Work on the on-going re-build of General Aircraft Monospar VH-UTH at Newark Air Museum continues to extend the knowledge of the volunteers undertaking the work on this rare airframe. Still working without any detailed plans for the ST-12 Monospar much of the most recent work has involved detailed structural items in and around the cockpit / fuselage.

Wherever possible the restoration team has been incorporating original items back into the airframe. In the cockpit the instrument panel has been reinstalled, along with most of the original instruments. Whilst the project was at Innsworth, some of the instruments were ‘quarantined’ and a decision is currently pending to decide whether or not these are refitted. If suitable replacements can be found these may be replaced, if not the originals will be incorporated and access to the cockpit area monitored.

Just aft of the cockpit the fuselage luggage hatch is being carefully rebuilt and this work is incorporating all of the original framework and hinges, which are contoured to the fuselage profile. However it seems likely that a new door will need to be fabricated as the original was damaged beyond repair.

A setback to the project has recently occurred with the enforced retirement of one of the team members, due to family health issues. His dedication and engineering skills will be missed, but his enforced departure will no doubt spur on the team members to continue with this project during the coming months.

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Tags: 2013, Newark Air Museum, News, September