The year 2020
The year 2020 was a good year for Heinkel 115 the project through which many positive things have happened.
We have for several years had restrictions on the type of work we could do on the plane. During the past year, the Armed Forces Museums have largely been abolished these restrictions.
It formerly Heinkel 115 the steering group has been closed down. As a replacement for this a support group has been established with members from the Friends' Association, as well as two conservators engaged by the Jærmuseet. This solution gives us that working with the aircraft an easy access to a very versatile experience and competence.
It also in over the past year there has been a unanimous understanding that it can be necessary to make some interventions on the center section. This mainly applies to supporting beams, with associated attachments for wings and floats. This has led to it now is working to find solutions for how such work can be completed. Our goal is still to make small interventions and preserve as much as possible much of this section.
It has Throughout the year, work has been done on a number of different sub-projects. I de cases where equipment is completely destroyed, we integrate what may be left of the original equipment in the new one being built.
An example is the work that has now been completed to build a new hydraulic hand pump for flap and opening of bomb hatches etc.. Of the original pump, only handles remained, mechanical transfer to stamps, pistons and end caps. Said parts are built of high-quality materials and had done well down on the fjord bottom. All the pump housing and cylinders, on the other hand, were almost completely corroded. Pump housings and cylinders have now been rebuilt and the pump can now again be used to pump oil. The above mentioned remaining parts have been integrated in the new pump.
It is also throughout the year made a new instrument panel for the cockpit. Although most of the original panel was gone when the plane was lifted, will still the new panel be equipped with original instruments. These are instruments that were found in the aircraft and which has now been preserved and in some cases partially rebuilt.
Through At the same time, we have gained a good overview of the work with the instruments which instruments and other similar equipment have been in the cockpit of the aircraft and nasal section.
Another of the bigger things that have been done through 2020 is the work of rebuilding the system for suspension and transmissions from the rudder and toe pedals. Also here is remaining original parts have been integrated into the new finished product.
It has also become worked hard to preserve original electrical equipment. These are things like circuit breakers, switches, terminal blocks and many other smaller electrical components. The work is a time-consuming work of patience that is now really beginning to show again in form of finished preserved parts. These have either already been reassembled in the plane, or in stock ready for use..
The big and extensive cableway along the port side of the cockpit was also completed early in 2020
The outer the section of one engine stand was completely missing when the plane was lifted in June 2012. This is because one engine was salvaged before the plane sank in December 1942. It the missing section has been rebuilt during the autumn. At the same time, we have what we have of original brackets and other equipment for the motor brackets have been reassembled on the engine jacks.
Photo sharing archive and documentation is a time-consuming task that runs as long as the project ongoing. It is also through 2020 been working a lot on these things.
When the plane was raised in June 2012 a few smaller parts were left at the site. It was last year, several ROV dives were made at the crash site in Hafsfjord. Although the plane was unusually complete sea wreck to be, also missing our plane things that can not be found elsewhere. A new application has therefore been sent to raise He 115 parts from Limingen.