wet sanding with water sandpaper of grit 1000. By doing so, we achieved a smooth and clean surface on the lower engine cover and wheel covers ready for the upcoming surface painting. The surface painting will be performed when the restoration of the aircraft frame has reached the painting stage. Photos: Lassi karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, PIK-21, Super-Sytky, OH-XTM |
Bending the Snoopy's windscreen into shapeSunnuntai 22.3.2026 - Tuesday Club member In the restoration work of the OH-XEA “Snoopy” (“Ressu”) light aircraft, built by the Hietanen brothers from Turku, it was time to bend the plexiglass sheet to serve as the Snoopy’s windscreen. The original windscreen was bent from 2 mm thick acrylic sheet to cover the front section of the cockpit. The sheet was fastened at the edges with screws to brackets welded to the frame tubes. The original cockpit windscreen has not survived, so a new one had to be made.
Photo: Esko Keskinen
Photos: Timo Kopranen Departing from the original, we made the windscreen from a 3 mm thick transparent polycarbonate sheet, which is very easy to shape and work with. First, we made a cardboard template of the windscreen, based on which we acquired from ETRA a polycarbonate sheet cut to the shape of the template. The straight sheet’s sides are bent against the sides of the aircraft’s nose to form the sides of Ressu’s windscreen. Before bending the sheet, we tested with the cardboard template how the sheet should bend to match the cockpit’s front frame structure. We had never previously attempted to bend a polycarbonate sheet like this, so there was some excitement in the air, but - as the saying goes - fortune favours the brave.
Photo: Erkki Rossi The method involved heating the polycarbonate sheet with a hot air blower at the point of the front side tube of the cockpit, and as the sheet warmed up, each side was bent in turn against the sides of the front section of the cockpit. We started by bending the left side of the sheet. To enable heating, the protective film covering the plexi sheet was removed from the area to be heated and bent. Likewise, a sturdy wooden strip was attached at the bend, at the location of the frame tube, to keep the sheet firmly in place during bending.
Photo: Ari Aho We heated the bending area with a hot air blower. Care must be taken during heating not to overheat the surface of the sheet, as this can cause it to “burn” and turn grey. As the sheet warmed up at the bend, we began to carefully press it downwards towards the side of the cockpit. The bending seam of the sheet was heated for as long as it took for the left-hand side of the windscreen sheet to be pressed tightly against the left side of the aircraft’s nose. The sheet bent surprisingly neatly, and at least bending the left side of the windscreen was accomplished quite easily. It was then time to bend the right side of the windscreen.
Before bending the right side, it was ensured that the sheet anchored to the frame had remained at a right angle to the frame during the bending of the left side. It was noticed that it had shifted slightly during the bending, so the upper corner of the left bend of the sheet was trimmed. This allowed the upper right corner of the sheet to be moved about a centimeter higher, bringing the sheet back to a right angle with respect to the frame.
Now the protective film was removed from the area on the right side of the sheet which would be heated and bent. Before heating, the front edge of the sheet was fixed with two screws to the mounting brackets on the frame tube. This ensured that the sheet would remain properly aligned during bending. Next, a sturdy wooden strip was attached on top of the right-side frame tube in the cockpit to keep the sheet pressed firmly against the frame tube.
Heating of the bending area in the plexi sheet began with two hot air blowers. While the sheet was being heated, its right side was pressed downwards slowly with a sturdy wooden strip until it was firmly pressed against the right side of the cockpit. It was found that the sheet did not bend as neatly as the left side, but a slight bulge appeared in the middle. The reason was probably that when we heated the bending area on the sheet with two blowers from each end, the centre of the area unintentionally remained cooler. As a result, it did not bend as flexibly around the frame tube as both ends of the bending area did. However, the bulge was corrected by heating the centre of the crease and pressing the bulged area against the frame tube with a wooden support. As a whole, the right side of the sheet was bent perfectly. This was evidenced by the fact that the rear edge of the right side of the plexi sheet was pressed tightly against the side of the upright frame tube in the cockpit.
After the windscreen sheet had been bent, we noted that there was no need to trim any excess material from the edges, as the lower edges of the windscreen sides lined up perfectly with the rows of mounting brackets on the cockpit frame tubes. Therefore, 6 mm holes were drilled in the plexi sheet's edges at each bracket location to secure the windscreen to the brackets with screws.
Threads matching the screws had been made beforehand in the brackets, so the sheet edges were screwed onto the threaded brackets on the cockpit frame tube. As the bracket with the threads is quite thin, the fastening may be reinforced by putting nuts on the ends of the screws to ensure the sheet is pressed tightly against the brackets. The left side of the windscreen was locked to the upright cockpit tube with a small clamp, as was done with the original windscreen.
Once the contact surface between the rear edge of the windscreen and the front edge of the roof window, which is already in place, is covered with a protective strip, both the roof window and the windscreen are removed, wrapped in protective bubble wrap, and stored. This way, we ensure the windscreen and roof window do not get scratched while the Snoopy’s frame is still being restored. Satisfied with the result, we concluded that we had succeeded in bending the polycarbonate sheet to serve as the Snoopy’s windscreen, even though we had never bent a plexi sheet in this way before. Photos: Lassi karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Hietanen HEA-23b, OH-XEA, Ressu |
Dehumidifier for the storage container at PuusepäntiePerjantai 20.3.2026 - Tuesday Club member Moisture accumulates in the Puusepäntie storage container, which has been made from a shipping container. Especially in cold weather, condensing water collects on the container's ceiling and drips down. This situation is unfavorable for the items stored inside the container. We decided to install an indoor air dehumidifier in the storage container. We acquired a Recusorb DST DS 010B dehumidifier, which draws indoor air in through a single intake, blows warm and humid air outdoors, and returns dry air into the container. To install the dehumidifier, a hole had to be made in the container wall for the dryer’s 75 mm exhaust pipe.
We determined the location of the dehumidifier in the rear section of the storage container, about four meters from the back wall. This way, the exhaust pipe hole would not be positioned facing the wall of the welding container adjacent to the storage container. The dehumidifier itself is installed on top of a platform, so the bottom edge of the exhaust pipe opening is 75 cm above the container floor level. We marked the spot for the opening on the wall, drilled a pilot hole there, and drew a 75x75 mm square around the spot on the outside of the container wall. Using an angle grinder, we cut a 75x75 mm opening in the wall. The opening was temporarily protected with duct tape.
A 75 mm diameter steel pipe will be fitted into this square opening, onto which a 150 x 150 mm square-shaped adaptor, or collar, will be welded to secure the pipe to the opening. The collar is attached at a slight angle, so the end of the pipe points downward. The end of the pipe is cut at an angle to form a lip, preventing rainwater from entering the container through the pipe. Before welding the collar, it is shaped to match the profile of the container wall.
Photo: Ari Aho To make the exhaust air pipe, a 76 mm diameter, 500 mm long steel pipe was purchased from Motonet. A 150 x 150 mm sheet was cut from 2 mm thick steel plate to serve as the exhaust pipe collar. A circle matching the diameter of the steel pipe was drawn in the centre of the sheet for the pipe opening. Four adjacent holes were drilled along the curve of the circle, which were then joined to form a single opening. The round hole was then cut out of the sheet with a jigsaw. The hole was made slightly larger so the steel pipe could be inserted through it at an angle relative to the sheet. The edge of the hole was filed smooth.
Photo: Erkki Rossi We visited the Finnish Aviation Museum to use the bending machine to shape the collar of the dehumidifier’s exhaust pipe to match the container wall’s corrugated profile. At the same time, holes were made in the corners of the collar plate for the fastening screws. Corresponding holes for the collar’s fastening screws were drilled into the container wall, and threads were cut into them. Now the collar was ready to be welded at a slight angle onto the exhaust pipe of the dehumidifier. Once the collar was welded, the pipe was fitted into the container opening. It was found that the collar needed a bit of adjustment to ensure it pressed tightly enough against the container wall profile.
