Dormer Pramet
311
Dormer Pramet
311

Tools donation helps aircraft restoration project

MarketingDormer Pramet on June 13, 2019 at 12:00 PM

A unique project in the Netherlands is helping to restore and build historic aircraft to enable them to fly once more! 

Since it was established in 1975, the Early Birds Foundation in Lelystad has worked on 27 different aircraft, including the famous Gipsy Moth and Mustang, helping to preserve their heritage and flying them in airshows and demonstrations at their working museum.
 
Arie Bogaerds, from the Early Birds Foundation, said: “The foundation was established when a group of friends restored an historic 1910 rotary engine to running condition. After the success of this first engine, more quickly followed. During the last 40 years the collection has grown to 27 historic aircraft and many more engines. All are historically significant to Dutch aviation heritage and by showing the aircraft in the air allows the public to see the progress aviation has made through the years.”

During the late 1990s, the foundation was donated a reasonable sized lathe and milling machine to support their project. This allowed the team to create their own custom parts for various restoration needs. Over the years, it has collected whatever cutting tools they can get their hands-on, even if this meant some unconventional techniques. 

A used indexable milling cutter which had a pocket completely worn away, is one such example. “Despite having only three teeth and cutting irregularly, I loved that cutter,” said Pim Pouw from The Early Birds Foundation. “When we first started machining our own parts for various restorations, the first cutting tools were all HSS. Starting a simple job on the lathe first involved grinding your tool bit with the necessary free run angles. A time-consuming job, especially if you are doing it in your spare time!” 

To allow the project to machine custom parts more professionally, Dormer Pramet has donated a wide assortment of round tools to the Early Birds Foundation. This includes a range of milling cutters, taps and drills to support their general machining, maintenance and repair. 

Pim added: “Fortunately, we now have some more professional cutting tools to use. Simple things like drilling holes, the difference between a simple HSS drill and a split point drill is huge. The donation from Dormer Pramet of their professional tools has helped us tremendously, saving a lot of time in the fabricating of parts for our experimental airplanes.”

Dormer Pramet’s Gert de Vries said: “We are delighted to make this donation of cutting tools to the Early Birds Foundation. It is astonishing to see so many historic aircraft in one place and to restore them to a condition where they can be flown once more is remarkable. The project provides a long-term location where we can all experience aircraft from the past for many more years to come.”

For more information about the Early Birds Foundation, please visit www.vroegevogels.org or follow the project on Facebook - www.facebook.com/earlybirdsmuseum

Pictured: Dormer Pramet’s Gert de Vries with Jan Willem Vijvers from the Early Birds Foundation. 

Login or register now and enjoy all the benefits of a community!

To get the whole functionality of IndustryArena Forum you need to login or register. This process is absolutely free.

Password forgotten?
Contact request
Guest Photo
Your message
The controller within the meaning of Art. 4(7) GDPR is: IndustryArena GmbH, Schneiderstr. 6, 40764 Langenfeld, Germany.
You may reach our data protection officer under [email protected].

Purpose of processing
We process your personal data concerning the use of the contact form and the communication with the company of the newsroom as well as the transmission of your data to this company in accordance to Art. 6 (1a) GDPR. This constitutes a legitimate interest for us in accordance to Art. 6 (1f) GDPR.

Recipient of the data
Within our organization, those units gain access to your data, which are necessary to fulfil the above purposes.
Personal data will only be transmitted to third parties if this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or if another legal basis exists. If necessary, we conclude the corresponding data protection agreements with third parties, in particular pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR.

Data storing
Your data will be transmitted to the company of the newsroom for further processing. The period of storing is the duration of the processing of your request by the respective company.

Select contact person

Newsroom Logo

Design options

  • Title text color:
  • Content background:
  • Content text color:
  • Navigation background:
  • Tab text color:
  • Active tab text color:
  • Link text color:
  • Active link text color:
  • Background image Background color:

    How do you want to position the background-image?

    Please note: Banners and skyscrapers are only saved for the current language. For other languages, change the language using the button at the top right.

    Set the link for the background image

  • Design options only available for Premium Members

    To the membership page
  • Banner

    How do you like to align the banner?

    Please note: Banners and skyscrapers are only saved for the current language. For other languages, change the language using the button at the top right.

    Set the link for the banner

  • Skyscraper

    Set the link for the skyscraper

Please note:

Banners and skyscrapers are only saved for the current language. For other languages, change the language using the button at the top right.