Daves butterfly bomb restoration.

**SG500** · 18th October 2009, 04:58 PM

If anyone has a vague interest in butterfly bombs I recommend you try a full restoration of one from relic parts, it just teaches you so much about these little things.

About a year ago I got several parts for a butterfly bomb that looked like they'd been shot or blow up, they really were in rubbish condition.

A few months on and some more parts were obtained from Phil and Waff and I started work.

Wings are by far the most difficult part to find and restore.
At the risk of boring you folks they are made up of:
2 wings
2 end paddles
4 springs
4 metal rods that hold on the wings and end paddles
6 thick washer type things that fit on where the end of the wings/paddles attach to the bit of metal on top
1 bit of metal on top that all the wings etc. fix onto.
How complicated is that!! A total of 19 different parts plus the 2 bits that are on the end of each of the 2 wings to enable a clip to be attached!!

Back to the restoration. The whole lot got dipped in Halfords de rusting solution, wonderful stuff! Everything has to be degreased first but they it gets it all back to bare metal.

The hinge end of the wings had to be rebuilt because they had been ripped off and would not fix correctly. This was done by cutting some thin metal from a tin can and gluing it on the inside of the wings. LOTS of filler/glue was used for this.

One of the end paddles was completely folded up on itself so it got put in a vice, straightened out and then some filler applied.

Both of the paddles I used had a bit missing out of the edge so this was filled and sanded.

Once sanded etc. paddles and wings were painted with lots of yellow hammerite.

Springs were a big problem that I never did solve entirely. Large paper clips make excellent springs and are easy to form quite accurately, the problem being that they are not very springy..........so the final restored butterfly bomb now has permanently open wings - they will fold but then the springs wouldn't spring back so it wouldn't display well.

The metal rods that hold the wings/paddles/springs in place are nails and the ends are slightly split to hold the wings in place.

The body was easy - sanded plus hammerite with some careful dremmel work to clean out the fuze pocket (it wouldn't accept a fuze at first due to the amount of rust where the fuze turns).

So what I started off with was a pile of relic material.
Having read lots on the forum and had some great help/advice/parts from Waff and Phil I've ended up with something that displays well. Its not perfect but looks OK hanging up in the display......but the most important thing for me was what I learnt about them, having fiddled about with small springs and things for several months on and off I have quite a good knowledge of how these things work now.

Attached are some photos of how it all started.

Dave.

**SG500** · 18th October 2009, 04:59 PM

It then got taken to bits

**SG500** · 18th October 2009, 05:00 PM

Some of the parts were very rusty so got treated.

**SG500** · 18th October 2009, 05:02 PM

Springs got made and parts painted.

**SG500** · 18th October 2009, 05:05 PM

It all got put together.

**SG500** · 18th October 2009, 05:07 PM

Now its flying.......over part of the collection.

**TimG** · 18th October 2009, 05:19 PM

Dave,

Good result. For spring material try 'piano wire' available from most good aero-model shops. If you can't get any, let me know.

Not going over to the dark-side are you?

Regards

Tim

**waffenamt** · 18th October 2009, 05:20 PM

Another excellent resto-write up!
I see the drouges are eraly manufacture judging by the 'banana' shaped bracket on the paddle.
Believe me my friend,by doing up a unit this way then you will save an awful lot of cash.
Well done,it looks super and should grace any collection.

best

waff

**satan18** · 18th October 2009, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by SG500

It all got put together.

Well Done Dave
From what you had to start with to the finished object is a transformation

Yet another SD2 lives again

Best phil

**SG500** · 18th October 2009, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by TimG

Dave,

Good result. For spring material try 'piano wire' available from most good aero-model shops. If you can't get any, let me know.

Not going over to the dark-side are you?

Regards

Tim

Thanks Tim, I'll try and find some piano wire.
As for going over to the dark side, I've been fairly brutal over the last few months and got rid of most of the stuff in the collection that isn't "shell case" related but do have a real weakness for butterfly bombs so yes I suppose you could say yes some of the time.
Dave.