Chugalug,
No, you've certainly
not missed any points, and made several good ones. Starting from the top, therefore:
This is certainly a Mark 1. But what they have done with it is beyond belief. I've only had a quick look at the pics, but it looks as if they've
put in a row of large downward facing lamps under at least one wing ! (now guess what they might be for - I can't !) This might explain the obviously bolt-on bank of switches low left on the panel (where formerly a row of only
six fuel pump switches lived).
But I must stick with your questions or we'll be here all night. The "aerial wire": I've had a quick hunt through the pics, and in one it looks as if it might be going up to the hangar roof ! Earthing wire (to a metal structure, better than concrete floor) ?? Nowhere can I see the other end going back to an aircraft - although the radio mast-fin wire shows up well on many.
Yes, the radio set looks strange to me, could well be an American c/w set the Aussies put in. Where was our R/T set ? - can't remember - shame on me!. In back cockpit is a hand reel which
might be a trailing aerial (I've never even seen one of those); where is a W/Op to help us ?
Instrument panel: top half much as I remember, and yes, it really doesn't look too bad now I come to look at it. But I spy strangers!. It looks as if this thing has had all the electrical fuel pump system stripped out: over on the right there is an obvious manual fuel selector and another top left for "Trap Tank" - and we know all about those. Just a few points of interest: they had a proper compass - we didn't.
And note that the AH has a cage/re-erect knob as they all did in those days; taken out later as obvious danger of chap relying on it on take-off on dark night (was my best guess for (Polish) President Sikorski's Lib going off Gib straight into drink during war). Later read about the Somatogravic Illusion, can hardly spell it, never mind understand it, but seems to ba a good candidate (me, I'd sooner stick with Positive Rate of Climb !)
Yes, if you were left with dive brakes stuck out, and couldn't hand-pump them in, you'd had it.
AFAIK it never happened. For that matter, if your engine were knocked out you didn't go far. Luck of the draw.
I think that once we dig a bit deeper, there'll be more questions.
Danny,