With the exhaust pipe provisionally in place, the cut points for the pipe’s inner and outer sides were determined. Marks were drawn at the cut points, and the pipe was then cut to its final length according to these markings. The external end of the pipe was cut at an angle to form a lip that protects against rain.
To prevent small birds or mammals from entering the pipe, a protective mesh made from plastic-coated metal was fastened to the outside end of the pipe. The mesh was fixed to the outer edge of the pipe with two-component Plastik-Padding compound. Once the compound had dried, the attachment area of the mesh was sanded smooth.
The surface of the finished pipe was lightly sanded, after which it was treated with Isotrol lacquer to protect it from rust. The intention was to paint the pipe with the same blue paint which we had used on the container's surface. However, the paint had run out, so the exhaust pipe was painted with yellow Isoquard Pansar paint. The colours of Ukraine are now visible in our yard.
The dehumidifier’s exhaust air pipe was finally attached to the wall of the storage container by its collar using four screws. Repair compound, normally used for patching metal roofs, was placed between the collar and the wall. This ensured the contact surface between the collar and the container wall was watertight.
Now, the dehumidifier inside the storage container could be connected to the end of the exhaust pipe passing through the container wall and put into operation. Time will tell whether the existing dehumidifier is effective enough to remove moisture from the indoor air of our storage container and thus protect the stored items from spoilage. Photos: Lassi karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club |
The reparation work on the Super Chug wing is under wayMaanantai 2.3.2026 - Tuesday Club member The wing of Super Chug (OH-XTM Super Sytky) remained almost intact in the landing accident in August 2024. However, a large area of the covering plywood at the root of the left wing's underside was damaged. The damage occurred when the landing gear folded beneath the fuselage, causing the left wheel of the gear to strike the underside of the wing and break the plywood covering. A small hole appeared on the upper surface of the right wing's trailing edge, and there were a few cracks in the plywood edges of the trailing edge. Otherwise, the wing surfaces are intact.
Photo: Timo Kopranen
So far, the Super Chug wing has been stored in our sea container outside our Puusepäntie workshop, waiting for the repair work to begin. The start has been delayed by the question of whether the wing would fit in the workshop among the fuselages of Super Chug, Snoopy and Myrsky MY-5, which are already there. The Super Chug wing is a single piece with a wingspan of 5,3 metres. We measured the workshop space and concluded that the wing could indeed fit between the fuselages of Super Chug and Snoopy, placed on wing stands, if we move the fuselages of Snoopy and MY-5 about a metre sideways. However, when placed horizontally, the wing would not fit between the fuselages of Chug and Snoopy.
Photo: Timo Kopranen Once the fuselages had been moved, we carried the Super Chug wing from the storage container into the workshop. There, the wing was placed on wing stands. Surprisingly, there was still plenty of working space around the wing. We set the wing on the stands in a slanted position so that the more severely damaged underside of the wing was well exposed, making it easier to repair. The damage caused by the landing gear wheel striking the underside of the wing will be repaired by removing the plywood covering from the damaged area, rebuilding the inner wing structures destroyed in the accident, and finally re-covering the opening.
To remove the damaged plywood area, a rectangle was drawn around the damage so that the damaged section was well within the rectangle. The plywood was then cut away along the outline of the rectangle using a multitool blade.
Underneath the plywood an area of about 40 x 60 cm was exposed, damaged from the wing spar towards the trailing edge. Of the three ribs in the damaged area, two had broken. The covering plywood left on the surface of the intact rib during sawing was carefully tapped off with a chisel.
Now we were also able to examine the structure of the wing. It turned out that the Super Chug’s wing ribs are not of the “traditional” type with lightening holes and cap strips. Instead, the Chug’s wing rib consists of a rib edge plywood, reinforced with a cap strip, to which a lattice of thin strips had been glued. The plastic tubes for the pitot tube, which run inside the wing and are attached to the ribs, were now visible too. The pitot tube, which was removed from Super Chug’s wing after the accident, has a horn-like appearance and points directly downwards. It is similar, for example, to the non-heated pitot tube of the Piper PA-28 Cherokee.
The broken wing ribs in the damaged area were dismantled so that new ribs could be constructed to replace them. At the same time, patching the small hole at the trailing edge of the right wing was started. In this case as well, a rectangle was drawn around the hole, and an opening was cut in the plywood accordingly. Plywood strips were glued under the edges of the opening so that they extended about half a centimetre inside the opening. A plywood patch was shaped to fit snugly into the opening. It will be glued in place to cover the hole. The seams of the plywood patch will be filled and sanded smooth before painting the patched area. A couple of cracks in the plywood edges at the trailing edge were also glued. The work to repair the wing of Super Chug OH-XTM has got off to a good start. Photos: Lassi karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, PIK-21, Super-Sytky, OH-XTM |
Exhaust pipes are built for the Snoopy´s ("Ressu" OH-XEA) enginePerjantai 30.1.2026 - Tuesday Club member We have constructed exhaust pipes to be fitted onto the Continental A 65 engine we acquired for the Snoopy (“Ressu” OH-XEA). This engine was damaged in an aviation accident, but it suits our purpose. We are refurbishing the engine on the outside to make it presentable for mounting onto Ressu's nose.
Photo: Esko Keskinen The exhaust pipes are being built to match the Snoopy’s original Continental engine, based on photographs taken of the aircraft. The exhaust system on the Snoopy consisted of two straight pipes coming from each side of the engine’s two exhaust ports. At the end of the pipes was a barrel-shaped silencer with a diameter of 100 mm. Around the silencer, there was a separate shroud welded onto the surface of the exhaust pipe for preheating the intake air.
From the Continental engine we received, we managed to salvage the mounting flanges, which were still attached to the exhaust ports. Although the flanges were corroded and partly damaged, we decided to use them to connect the new exhaust pipes to the exhaust ports. The blanks for the new exhaust pipes were cut from 40 mm thin-walled furniture tubing. The flanges were cleaned of rust and then welded onto the ends of the exhaust pipe blanks.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola On some parts of the flanges, the mounting surfaces were not completely even after the damage and welding. The end surface of the flanges was ground down so that the exhaust pipes could be joined at a right angle to the engine's exhaust ports. The flanges were ground by pressing the end of the pipe, locked at a right angle in a wooden frame, against the side of a grinding wheel.
Photo: Jouni Ripatti Once the Continental A 65 engine had been blown clean and painted, we were able to start fitting the exhaust pipe blanks to the engine's exhaust ports and test-fitting the silencer pipes to be attached to the ends of the exhaust pipes. Two silencer pipes, each 100 mm in diameter and welded from thin sheet metal, were manufactured as an external job.
Attaching the round exhaust pipe blanks to the round silencers required, not only cutting them to the correct length, but also shaping the ends of the exhaust pipes to match the silencers. This was done using a “cutting jig” made from a 100 mm plastic pipe, the same size as the silencer. A hole was made in the plastic pipe, matching the size of the exhaust pipe, through which a slightly thinner pipe was inserted, allowing the exhaust pipe end to be slid on top of it inside of the plastic pipe.
With the help of this jig, it was possible to accurately draw onto the exhaust pipes the double-curved cut line, needed for welding the parts together. The pipes were then cut with an angle grinder in the fireproof workshop container at our Puusepäntie workshop. Then their ends were further ground to better fit the curved surface of the silencers, enabling them to be welded together. Now the exhaust pipes were ready to be welded to the silencer pipes.
In order to get an overall picture of what we were doing, the exhaust pipes on both sides were attached by their flanges to the engine’s exhaust ports. After this the barrel-shaped silencer pipes, still open at one end, were fastened with cargo straps against the ends of the exhaust pipes. In this way, for the first time, it was possible to visualise the complete assembly of the exhaust pipes and silencers for the Continental engine. Its appearance closely resembles the original exhaust system built for the Snoopy by the Hietanen brothers.
