Seeking info regarding WWII-era twin-engine Link Trainer

[duncan]

The Rocky Mountain Wing of the Commemorative Air Force has started a project to restore a WWII era Link Trainer as a Museum exhibit. We would like to restore the unit to operational status, but are running into some difficulties. Our Link has no data plate or other identifying information. It looks like an AN-T-18, but it has been modified to simulate a twin-engine aircraft. The throttle/prop/mixture quadrant, engine instruments (in the “plane” and on the instructor’s desk) all reflect twin-engine operation. We don’t know if the modification was done at the factory, or if it is a one-off done by a third party.


A web search, and conversations with the Smithsonian Aviation Museum, the Link Company historian, and several Link restorers have turned up nothing to date. If we've piqued your interest, there are pictures of our unique bit of history at
http://www.rockymountainwingcaf.org/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=link_trainer

If you know anything about a twin-engine Link Trainer, we really want to talk to you!

Last edited by duncan on Tue Mar 03, 2015 11:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[p51]

Can't help you much, but years ago I was talking with a B-25 pilot from WW2 and he mentioned doing link training for multi-engined, which surprised me as I'd always thought link trainers were all single place. He told me that the training field had modified one so you could do that.
Not much to go on, but it's all I got. I do recall that very clearly as a pal of mine was restoring his own link trainer at the time and would only reply, "yer full o' it" every time I brought that up...

[duncan]

Tnx P-51!