Blackburn Buccaneer XV168 restoration thread

Good job – prepping something that size to be painted is hard work.

Update time.

Arrived at the museum this morning to find 168 had a visitor in the form of 901. with them been parked nose to nose a nice little photo op was in place.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

So time to sand paint while the sun shines.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Got plenty done today, most of the port side of the upper fuselage as far back as the jet pipes and the port inner wing as far as the hinge line. Still plenty more to do but at least the weather played ball today.

Great update! Thanks! 🙂

Excellent work Steve. Thank you for the photographs. 🙂

Shock horror……an update that’s not taken me months to get round to doing.

Saturday weather was the usual British type……..wet

So couldn’t get on with more prep on 168 so took to removing some of the access panels that need attention and hot footing it to the hanger to get cracking.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

2 underwing panels as removed from the aircraft, as you can see the paint is awful and there are some signs of corrosion starting to appear

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

The same 2 panels after been rubbed down and ready for priming.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

One of the spine panels I removed in its first thin coat of primer and finished ready to go back on the aircraft.

Once all the panels were dry the rain had cleared and it was dry so went and refitted the panels.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

and while I was up on top with tools to hand I freed off some more of the spine panels.
Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

That’s it for now.

Well done chaps keep the updates coming!

TT

Brilliant update, many thanks for sharing!

Great work!

Another excellent job being done.

Just brilliant ,well done 🙂

Well done, shes is moving forward and its good to know in safe hands, look forward to future updates, when you can of course 😎

Hi all

Apologies for the lack of updates on the forum, I tend to keep the facebook page updated, but uploading photos to flickr to do the updates on here tends to be a royal pain in the rear, but I will try and get more regular updates on progress on for you.

So where are with 168’s restoration I hear you ask……well

We have had electrical and hydraulic power on the aircraft and got some joy out of 168’s systems….

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

The houchin providing electrical power to 168 thanks to the Victor team for allowing me to borrow it for a bit.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

the Hydraulic rig attached to 168 while testing out her hydraulic systems.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

the bomb door during rotation.

We got the bomb door to rotate as you can see above, we got the airbrakes to close and then while opening them they developed a large leak which will require attention at a later date. The wing fold is an issue as the rear locking pin on the starboard side wont withdraw, but we have a solution for it and at some point in the not too distant future a special removal tool will be making the journey to YAM to hopefully shift the stubborn pin.

the main focus of the work of late is prep work for 168’s repaint, due to the unpredictable British summer weather this has been slow going, but progress is been made.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

we have also fitted a new nose cone, the one fitted to 168 has some damage and as we have a spare we fitted that as its in better condition and the original off 168 can be repaired at our leisure, it wasn’t a job I could do on my own so Graham and the guys and girls from the Meteor team who were in that day came and gave me a helping hand.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

168’s Blue Parrot radar, the dish is apparently stored away somewhere on site and when I find out where I will refit it. Graham from the Meteor team up the steps ready to guide the replacement nose into place.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

And her new nose cone in place, a couple of the fasteners need adjustment, and it just goes to show how bad her current paint is compared to the paint on the replacement nose.

So there we have it, that’s what we have been up too with her restoration.

Hopefully my next update wont take so long.

Another update folks….

A productive day on 168.

First job of the day after the compulsory bacon butty and a cup of tea was to go round some of the panels on the aircraft and check that the fasteners are all free, she looks a bit different with panels off.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

After that short job the intake blank got its last coat of paint and its new retaining strap was fitted, 168 looks much more the part with it fitted.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

all we need now is another one to go with it, if anyone knows of one that might be available please let us know.

that’s all for now.

Late mark for you… (it’s nice to give rather than receive a late mark on here for once!)

Hello all

Time for another tardy update (I’m sorry I really should keep up with it !)

So what’s been happening I hear you cry.

Well myself and Graham took a trip out to see our friends at the Newark Air Museum for there aerojumble where we caught up with many friends, drank tea and had one of there wonderful toasties in the café (You must try them there delicious). I did actually pick something useful up while there, a nice new old stock undercarriage selector.

​Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

And of course had to visit S.1 XN964

​Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

And the cockpit section of XX899

​Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Back to work on 168 saw us tackling the starboard side lower engine door which refuses to open, after drilling out what was thought to be the offending pin that was stopping the door for lowering it still hasn’t budged, so it looks the second of the forward pins may not have released as we previously thought so looks like we will have to drill that one too.

We have a nice addition to 168’s restoration in the form of an intake blank, its a bit rough so its going to get some TLC

​Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

So yesterday the weather been so nice and before starting work on rubbing down and repainting the intake blank I opened up 168 to let some nice fresh air in

​Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

and after fitting RBF flags we’ve got to a couple of covers…

​Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

Just need a few more now, we rubbed down the blank and gave it its first coat of fresh red paint

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

its going to need at least another coat.

Now all we need is another one to go with it and some jet pipe blanks…..

That’s all for now, I will try and keep the thread up to date.

Some observations on XV168’s Navy service. You have 168 recorded as delivered to the Navy in November 1966 and allocated to 801 squadron. At this time 801 were attached to HMS Victorious which was on a Far East cruise returning in June 1967. It is most likely 168 embarked on HMS Hermes from Lossiemouth with 801 on their next cruise in May 1968. 801 disbanded in July 1970. If 168 wasn’t handed over to the RAF for 3 years or so it could have spent time on 736 800 or 809 briefly before conversion to S2B.

Hi Muscle Mantra

Thanks for that, the only info I had is that she was delivered to the Navy in November 66, no information when she went to 801 or when she went to sea but your observations make sense.

Scott

Some observations on XV168’s Navy service. You have 168 recorded as delivered to the Navy in November 1966 and allocated to 801 squadron. At this time 801 were attached to HMS Victorious which was on a Far East cruise returning in June 1967. It is most likely 168 embarked on HMS Hermes from Lossiemouth with 801 on their next cruise in May 1968. 801 disbanded in July 1970. If 168 wasn’t handed over to the RAF for 3 years or so it could have spent time on 736 800 or 809 briefly before conversion to S2B.

Your efforts are appreciated. Well done Scott! 🙂

Thanks for the update.

Hello all

Apologies for the delay in an update its been a busy week

We were working on 168 last Sunday and got a bit of work done but not as much as we would have liked.

She was basking in the lovely spring sunshine when I arrived at the museum so had to get a pic.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

After opening her up to let some air in the cockpit, I refitted the underwing panels that had been removed and cleaned up.

Untitled by Scott Clayton, on Flickr

The rest of the day was spent trying to get the lower engine doors to open, without success. might have to take more drastic measures.

That’s all for now folks