To ensure that the exhaust pipes would remain at the correct angle when welding them to the barrel-shaped surface of the silencer – a thick plywood support plate (jig) was made, carefully modelling the location of the exhaust ports on each side. The exhaust pipes were attached to the support plate, and it was further ensured that the exhaust pipes could not move in relation to each other. It was also checked that the exhaust pipes were at a right angle to the support plate. Photos: Lassi Karivalo Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Hietanen HEA-23b, OH-XEA, Ressu |
The Super Chug´s landing gear attachment frames are repairedTiistai 13.1.2026 - Tuesday Club member Repair work on the damaged PIK-21 Super Chug (OH-XTM) continues in the Tuesday Club at the Puusepäntie workshop. One of the areas being repaired is the damaged double fuselage frame, located between the cockpit and the firewall. These frames are the front and rear attachment frames for the landing gear, to the lower ends of which the undercarriage is attached. Furthermore, the frames ensure that the nose of the aircraft keeps its shape. The rudder pedals are also attached to the bottom rail of the front attachment frame for the undercarriage. For the rudder pedal cables there is an opening in the lower part of the rear frame.
In the crash of the OH-XTM in August 2024, the undercarriage collapsed and folded under the fuselage, severely damaging the lower section of the aircraft’s nose. At the same time, the lower halves of both undercarriage attachment frames were broken, all the way up to the mid-point of the frames. The upper parts of the frames remained intact. The rudder pedals were still attached on the broken lower sections of the undercarriage frame pair.
When considering how to repair the fuselage frame pair, we decided that it was not necessary to rebuild the entire pair. This way, we avoid having to dismantle and rebuild the intact upper parts of the frames, and the entire area between the cockpit and the firewall. The undercarriage attachment frames will be repaired by reconstructing the destroyed lower parts and joining them to the upper parts that have remained undamaged. We can proceed in this way because we are not making OH-XTM airworthy but rather restoring it to become an exhibition piece.
To join the new reconstructed lower sections of the double frames to the intact upper parts, the stubs of the frames were trimmed to equal length. On each side of the frame stubs the 2 mm thick plywood on the sides, supporting the frame, was removed for about five centimetres in preparation for the upcoming new joint.
Fortunately we have access to the original Super Chug drawings, made by Kai Mellén, which provide precise details of the frame structure and the materials required for their construction. Moreover, our work is made easier by the fact that the frame drawings are at a 1:1 scale, allowing us to build the damaged lower section of the frame and check its shape directly on top of the drawing when the work is under way.
To obtain the material needed for the construction, pine strips measuring 12x12 mm and 12x40 mm were sawn according to the material list specified in the drawings. The wood for sawing was obtained from the Myrsky restoration project, so it is dense-grained and of so-called aircraft quality. We also have at our disposal some 2 mm thick aircraft plywood, also left over from the Myrsky project, to be glued on both sides of the new fuselage frame piece for support.
We began constructing the lower parts of both attachment frames simultaneously. We made all the necessary components for building the frames. Once all the parts were ready, they were glued together to form the lower half of each fuselage frame. We used Casco Outdoor wood glue for the work. The glued lower sections of the frames were then sanded with a disc sander. An opening, as shown in the drawings, was made in the rear frame’s bottom rail to allow the rudder pedal cables to pass through.
Both lower sections of the frames were made slightly too long at the top. This gave us some leeway for making the joints, ensuring that the new undercarriage attachment frames would match the drawings exactly in size. We placed each lower section we had built on top of their respective drawings. They matched their drawings well. The following step will be to join the newly constructed lower sections of the undercarriage attachment frames to the original undamaged upper parts. Photos: Lassi Karivalo Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, PIK-21, Super-Sytky, OH-XTM |
The Aviation Museum Society's Tuesday Club activities in 2025Keskiviikko 31.12.2025 - Tuesday Club member The year 2025 was an exceptional one for the Tuesday Club compared to previous years. In March, we moved from the Finnish Aviation Museum to continue our ongoing restoration projects in the premises rented by Aviation Museum Society Finland at Puusepäntie in Tuusula. The reason for leaving the museum was that the restoration space there was modified to prepare for the museum’s future relocation, thus our restoration activities at the museum came to an end. However, our cooperation with the museum continues, and it is fortunate that the premises at Puusepäntie are only a ten-minute drive from the museum.
After moving to Puusepäntie, the initial months were focused on equipping the premises for the society’s meetings and as an actual workshop. Fortunately it was fairly soon possible to restart the interrupted restoration projects at Puusepäntie. The first to be moved from the museum to Puusepäntie was the fuselage of the Snoopy (OH-XEA “Ressu”). After the summer break, we continued equipping the workspace and refurbishing and painting the exteriors of two dilapidated shipping containers acquired for the Puusepäntie yard. Restoration activities also gained full momentum.
At Puusepäntie, the Tuesday Club members were divided into two work groups, mainly because the size of the workshop limited the whole group from working there at the same time. One group worked on Tuesdays, and the other on Wednesdays. Alongside them, the Demo-Myrsky builders operated as their own Tuesday Club project group at Puusepäntie. During 2025, there were 27 active club members in the Tuesday Club. The Demo-Myrsky builders completed about 1,500 working hours over the year. Other restoration projects by the Tuesday Club took about 3,200 working hours. Altogether, we achieved a total of 4,700 working hours in 2025. Project activities in 2025 Equipping the Puusepäntie premises The equipping of Aviation Museum Society’s rented premises was completed during the autumn term of 2025. During the autumn, the 40-foot and 20-foot shipping containers acquired for the yard were also refurbished externally. The 20-foot container, which was insulated, was equipped as a hot work area, while the 40-foot container was set up as a storage space.
We refurbished a decommissioned aluminium neon light advertising box to promote our Puusepäntie premises. A new front panel image was made for the lightbox, featuring the Society's Stieglitz SZ-18, flying among the clouds, with the Society logo and the text "Ilmailumuseoyhdistys ry" below. The illuminated sign was installed above the entrance door to the workshop. Restoration of the Snoopy By the end of 2024, we had completed the restoration the Snoopy’s (OH-XEA, “Ressu”) wings, tail sections, and their associated equipment. We had also started work on restoring the Snoopy’s fuselage. We managed to clean and paint the previously rusty fuselage frame and installed the controls and their cables to the elevators and rudder, before the work paused for a few months due to the move to Puusepäntie. In the spring work continued at Puusepäntie. By the end of the year, the entire fuselage had been covered with cotton fabric and tightened with shrinking dope.
The cockpit received an original-style roof window made of polycarbonate plexiglass, and the undercarriage wheels were fitted with hubcaps. The engine, badly damaged in the crash, was refurbished externally to resemble a functioning engine and is waiting to be installed on the Snoopy’s nose. It will not be made into a working engine. Exhaust pipes, resembling those on the Continental engine previously used on the Snoopy, were constructed for the engine. Demo-Myrsky The Tuesday Club’s Myrsky group continued the construction of the Demo-Myrsky. The Demo-Myrsky is being built using the test wing from the Myrsky project, combined with the fuselage frame of the Myrsky MY-5. The MY-5’s fuselage frame has been restored and otherwise equipped, and welded in the Myrsky container located in the yard of the Finnish Aviation Museum. The fuselage frame was brought from the museum to Puusepäntie on 19 November. There its completion has continued by fastening the previously finished wooden vertical stabiliser and the rear upper fuselage section behind the cockpit. The fuselage formers are ready, so their installation can also begin.
At Puusepäntie, the wooden horizontal stabiliser and elevators for the Demo-Myrsky have been constructed. The original aluminium elevator we received, which was broken in two, has been repaired. Restoration of the Super Chug The restoration of the Super Chug (OH-XTM, “Super Sytky”), which suffered a landing accident in summer 2024 and was donated to Aviation Museum Society, began with the badly damaged fuselage. The aircraft is the prototype Super Sytky, designed, built, and initially owned by Kai Mellén.
