THE SHORT SE5 PROJECT
I think the project was the idea of an RAE security officer whose name escapes me.
My initial involvement was when Keith Harris and I were told to search the RAE
drawing archives between the years approximately 1905 to 1912 for anything which
said SE5A. However there were lots which were common with the SE5 which didn't make
it any easier. There were thousands of drawings and I wish I had kept examples of some
eird and wonderful designs we came across which had never seen the light of day.
The next time I became involved I was doing my stint in Flights (A Shed), there
under the command of one Peter Jowett an ex apprentice and then an Eng III.
He was also an RAC scrutineer who once gave us trouble at Brands Hatch with Avro's
750 over some change to the Regulations which we had failed to observe).
Peter had a 3 speed Allard in which we toured the country looking at either 150hp or
200hp Hispano Suiza engines, and eventually found what we looking for at a Garage in
Billericay. The engine had been inhibited early in its life and this was probably the
reason why it was considered usable. The first problem we encountered was that we
couldn't dismantle it! However this being the RAE, a boffin was despatched from
Chemistry Dept. to take samples of the gunge and of course they came up with a solvent
on the offending parts. We were supplied with gloves and goggles! If you spilt it on
your skin you had to go to the medical centre. Today you wouldn't be allowed within
yards of the stuff without breathing apparatus.
Peter had had part of A shed fenced off for the construction and two retired RAE
chippies were bought in to do the woodwork.
I left the project well before it was completed but not before I witnessed an
example of the benefits of practise over theory at Peter's expense.
The fuselage is constructed round two 6 inch diameter steel cross tubes with lugs
at each end to which the wings are secured. Peter had a jig set into the floor to
hold the two tubes precisely and the fuselage frames were gradually built fore and
aft from the tubes with plumb bobs at intervals lining up with a centre line on the
floor. When this was complete the cross wires were added ready for tensioning. At
this point a difference of opinion occurred.
The old boys said that it now had to come out of the jig and be supported on
trestles for the tensioning. Peter suggested that this was the whole point of the
jig, and of course he won. After several days of tensioning while maintaining the
alignment with the plumb bobs it was deemed acceptable and permission was given to
take it out of the jig. You can guess what happened, or rather didn't. But of course
we had modern technology, so two aircraft jacks were applied to the lugs and it was
persuaded! Regrettably we now had something which resembled a banana more than a
fuselage and a twisted one at that.
The old boys fell about laughing and somebody went to look for a pair of trestles!
I was invited back to see it fly.
Mike Wilkey February 2006
