XS416 ?

Nash

Her wings had already been cut before when she was moved to Grainthorpe, XR770 on the other hand was dismantled respectfully when she was returned to the RAF late last year.

A task which took many bodies, a crane and a couple of low loaders I believe.

Regards,

JB.

well…sort of. she was still sliced to some degree..

ahh right, sorry guys 🙂 (wish i had a lightnin’ 😉 )

no, i know many have been cut, but its a sad that she survived this long without being sliced up, and has now been cut (if you get me)

Nash

Her wings had already been cut before when she was moved to Grainthorpe, XR770 on the other hand was dismantled respectfully when she was returned to the RAF late last year.

A task which took many bodies, a crane and a couple of low loaders I believe.

Regards,

JB.

Cut wings and tail fins

Yes im afraid it is a bit of a pre-requisite to cut wings and tails these days as i found with XM173 at Bentley Priory.

Her owner and i surveyed her inside and out and in the end, we had to cut the wings off outboard of the main wheels to move her. All the multitude of wing fixing bolts were so corroded we coundnt move many at all! We tried …boy oh boy did we try!!!

Same went for her tail fin! The top jet pipe wouldnt come out to get access to the tail attachment bolts so, Alas, we had to cut her through too!

Same goes for XM172… her wings were cut outboard and the tail fin horizontally …. as for my F6, XS897, her wings are complete and not cut! Her wing section box has been extensively worked on by John & Stu at AeroVenture so they can be ‘seperated’ for any move.

Moving a Lightning is not easy task …but its well worth all the blood, sweat, trials and tribulations in the end!!

You could argue the point on cost. If you have a team a volunteers who know how to take a Lightning apart surely it’s actually cheaper to move it in parts rather than have an expensive wide load and escort . Then you have to follow that with the cost of rebuilding the wings to anything like some form of integrity.

no, i know many have been cut, but its a sad that she survived this long without being sliced up, and has now been cut (if you get me)

its a crying shame that she now seems to have been cut 🙁

A lot of Lightnings in preservation have been moved that way – including XS417.

See how many joins you can spot!

its a crying shame that she now seems to have been cut 🙁

From what I have read simple economics I am afraid. Cheapest and easiest way to move a Lightning without stripping it down but maintaining structural integrity.

Jon

its a crying shame that she now seems to have been cut 🙁

Depends which sister?

XS417 is here http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/aircraftlist.htm and rumoured to be due for a new coat of paint later this year in the better weather! 😉

Whilst XS416 was depicted elsewhere on the web only this weekend!
http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5206 🙂

XS416

According to the good people at Demobbed ! XS416 is now in New York…… Lincolnshire, just to the south east of RAF Coningsby ! Her sister from Grainthorpe is snug and warm, but in pieces in Hanger 3 at RAF Waddington !