The lower part of the fuselage is severely damaged between the rear cockpit and the firewall. Therefore, everything in the badly damaged area was removed from the front section of the fuselage. The broken plywood surfaces of the damaged front fuselage were removed to allow the sides to be covered with new material. The main focus of the repair work so far has been reconstructing the lower part of the double fuselage former in front of the cockpit, rebuilding the fuselage under the cockpit floor, and repairing the firewall. The surfaces of the Super Chug’s VW 1600 engine, which was removed from the fuselage, have been cleaned. The broken propeller was detached from the engine and replaced by a wooden propeller, which was built in the 1970s and donated to us, and is suitable for the Chug’s VW engine. Restoration of the Blenheim V-series bomber (BL-106) seats and rudder pedals During the spring term, we completed the restoration of the BL-106 bomber co-pilot’s seat, after which we were able to begin restoring the pilot’s seat. We removed the seat shell from the seat frame and cleaned the rusted steel surfaces as well as the oxidised aluminium surfaces. After cleaning, the parts were painted with RAL 7005 grey paint, in accordance with the wartime VL standard of the Finnish State Aircraft Factory. Once painted, the restored seat was assembled.
Alongside the restoration of the pilot’s seat, the restoration of the BL-106’s rudder pedals was also started. The steel surfaces of the pedal components were cleaned of rust. The aluminium surfaces were cleaned of grease and dirt using CRC Brakleen Pro brake cleaner and a steam cleaner. After cleaning, the rudder pedals were painted grey, as with the pilot’s seat. Floor panel repair in the Douglas DC-3 OH-VKC A new surface was made from 1 mm thick aluminium sheet, bent to match the original floor panel, to replace the worn-through surface of the DC-3 cockpit’s aluminium floor panel.
Instrument panel for Iljušin IL-2 Sturmovik In autumn 2024, we built an IL-2 Sturmovik instrument panel with authentic instruments for the Finnish movie “Sisu 2 - Road to Revenge”. The instrument panel was used in the IL-2 flying scenes. After the filming was completed, we received the instrument panel back. The panel will be put on display on the wall of the instrument department in the exhibition building of Hallinportti Aviation Museum. Wooden supports were constructed for the panel, which will be used to attach the panel to the instrument department wall next spring. A text board will be placed alongside the panel, introducing the instrument panel, its construction by the Tuesday Club, and its use in the Sisu 2 movie.
Singer Link cockpit operations simulator The Tuesday Club repaired the door of the Singer Link cockpit simulator, which was once used for pilot training at Malmi Airport. The hard plastic door of the simulator had become brittle and had partially broken into pieces. We repaired the door by filling and patching the damaged sections back into place. The repaired areas were painted with a grey primer, and they will later be painted with Singer Link’s characteristic turquoise matt paint. The dull plexiglass window in the door was polished clear using car headlight lens polish. The plexiglass is now almost fully clear, but polishing will be continued.
MiG 21 BIS cockpit simulator The cockpit section of the MiG 21 (MG-111), owned by Aviation Museum Society Finland, is being converted into a simulator. The Tuesday Club has removed metal brackets from the cockpit walls to make room for the simulator equipment to be installed on the walls.
Roadside guide signs for the Caravelle III We made two guiding roadside signs for the restored Caravelle III OH-LEA “Bluebird”, located at Turku airport. The signs were made from 3 mm thick aluminium sheet. The guide signs were designed and painted to match the appearance of official attraction signs, complete with St John’s arms emblems.
Cooperation with the Finnish Aviation Museum In 2025 regular collaboration meetings were arranged with the Finnish Aviation Museum staff. Members of the Tuesday Club participated in preparatory tasks at the museum, related to the museum’s future relocation. Among other things, we have cleaned aircraft engines which are on display in the museum.
Photos: Lassi Karivalo |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club |
Repairing the Singer Link cockpit operations simulator doorMaanantai 29.12.2025 - Tuesday Club member At the Tuesday Club, our focus has been on repairing the door of the Singer Link flight simulator. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a cockpit operations simulator, since these old Link Trainers or Singer Links cannot really be compared to modern flight simulators. This Singer Link cockpit simulator is of the same lineage as the famous Link Trainers. The history of Link Trainers dates back to the late 1920s, when the Link Company began developing and manufacturing simulators. Link Trainer simulators were wooden constructions with wings made either of plywood or, like actual aircraft wings, covered with fabric. After going through various changes of ownership, the Link Company eventually became part of the Singer Company in 1968. After that, the simulators were renamed Singer Links.
The Singer Link door being repaired at the Tuesday Club comes from a cockpit simulator that was used for pilot training at Malmi Airport and has since been removed from use. The Singer Link was used at Malmi in the 1970s and 1980s. This particular Singer Link device is made of hard plastic. Over the decades, the hard plastic interior surface of the door has become brittle and has started to break into pieces. Our task was to repair the cracked interior surface of the door and to polish the cloudy plexiglass window in the door.
We unscrewed the aluminium plate covering the inside surface of the door. Underneath, we found that the hard plastic interior of the door, including the lower edge of the window, was almost completely shattered. At first, we thought about gluing together the cracked pieces in the middle area of the door’s inner surface, but they turned out to be so fragile that we abandoned the idea. Instead, we decided to remove the brittle hard plastic pieces from the middle area of the door’s inner surface, since this area is completely covered by the aluminium plate. Only the damaged areas visible outside the aluminium plate would be patched. For this, we chose to use two-component Souda Metal Plastik Standard polyester filler.
We mixed the two-component filler according to the instructions to achieve a uniform consistency. We joined and filled the broken pieces in place with the filler and used it to patch all the visible gaps. Once the polyester filler had dried, the filled areas were sanded smooth in preparation for painting. The rough sanding was done with a chisel blade, and the finish was smoothed with sandpaper.
The repaired and smoothly filled areas were primed with light grey Isotrol paint. The intention is to paint the repaired spots later with the turquoise colour of the Singer Link’s hard plastic.
There were apparently dried adhesive residues left by masking tape on the outer surface of the door frame. These glue residues were removed using xylene as a solvent. Since the plexiglass window in the door had become cloudy, it was decided—rather than replacing the plexiglass—to try and clean and polish it until clear.
For polishing, we purchased Headlight Lens Repair & Reviver polish, intended for cleaning car headlight lenses. We used the polishing pads supplied with the polish, as well as a soft fabric buffing wheel attached to a screwdriver. After the polishing, the plexiglass was reasonably transparent and shiny. Some cloudy areas still remained. Polishing will continue after the Tuesday Club’s Christmas break in January, possibly by trying a different plexiglass polish. Photos: Lassi Karivalo |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Singer Link |
Hubcaps for the Snoopy's (OH-XEA) wheelsLauantai 27.12.2025 - Tuesday Club member The original aircraft undercarriage wheels of Snoopy (OH-XEA “Ressu”) have not survived. The undercarriage was fitted with new wheels and it turned out that the wheels of a ride-on lawnmower were a perfect fit for the axle. By coincidence, their tyres were also the same size (15 x 6.00 – 6) as those commonly used on light aircraft. The undercarriage wheels originally fitted to the Snoopy had metal hubcaps that curved outwards, or bulged. We decided to make similar hubcaps for the wheels we are using. Thus, we needed hubcaps with a diameter of 15 cm to fit the rim. We considered various options for manufacturing them, even as far as spinning them on a lathe.
Sometimes luck lends a hand, and that’s exactly what happened here. The solution was found in the kitchen. It turned out that the lids of small stainless-steel saucepans are generally 15 cm in diameter – exactly the size of the wheel rim on the Snoopy’s undercarriage. Such steel saucepan lids were found at a flea market for 1,05 euros each. However, some modification was necessary: the knob in the centre of the saucepan lid had to be removed, and 10 mm had to be cut off the stepped edge so that the lid would fit neatly against the rim.
