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T-33 Front Instrument Panel


viking73
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Hi Group -

 

I wasn't really looking for another instrument panel until I finished my F-101 panel but I while I was visiting my favorite surplus store yesterday, I happened to spot this on their wall.  I asked them if it was for sale and well, this followed me home!

 

This is the front instrument panel from a T-33.  Unfortunately, there isn't a radio call number on it...  I took this photo in the parking lot of the store on my way out.

 

Looks like I'm on the hunt for more instruments :)

 

-Derek

 

 

 

0hDGOzo.jpg

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Hello Again - 

 

It's only been about a week but I've made some decent progress with my T-33 panel already.  For the most part, the instruments haven't been too expensive or too hard to find.  I have 8 already installed, with 2 more on the way to me (the turn and slip indicator and the attitude indicator).  I also found some correct red and green warning lights.


Now for the not so good.  Four of the holes in my panel had been modified and after studying the documents I have, I am not sure what goes in there... 🙁  Perhaps they were modified for modernized instruments on a T-33 still flying?  Attached is the marked up copy of my original photo showing the four modified cut-outs in question.  I have several flight manuals and a copy of the -4 maintenance manual and none of them have provided any clues.  I am searching the internet in hopes of finding a photo or anything at all, but so far no luck.  If you have any ideas, I'd sure love to hear from you!


Thanks for looking.

 

-Derek

 

 

 

 

PfHSx34.jpg

 

 

 

62Ck6wi.jpg

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Derek,

 I think I figured out the four of them as stock.

Top center--- Radio Compass

Top left--- Course Indicator / ILS deviation

2nd row far right---Fuel Quantity indicator

2nd row far left---Range Indicator

I know this is a stock panel and you probably have this image.I'll keep looking for modified panel images.

Bob

t-33-frontmain-3.jpg

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What a fun project! Looks great already. I am typing this while at work in a hangar but most of the red tagged instruments we have laying around are civilian/GA from the 70s and 80s.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been making some steady progress on this panel.  I've added some more instruments and some of the warning lights.  Still no ideas on the modified cut outs...  I am thinking of maybe having some sheet metal plates made to cover those square holes and then cut them out to the correct sizes for the instruments that are supposed to fit there per the original configuration.  

 

More to come, stay tuned.

 

-Derek

 

 

m5DiH8U.jpg 

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Coming along quickly.  It may have been used in a T-33 that was used in civil warbird life after its service so it had some more updated civi instruments put in to it.  Alot of people change out the panels in warbirds with more GA style stuff vs antique military instruments.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Group,

 

Here's another update on my T-33 panel.

 

I've tracked down all the proper instruments that fit in the unmodified holes.  I've also added the landing gear indicators.  I do still need a few more lights as you can see.

 

The last part of this will be restoring the modified cut outs.  Once I track down the remining 4 missing instruments (I already have 2 of them) I will take this to my buddy's machine shop and see about getting some blanking plates made and then cutting those out to fit the original instruments.  The 3 square ones should be pretty straight forward but I am a bit concerned about the one of the far right where the fuel counter goes since it's such as odd shape.

 

More to come...

 

-Derek

 

 

0NGrKjt.jpg

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