Liberator Instrument Panel

One of the biggest obstacles we face in restoring Maid of Athens is the fact that she is an early-war aircraft. It is a sad fact that, generally, the later in the war an aircraft served, the easier it is to find parts and references. And when you are as focused on accuracy as we are, that only makes it that much tougher.

For example, we would like restore the aircraft's instrument panel as soon as possible. However, it is going to be extremely difficult to locate the correct gauges.

We are hoping that those of you who support our work can help us track down these pieces.

The LB.30 predated the Joint Army-Navy Specifications Board of 1942, meaning that its equipment was not bound by AN standards, making them quite rare. Likewise, because they predate the 1944 introduction of fluorescent inks, to be accurate to Maid of Athens, the gauges should glow green under UV/blacklight rather than orange. Still, we have managed to make some progress. These new acquisitions were a the directional gyro, turn and bank, rate-of-climb, artificial horizon, and airspeed indicator. All are accurate to Maid of Athens except the turn-and-bank, whose sole flaw is the fact she glows orange under UV light. Special thanks are due to Max Wenglarz for getting us started on her gauges and Carl Peplow for acting as a UK middleman on the airspeed indicator!

Our progress so far: (Note that, due to the bombardier and navigator positions, we will need multiples of the airspeed indicator and altimeter shown here)

Being early-war, the prints are frustratingly vague at times. The list the following gauges as standard for the LB.30 Liberator II:

8DJ4PXC Flaps & Wheels A-3 Directional Gyro (COMPLETE)

A-5 Turn & Bank (COMPLETE)

A-6 Rate of Climb (COMPLETE)

C-5 Artificial Horizon (COMPLETE)

D-4 Airspeed Indicator (1 of 3 COMPLETE)

IN-4 Radio Compass Repeater (COMPLETE)

Millibar Altimeter (1 of 3 COMPLETE)

The engine gauges were not quite so well defined:

Dual Cylinder Temp x2

Side by Side

Range 0 – 350

Dual Fuel Pressure x2

Prefix 6007

Standard 27865

Range 0 – 25

Dual Manifold Pressure x2

Prefix 6007

Standard 27868

Range 10 – 50

Dual Oil Pressure x2

Prefix 6007

Standard 27866

Range 0 – 200

Dual Oil Temperature x2

Side by Side

Range 0 – 120

Dual Tachometer x2

Prefix 6007

Range 0 – 30

Free Air Temperature

20-L

Range -45 – 45

Again, because these gauges predate the Joint Army-Navy Specifications Board, this also means that the hands on the dual Manifold Pressure, Oil Pressure, Fuel Pressure, and Tachometer all are numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 rather than L and R, like on later heavy bombers.

We have been able to find the following reference pics of the 8DJ4PXC Flaps & Wheels, Dual Cylinder Temp, and Free Air Temperature gauges.

Unfortunately, the only visual aid we have for the others are the instrument panel shots from the manual.

If any of you have success in this little treasure hunt, please let us know!