We washed off the transfer needle rollers with petrol.

One of the 518 needle rollers! , being installed onto the transfer gear shafts.

We used elastic bands and grease to hold the needles in place.

Now we fitted the rear sleeve drive gears.

Once the transfer gear is far enough down over the needles , we could then pull out the elastic band and cut it off.

And there you have it. all of the gears on and timed up, a thing of beauty!

Next job was to clean the front timing cover and flat the paint down.

Here we are cleaning out the front oil scavenge pump out.

New “O” ring fitted to front crankcase section.

Pete, one of the proud parents getting ready to fit the front cover.

A quick jiggle of the sleeve drives and it fitted with ease.

Next we fitted the reduction drive gear with left handed lock nut and lock it off.

Oooh its getting bigger!

fitting the rear wrist pin oil control ring after cleaning.

After cleaning and assembling the rear master rod and slave rods we then fitted the rear maniton and bolt, it just needs the bolt stretching by 0.014″ now, that will have to wait until tomorrow wen Dominic is in at work as it’s a three man job.

Now that was a good day at the Office.. I think we have have a beer now..

On a very special day today , seventy years ago four Bristol Hercules Engines in close formation attached to A Halifax of “The Why Worry Crew” of 640 Sqd.

My Dad Pilot Officer A.C. Smart DFC

Navigator                         E.W. Coulson

Wireless Operator      A.V. Walton

Bomb Aimer                   M. Broadbent

Flight Engineer             K.A. Seabourne

Mid Upper Gunner      K. Woolley

Tail Gunner                     J. Norris

They paid a visit to the coastal gun batteries at Maisy next to Omaha beach and the following night popped over to Amiens to help the troops out.

This just spurs us on even harder to get the old girls up and running again.

First job today was to fit the new “O” ring section to the crankcase center section

Plenty of grease on the front crank shaft bearing inner race, this will keep the rollers in place while we fit the front section of crank case.

Getting the front section hoisted into place ready to lower it down onto the center section.

With two crankcase bolts fitted to the center section for guides , we gently lower down the front section.

Dominic popped up from the workshop to see what we were up to and was pleased with the progress.

Pete and myself quite chuffed with a couple of hours work, It must be Beer O’clock!

Next job over the weekend is to refit all of the timing gears and front cover. this will allow us to turn the engine upside down and start and start putting together the rear sections.