All that remained was to design a system for fastening the lid to the rim. We drew various alternative solutions on the paper covering the workbench. We ended up on choosing a fairly simple model and made a drawing of it. A bracket shaped like a capital 'A' with flat ends, made from sheet metal, would be fastened to the rim and reach over the end of the axle. The bracket would be secured to the rim at both ends of the 'A' using small bolts. An 8 mm bolt, inserted from underneath, would be fitted at the tip of the bracket. This bolt would protrude about half a centimetre through a hole drilled in the centre of the hubcap, allowing a nut to be tightened onto the end of the bolt.
To make the brackets, 20 mm wide strips of sheet metal were cut and bent into the A-shape according to the drawing. A hole for the 8 mm bolt was drilled at the tip of the bracket, and holes for 5 mm bolts were drilled in the legs.
The bracket was fitted inside the rim, and the positions for the bracket bolts were marked on the rim. The holes were drilled in the rim using a pillar drill. Now the hubcap bracket could be fastened at both legs to the rim. An 8 mm bolt was pushed through the hole at the tip of the bracket and tightened in place with a nyloc nut.
The hubcap was now ready to be fitted. The wheel was put back onto the undercarriage axle. The hubcap was pressed against the rim so that the bracket’s tip bolt protruded about half a centimetre through the hole in the centre of the hubcap. All that remained was to screw the nut onto the end of the bolt, and the Snoopy’s undercarriage wheel hubcap was complete. The hubcap will be painted bluish grey when the fuselage covering is painted. Photos: Lassi Karivalo Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Hietanen HEA-23b, OH-XEA, Ressu |
Installing the Snoopy's (OH-XEA) roof windowMaanantai 22.12.2025 - Tuesday Club member There was a plexiglass roof window above the seat in the Snoopy’s cockpit. That window has not survived. From the existing photographs and the material list we know that the window was made from green acrylic sheet. The photos also show that the acrylic in the roof window had already cracked. Acrylic is, in fact, prone to cracking or splintering when it is sawn to shape. The cockpit roof window was attached with small bolts to the brackets welded onto the roof frame tubes. Two of these brackets are missing, having come off at some point. Differing from the Snoopy’s original roof window, we decided to make the new roof window out of polycarbonate sheet, which is easier to work with. However, thin and transparent green polycarbonate sheet was not available. Therefore our approach is to make the roof window from 2 mm thick polycarbonate sheet and add a transparent green film to its surface. We began constructing the roof window by making a cardboard template. We measured the size of the window and cut a piece of cardboard accordingly. We then fitted the cardboard into the roof window opening, trimming it to its final shape. Using this cardboard template, we purchased from Etra a piece cut from 2 mm thick polycarbonate sheet. We fitted the polycarbonate sheet into place. There is something unusual about it, as the frame has mounting brackets for the roof window sheet on only three sides. There are no brackets on the cross tube beneath the front edge of the roof window. We have no information on how the window sheet was originally fastened at its front edge to the cockpit roof cross tube. However, photographs taken of the Snoopy show that at this cross tube, the roof window and the windscreen meet. Presumably, at the cross tube, the rear edge of the windscreen rests on top of the front edge of the roof window. This way, the airflow passes over the roof window sheet and cannot enter the cockpit. What kind of joint there was between the roof window and the windscreen, is not clear from the photographs taken of the Snoopy. The photos do show, however, that this joint is covered by some sort of trim strip. How it was fastened is unclear, as there are no indications of it on the cockpit roof frame tube. However, the connection between the front edge of the roof window and the rear edge of the windscreen will need to be resolved at the latest when we bend the windscreen, made from polycarbonate sheet, into shape and fix it into place.
We continued fitting the 2 mm thick window sheet into place so that the edges of the sheet lined up with the rows of mounting brackets. Next, the holes in the brackets were marked onto the plexi sheet by shining a light underneath it. This way, the bracket and the hole for the mounting screw were clearly reflected onto the surface of the plexi sheet and could be marked with a marker pen. Once all the holes were marked, holes for the mounting screws were drilled at the marked locations. In fact, these are small mounting bolts with nuts.
We wondered how well the 2 mm thick polycarbonate sheet would bend to match the curved profile of the roof window. We first fastened the sheet to the brackets at its rear edge. Then, the sides of the plexi sheet were fastened bracket by bracket. We were pleased to discover that the 2 mm thick polycarbonate sheet bent surprisingly well to match the shape of the cockpit roof.
It was noted that the left edge of the plexi sheet protruded about half a centimetre beyond the line of the frame tube. Obviously, the sheet had been fixed slightly further to the left than intended. So a line was drawn on the plexi sheet to indicate the excess, and the extra material was removed using a fine-toothed bandsaw. After this, the sheet was put back into place.
It was still necessary to solve how to proceed with the two missing mounting brackets in the cockpit roof structure. The solution chosen was to fasten two small perforated angle brackets at the positions where the brackets were missing from the cross tube of the roof. The positions of the holes in these brackets were then marked onto the sheet. Once the holes had been drilled, the two mounting bolts could be put in place.
The front edge of the sheet has not yet been fastened to the cross-frame tube beneath it, as the method of attachment has not yet been decided. For the time being, the front edge of the roof window sheet is held in place on the frame tube with small clamps.
The roof window plexi sheet for the Snoopy is now in place. Protective film still covers both sides of the sheet. These will be removed when the roof window is eventually fastened into place after the restoration of Ressu has been completed. Before that, a thin transparent green film must be found to be glued onto the surface of the roof window sheet. Photos: Lassi Karivalo Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Hietanen HEA-23b, OH-XEA, Ressu |
Cleaning Bristol Blenheim BL-106 rudder pedals for paintingKeskiviikko 10.12.2025 - Tuesday Club member https://www.ilmailumuseoyhdistys.fi/blogi/2025/12/10/49878Once the pilot's seat of the Bristol Blenheim BL-106 had been restored, we continued our work on the rudder pedals. The pedals themselves are not broken; but they are heavily soiled and the aluminium parts already display corrosion-induced pitting. The steel parts of the controls are covered in rust.
This time, we began the restoration by investigating how the rudder pedals had originally been surface-treated. It seemed that the aluminium parts of the pedals were simply bare aluminium. Their surface was distinctly greenish yellow. There were also traces of grey paint found on the surface of some parts.
We consulted the Finnish Air Force Museum about the colour of this aluminium. It turned out that the aluminium parts of the rudder pedals were zinc chromated. At the same time, we asked if it was possible to determine from the serial number (50966/1), stamped on the surface, whether the pedals were manufactured in England or Finland. The serial number revealed that these pedals were made by the Finnish State Aircraft Factory (Valtion lentokonetehdas). After the serial number, there was also a small VL logo.
The interior surfaces, seats, and controls of the cockpits of Blenheim bombers, manufactured or overhauled in Finland, were painted with VL’s standard grey paint in the RAL 7005 shade. Thus, the remnants of grey paint found on the rudder pedals of the BL-106 confirmed that the same practice had been applied to this particular aircraft. However, most of the original surface paint had already worn away.
We will paint the rudder pedals with Isoguard Pansar paint for metal surfaces, in the RAL 7005 grey shade. This paint is alkyd and linseed oil based. Before applying the grey topcoat, the steel parts of the rudder pedals will be treated with clear Isotrol lacquer. The aluminium parts will be painted directly with Isoguard Pansar paint. This was also the method we used when restoring the pilot’s seat. We began cleaning the rudder pedals of dirt, rust, and grease. The rusted steel components were mainly cleaned by mechanically grinding their corroded surfaces until they were clean. When cleaning the dirty surfaces of the aluminium parts, we first tried both Sinol and white spirit, but these were ineffective. We had to find a more suitable solvent.
We proceeded to use both Solmaster Painter's Solvent and CRC Brakleen Pro brake part cleaner. We applied these products to the various components, spreading the solvent onto the surface and into crevices with a brush. The solution was left to work for a while. After that, the surfaces were scrubbed using both soft brass and plastic brushes, and for tight gaps, even toothbrushes. A steel brush was not used, as it would have damaged the zinc chromated surface of the rudder pedals. After scrubbing, we wiped the surfaces with a cloth. The solvents proved effective at removing the sticky grease and dirt, although the treatment had to be repeated several times.
A small steam cleaner was also put into use. The surfaces were treated again with the solvents mentioned earlier and then "blasted" with the steam cleaner. The steam cleaner was very effective at removing grease and dirt, but it was not sufficiently effective against oxidised areas. After each steam cleaning, the part was wiped clean with a cloth. By repeating this method, the surfaces gradually became cleaner, as each time more dirt and remnants of old paint were removed. After using the solvents and the steam cleaner, patches of wear caused by corrosion remained on the surface of the rudder pedals. The corrosion had already broken through the zinc chromated surface of the aluminium components, leaving them mottled. These worn areas were rough to the touch. We considered whether to leave them as they were or to sand them smoother.
Photo: Jouni Ripatti We decided to sand them so that the corroded spots would be as inconspicuous as possible beneath the new painted surface. The corrosion patches were sanded with a scouring pad, which worked well. The more severely corroded spots had become so rough that they were carefully “carved” smooth with a thin-bladed utility knife. In this way, the corroded areas were made sufficiently smooth for painting. The rudder pedals of BL-106, mottled by corrosion, were now ready for painting. Photos: Lassi Karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Bristol Blenheim |
Unfastening of the OH-XTM Super Chug propeller and fitting a new oneSunnuntai 7.12.2025 - Tuesday Club member The propeller of the OH-XTM Super Chug (in Finnish Super Sytky), which was damaged in a landing accident and donated to Aviation Museum Society Finland, broke in the crash. A replacement in good condition is required. The wooden propeller on OH-XTM was manufactured in the United States and bears a manufacturing plaque reading “MARFA HEGY TEXAS.” The propeller is stamped with the dimensions 54x44, indicating its diameter and pitch. It is also stamped with the numbers 6-81, which presumably refer to the month and year of manufacture.
Fortunately, we were donated a suitable propeller for the OH-XTM Super Chug’s VW 1600 engine. Antti Laukkanen, restoration manager at the Finnish Aviation Museum, decided to part with a propeller he had for the benefit of our Super Chug’s engine. This propeller was manufactured by E. Pankkonen in the 1970s. Pankkonen produced propellers under official permit, including those for the Fournier RF-5 “Tuulia” aircraft. These were much needed in the 1970s: according to the 1975 damage summary in the Finnish Ilmailu (= Aviation) magazine, the Tuulia in Turku was already using its eleventh propeller in its history!
We were eager to test whether the bolt holes of the donated propeller would fit the propeller hub of the OH-XTM engine. For this reason, the original but damaged propeller, which was still attached to the Super Chug’s VW 1600 engine, needed to be removed.
The disassembly began with the propeller hub cover, i.e. the spinner. Once the numerous crosshead screws at the rear edge of the spinner were removed, the spinner could be pulled off with a bit of prying.
Now the broken propeller could be detached. The propeller hub bolts came loose easily, allowing both the bolts and the propeller's mounting flange to be removed. There was some speculation as to how tightly the propeller would still be stuck to the mating parts of the mounting bolts. However, after tapping the propeller lightly with a rubber mallet, it came off easily.
With the propeller removed, the mounting ring for the spinner’s screws underneath could also be taken off, leaving only the hub with the propeller mounting bolt mating sleeves (threaded inserts) attached. During the disassembly, all screws, bolts and washers were labelled and placed in a plastic bag to await the completion of the Super Chug’s restoration and the installation of the new propeller on the VW 1600 engine.
Once the broken propeller had been removed and the hub was free, the donated propeller was test-fitted to the Super Chug’s engine. The propeller bolt holes in the donated propeller matched perfectly with the threaded inserts in the hub. The new propeller’s holes were, however, slightly smaller in diameter than the mounting bolts. This means that when the propeller is eventually installed on the OH-XTM Super Chug’s engine, its bolt holes will need to be slightly enlarged. Photos: Lassi Karivalo Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Hietanen HEA-23b, OH-XEA, Ressu |
Cleaning and painting the Snoopy?s Continental A 65 engineTiistai 2.12.2025 Ressu, i.e. Snoopy (OH-XEA) was originally equipped with a Continental A 65 engine. However, the original engine has not survived. Nevertheless, we managed to obtain a similar type of engine, from a crashed aircraft, to install in the Snoopy. Although this engine is damaged and unfit for use, it suits our purposes. We are restoring the engine to look like an operational one and supplementing it with missing parts so that it can be mounted on Snoopy’s nose.
All parts still attached to the engine, except for the cylinders, were disassembled. We were unable to detach the cylinders as the pistons were completely seized inside them. The detached parts were cleaned using various methods, including the engine block and its cylinders. For the cylinders, we decided that to paint them properly, including the cooling fins, they would have to be thoroughly cleaned before painting. Therefore, we opted to take the Continental engine block, with the cylinders still attached, for glass bead blasting at Taximo Oy in Tattarisuo, Helsinki.
Photo: Juha Veijalainen
Before sending the engine to be glass bead blasted, it was plugged up to prevent the blasting media from getting inside the engine, even though this engine will never run again. The open intake and exhaust ports were covered with thin aluminium plates. A similar protective cover was made from thin aluminium for the opening left by the removed timing gear cover, to stop blasting material from entering. This was done by placing the removed timing cover on a sheet of aluminium, tracing its shape, and cutting out a piece to match, with holes drilled in the edges for fixing pins.
We mounted the Continental engine onto an engine stand so that it could be rotated easily, much like a spit roast. To install the timing gear cover, the engine had to be removed from the stand. This was done with an engine hoist. Once the protective cover was attached, the engine was returned to its stand. It was deliberately taken for blasting while still mounted, as this made it much easier to rotate during the cleaning process. Our Continental A 65 engine was now ready for glass bead blasting.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola The engine was transported from Puusepäntie to Tattarisuo in a passenger car, where the engine and its stand could be loaded, pulling it in with a cargo strap. A week later, the engine was collected from blasting and, still on the stand, was taken to the Finnish Aviation Museum for painting the cylinders. This was because the museum has a spray-painting tent, which we don’t have at the Puusepäntie workshop. Black and white photographs of the Snoopy show that the engine’s cylinders and valve covers were painted black, while the block was left in aluminium. We followed this original approach as well.
Photo: Juha Veijalainen
Photo: Reijo Siirtola Before painting the cylinders, the block was protected with plastic. The cylinders to be painted were brushed and washed with Sinol to remove any dust left from the blasting. The spark plugs were then removed, and the edges of the plug holes were greased with Vaseline, as they were to be left unpainted. The engine was then taken to the painting tent in the museum’s yard. The cylinders were spray-painted with semi-gloss black Isoguard Pansar paint. Surprisingly, a large amount of paint was required, as the cylinders and their cooling fins had a lot of surface area to cover. The cylinders and cooling fins were painted twice to ensure the spaces between the fins were thoroughly coated.
Photos: Reijo Siirtola
After painting, the Continental engine was transported by car back to the workshop in Puusepäntie. There, the engine block was wiped down with Sinol, after which a clear Isotrol varnish was brushed onto the block’s surface to protect the aluminium from oxidation. Now the Snoopy’s Continental A 65 engine block and cylinders were cleaned and painted. The transformation from the engine’s original condition was remarkable. Photos: Lassi Karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Hietanen HEA-23b, OH-XEA, Ressu |
Painting of the Bristol Blenheim bomber pilot's seatKeskiviikko 26.11.2025 - Tuesday Club member The pilot’s seat of the Bristol Blenheim bomber, which was assembled for the Finnish Air Force after the war and designated BL-106, has been under restoration at the Tuesday Club. This aircraft, which received the BL-106 designation, was assembled in the early 1950s from stored parts of various Blenheim individuals as a V-series aircraft. There is scarcely a single part in this aircraft from the original British-manufactured BL-106, which was flown to Finland in December 1937. The original BL-106 overturned in a forced landing on 8 June 1944 and was damaged beyond repair.
Photo: SA-kuva The restoration of the seat from BL-106, which was assembled after the war, reached the painting phase in early autumn. In preparation for painting, we examined what kind of paint residues could be found on the seat as we cleaned the rusted or otherwise oxidised surfaces of both the seat pan and the seat frame.
After examining the surfaces, we concluded at first that the seat frame’s steel parts had been painted black. However, upon closer inspection, it became apparent that on top of the black paint there had been a layer of grey paint. This was confirmed when brackets, or clamps, were removed from the steel tubes of the seat frame, revealing grey paint underneath. Scraping the grey paint with a fingernail exposed black paint beneath the grey layer. Based on these findings, the decision was made to paint the seat grey.
The same paint was more clearly visible on the surface of the aluminium seat pan, although several different shades of grey and greenish-grey paint could be seen there. It was established that the topmost layer had been grey paint. In addition, a speck of red paint was found at the end of the handle that adjusts the tilt angle of the seat pan.
Bright green paint was also found on the aluminium parts of the control column which is attached to the seat frame. This green paint is a primer, which was used by the State Aircraft Factory. During overhauls at the State Aircraft Factory also the cockpits of Blenheims built in Britain were painted with grey paint in accordance with the VL’s standard, using shade RAL 7005. In the same way, we will paint the pilot’s seat of BL-106. It should be noted that the cockpits of the British-manufactured Blenheim aircraft purchased by Finland were painted with the aircraft grey green shade used by the Royal Air Force (RAF Aircraft Grey Green BS381c-283). Before painting the seat with grey paint, the steel tube frame, which had been cleaned of rust, as well as the steel parts of the aluminium seat pan, were treated with Isotrol lacquer, which is a primer that offers excellent protection against rust. In contrast, the aluminium parts do not require protective lacquer but are painted directly with Isoguard Pansar topcoat paint, which is specifically designed for metal surfaces, using shade grey (RAL 7005).
The seat frame was first treated with Isotrol lacquer. After that, the topcoat painting with Isoguard Pansar paint began with the seat pan. The inside surface of the seat pan was painted first, using brushes. Isoguard Pansar paint has the advantageous property of levelling out very well even when applied with a brush. Once the inside surface of the seat pan had dried, the outer surface was painted. After this, the seat frame was painted.
Once both the seat frame and the seat pan had been painted, the seat frame and the pan were joined together. The pan and the frame are connected to each other by a horizontal connecting tube, resembling a large cotter pin. It consists of two tubes that are pushed against each other and a locking bushing which is slid over their butt joint. On both sides of the seat frame and of the the seat pan, there is an opening aligned for this steel tube. The ends of the connecting tube are pushed through these openings from both sides of the seat, towards each other. Once the ends of the tubes meet, the locking bushing, which is fitted onto one of the tubes, is slid over the butt joint to secure the connection and make it rigid. In this way, the seat frame and the seat pan were joined together. The connecting tube also serves as the axis that enables the adjustment of the seat pan’s tilt angle. The seat itself has its own separate mechanism for adjusting the angle.
Getting the connecting tube with its three parts into place proved to be a challenge. It took some time before the locking bushing, which secures the ends of the tubes, could be locked in place with the bolts running through the connecting tube. We had to enlarge the holes for the connecting bolts using a thin round file before we could push the bolts through the connecting tube. It was also tricky to get the bolts that prevent the connecting tube from moving sideways into place and to tighten the nuts onto their ends.
The restoration of the pilot’s seat for the Blenheim BL-106 has now been completed. Or, in fact, there is still one more task to be done. The leather surface of the grip padding on the right side of the seat is badly worn and partially torn. We are considering whether to restore or conserve this worn seat padding. We are leaning towards conservation, and for this we need an expert, since there is not enough expertise for this in the Tuesday Club. Photos: Lassi Karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Erja Reinikainen |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Bristol Blenheim |
The repairs on the Super Chug fuselage under wayKeskiviikko 19.11.2025 - Tuesday Club member The repairs on the Super Chug OH-XTM, which was involved in a serious landing accident, have started. The first target will be the damaged fuselage of the aircraft. The lower part has been damaged between the rear section of the cockpit area and the firewall. The firewall is the rear section of the nose part, covered with a metal plate on the outer surface for fire protection. The lower part of the fuselage has been completely destroyed to the floor level, and the covering plywood on both sides is partly tattered halfway up the fuselage. The rear fuselage remained intact in the crash.
The fuselage between the cockpit and the firewall of the OH-XTM was laid ”inverted” to facilitate repairs. To start the repairs on the wooden fuselage, which had been stripped of the engine, the front section of the fuselage was emptied of all the wires and gadgets. First the fuel tank, which filled the front section of the fuselage, had to be removed to gain access to the wires and tubes leading from the cockpit to the engine bay. The fuel tank fastening straps were opened, after which the tank was lifted out of the front section of the fuselage. The tank straps were left in place for the time being.
After the fuel tank had been removed, the wires and cables going through the firewall from the cockpit to the engine bay were detached from their holders and the wires were pulled through the firewall. To completely empty the front section of the fuselage, we had to detach the rudder pedals, which were attached to the broken front fuselage former, and the wires leading from the pedals to the rudder.
Photo: Jouni Ripatti
When the aircraft hit the ground, the firewall was mostly torn loose from its fuselage joint and simultaneously it was damaged at the edges. It had to be taken out for repairs. The firewall and fuselage joint seam was sawn open, using a multi-tool saw blade, to cut loose the part that was still hanging to the fuselage. Thus the firewall could be detached from the fuselage for repairs and the space between the cockpit and firewall opened, apart from the fuel tank straps.
Photoa: Ari Aho
As to the fuselage side damaged covering plywood sheets, it was established that the repairing would be better done by covering anew the side areas with plywood. Thus the damaged areas of plywood were sawn off with the saw blade of the multi-tool. The plywood was sawn along the fuselage stringers so that about 10 mm of plywood was left outside the edge as a rabbet for the future butt joint. A 20 mm high wooden batten will be glued on the fuselage stringer as a support for the butt joint where the edges of the old and new plywood join. Photos: Lassi Karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned ranslation to English: Matti Liuskallio |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, PIK-21, Super-Sytky, OH-XTM |
The OH-XEA Snoopy fuselage coveringLauantai 8.11.2025 - Tuesday Club member Before the Tuesday Club’s summer break, we had attached the covering fabrics on the Snoopy’s fuselage upper and lower surfaces and on both sides of the cockpit. We couldn’t have covered more at the time because we had run out of the covering fabric we used. However, we had time to start the tightening lacquering on the fuselage upper and lower covering.
The covering of the Snoopy’s sides was started by making a cardboard template of the sides. According to them, pieces of fabric were cut off for the covering of the sides. The pieces of fabric, cut to form, were attached to the frame of the fuselage with contact glue. The fabric was first glued from its upper edge to the frame tube of the fuselage. After this the fabric was glued from its lower edge to the frame tube, stretching it from the hem at the same time. This way the fabric was made tentatively tight to wait for the water tightening and the subsequent tightening with nitrocellulose lacquer.
Photos: Lassi Karivalo Translation to English: Matti Liuskallio |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Hietanen HEA-23b, OH-XEA, "Ressu" |
OH-XTM Super Chug fuselage ready for repairsLauantai 18.10.2025 - Tuesday Club member After the Super Chug fuselage had been moved to the Puusepäntie workhop, the preparations to restore the damaged fuselage began. The first task was to detach the engine from the fuselage, because handling the damaged fuselage with the heavy engine in place would be nearly impossible.
Photo: Matti Kainulainen So we started to detach the Super Chug’s VW 1600 engine from the fuselage together with the engine mounting. In doing so we’ll avoid detaching the wires, tubes and engine equipment within the engine mounting frame.
Photo: Jouni Ripatti The engine mounting was attached to the fuselage with five bolts. We tried to open the nuts of the bolts that penetrated the firewall. The bolts, however, turned simultaneously when the nuts were turned. Somehow, we had to gain access to the bolt heads behind the firewall. If the nose of the aircraft were intact, gaining access to the bolts would be almost impossible, because the bolts were situated behind the fuel tank between the cockpit and the firewall. Now, however, the nose of the aircraft was torn because of the crash, so we could reach the bolts and unscrew the nuts.
Photo: Ari Aho
Photo: Antti Hietala At the same time all the wires and cables, connecting the engine through the firewall, were detached. Part of them could be easily detached, but others fought us all the way. When the engine oil had been drained, we were ready to detach the engine.
Photos: Antti Hietala
Photo: Ari Aho The engine was tied with cargo straps to an engine hoist, and the engine was pulled gingerly out of the nose of the Super Chug, hanging from the straps with the engine mounting. The detached engine was lowered on straps to a solid worktop to wait for further action.
The fuselage without the engine was still resting attached to a support frame made of pieces of four by two. Now the fuselage could be detached from the frame. The straps and other devices were opened, and the fuselage was carefully lifted from the supporting frame on to the table. We were a little apprehensive to lift the fuselage, nearly broken in half, but it held on well.
Because the fuselage of the OH-XTM has been damaged in the lower part between the cockpit and the firewall, it would be the most convenient, if the fuselage were to be on its back. So it was decided to place the fuselage on its back on two trestles, to facilitate the restoration work. One trestle would be by the cockpit opening and the other would support the rear fuselage at the stem of the vertical stabilizer.
We pondered what the suitable working height would be to restore the fuselage. It was decided to be 120 cm from the floor level. We adjusted the legs of the trestle by the cockpit so that the Super Chug’s fuselage top line, or in this case the damaged bottom line, would be at the height of 120 cm. The rear fuselage trestle had to be built.
It was built from the dismantled four by two pieces of wood of the Super Chug’s supporting frame. It resembled a normal wing trestle, only it was narrower. The level of the trestle was adjusted with a piece of fire hose used as strap, so that the whole of the fuselage was level and 120 cm from the floor.
After finishing the rear fuselage support trestle, the fuselage of the Super Chug was lifted upside down on the trestles. Thus the fuselage of the OH-XTM is ready for the restoration work. Photos: Lassi Karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Matti Liuskallio |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, PIK-21, Super-Sytky, OH-XTM |
Restoration of the Bristol Blenheim pilot's seat under wayMaanantai 8.9.2025 - Tuesday Club member Last year we finished the restoration of the co-pilot’s stool from a V-series (BL-106) Bristol Blenheim bomber. Our object was a short-nosed Blenheim, assembled after the war from surplus parts in the 1950’s, having dual controls for training purposes. Beside the pilot’s seat there was a stool-like seat for the copilot. The controls in front of the seat were connected with rods to the captain’s controls. Mind you, that this series V-Blenheim aircraft (BL-106), assembled after the war, has in fact nothing in common with the UK-built war horse (BL-106), which was destroyed in a crash landing on 8.6.1944.
After restoring the copilot’s stool we moved our sights on the pilot’s seat. Restoring is all about cleaning the seat frame, basically a steel tube construction, from dirt, grease and rust. For the part of the seat pan, it meant cleaning the surfaces and sanding before painting. Note that the seat had no back armour. As the first task we detached the leather-covered padding of the seat armrest to be conserved. After that we started the cleaning of the pilot’s seat. Soon we realized that cleaning would be more efficient and easier, if we could separate the aluminium seat pan and the seat frame.
Separating the seat pan and the seat frame necessitated the removing of the steel cross tube, rather like a big split pin, joining them. The cross tube consists of two tubes, joined by a butt joint, and a sleeve around the seam. We finally managed to slide the rusted sleeve from the seam and thus separate the tubes. We stripped the seat frame of all the parts that we could and detached the numerous rusty clips and other fasteners from the frame to be cleaned.
Some of the parts of the pilot’s seat were merely dirty and grimy, so to clean them for instance Fairy Power Spray was used. It removed the grease and dirt reasonably well from the surface of the parts.
The badly rusted tubes of the seat frame were cleaned by using abrasive pads, sanding papers and a steel wire brush attached to a cordless drill. For small parts, like nuts, a steel wire brush attached to a Dremel was used. The small items we detached from the frame were cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner, which we had obtained.
When rust from the surface of the rusty tubes was removed, in places black paint was revealed. Based on that we concluded that the seat frame of steel tube structure had last been painted black. The cleaning of the tub-like aluminium part of the seat pan, made it apparent that the aluminium surface had been primed with grey primer and finished with greyish green surface coat of paint. The surface paint responds in shade to the greyish green Temalac ML 90 BS 283-shade we had already used in restoring the co-pilot’s seat. As primer we’re going to use Isotrol-lacquer and as surface paint Isoquard Panzer paint. The black paint will be the semigloss Isoquard Panzer paint.
We’ve more or less completed the cleaning the pilot’s seat from rust and grime, so the next phase will be the painting of the seat. Photos: Lassi Karivalo Translation to English: Matti Liuskallio |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club, Bristol Blenheim |
Tuesday Club's autumn season at full swingKeskiviikko 3.9.2025 - Tuesday Club member The autumn season, which started halfway through August for the Tuesday Club, has got on a good start. There’s plenty of work to do. Naturally the Snoopy’s (OH-XEA “Ressu”) restoration will continue with the covering of the fuselage as the main object. The fabric is in place on the fuselage, and the tightening lacquer is being applied. The damaged Continental A 65 engine, which we received to be installed to the Snoopy, is being prepared to be cleaned by glass bead blasting.
With the restoration of the Bristol Blenheim bomber pilot’s seat, we’ll carry on from where we got before the summer break. The seat frame and seat pan surfaces are close to being ready for painting.
The Demo-Myrsky is under construction both at Puusepäntie and at the Finnish Aviation Museum. The Demo-Myrsky consists of the Myrsky MY-14 test wing, built during the restoration project of the MY-14, and the MY-5 fuselage frame. With the aid of the Demo -Myrsky, the inside structure of a mixed construction Finnish fighter will be demonstrated. That’s why, for instance, the fuselage frame won’t be fully covered. At the Puusepäntie workshop the repairs on the horizontal stabilizer, rudder and the damaged original elevator are under way. At the Museum the refurbishing and completion of the MY-5 fuselage frame are being worked on.
We’ve had our work cut out with the two sea containers, bought by Aviation Museum Society Finland, and brought at the yard of the Puusepäntie yard. One of the containers will become a working space for fire work and the other one will serve as a storage container. Both the containers have long since seen their heyday, so they will be refurbished on the outside. Holes in the containers will be patched, and the surfaces will be sanded. The outsides will be painted with the blue colour used by the Aviation Museum Society. One already is of a pretty blue colour.
Photo: Reijo Siirtola We’ll start with the fuselage the restoration of the PIK 21 Super Chug (OH-XTM), which was donated to Aviation Museum Society. The fuselage was brought from a storage container at the yard of the Finnish Aviation Museum to Puusepäntie. The engine will be detached from the fuselage before we can commence the restoration of the lower part of the badly damaged and plywood-covered fuselage.
The job list for the autumn season also contains the refurbishment and repairs to the ailerons of the DC-3 “the Seagull” (OH-LCD) situated at the yard of the Finnish Aviation Museum. Both the ailerons’ coverings need renewing and the stem of the right-hand aileron is damaged. The Air Veteran lot will detach the ailerons for us to restore. Photos: Lassi Karivalo, unless otherwise mentioned Translation to English: Matti Liuskallio |
|
Avainsanat: aviation history, restoration, Tuesday Club |
Ilmailumuseot.fi - Aviationmuseums.fi
