Lightning ZF580 scrapping(2013 Thread)

Thanks for the pictures!

just popped over to CAHC…….

Seen it about 10 minutes ago when popped over to CAHC from Gateguards (who built the replica). Getting a bit gloomy here now, so will take a few photos next Monday when am back here for work (in my lunchbreak of course).

Martin

Just by accident came across a picture of her. Seems she is now saved by the Cornwall Aircraft Heritage Centre 🙂

Last time I saw her, as in underneath her, was in 2010, she was really suffering. Any news?

My understanding is that it HAS to be dismantled, not chopped, to ensure that the Co. in the deep SW can make proper moulds. Might be wrong of course.

Was at the Canberra Club last night, but couldn’t see much from the car park – other than the preparations with a temporary “hangar” over the aircraft which would hardly be necessary for a chop job (a la Canberra :().

Passed again this morning and she is starting to look denuded with many panels and underside sections being removed – so looks hopeful – so far they certainly appear to be dismantling with some care?

Passed these aircraft many times while doing my gliding scholarship (in Grob Vigilant’s) with the ATC in the early 2000’s. Its a real shame that that 635 VGS are no longer flying out of Samlesbury was a nice area to mooch around. Plus the added fact of one of the country’s first KFC’s been on the other side of the airfield! 🙂

They were hoping to sell them to Austria, rather than bringing them home for preservation!

They were also offered to Nigeria and were taken back as part of the Tornado deal with Saudi.

Eventually a number were offered for a nominal sum to various museums

BAE have had it on display for a long time now -without their intervention its very likely that the majority of these machines would have been scrapped in Saudi -however the majority were essentially gifted to preservation groups after a period of storage .

They were hoping to sell them to Austria, rather than bringing them home for preservation!

Samlesbury gate guards

The Canberra suffered far more damage to it due to its disgraceful eventual so-called dismantling than the starlings ever inflicted.

By coincidence, the Canberra has now, at long last, found its way to its new owner via the same chap who, he tells me, is doing the dismantling.

Anon.

My understanding is that it HAS to be dismantled, not chopped, to ensure that the Co. in the deep SW can make proper moulds. Might be wrong of course.

Plus if it was ever to go on guard again it would be less desirable with nasty cuts.

That should ensure that any road trip is uneventful.

pm

Ah! 🙁 my information is that the scheme does involve it being moved by road to the company taking the moulds – might not be such a good outcome then?

Better than having its wings and fin chopped to move it by road somewhere and then slowly rotting away outside.

Seems not a fitting end for a tired old warbird.

Just had an update from the contractors via a friend – It seems ZF580 is to be used to take moulds to produce fibreglass replicas to replace current gate guards – this one & XS928 I assume – probably to overcome maintenance issues (or perhaps a new line for BAE Systems? :rolleyes:). Also it now seems that no decision has been taken on its ultimate fate as yet.

From the other forum – it appears that nesting starlings are to blame for Corrosion in the airframe – IIRC this was the reason given for the removal of the Canberra a couple of years ago – but that was standing on its U/C with open wheel wells and the little blighters had indeed caused havoc 🙁

However, I understood that the Lightning was always better cared for – well until fairly recently anyway – and all hatches and apertures were closed off? – It does look a little scruffy with worn paint and faded markings – but certainly does not look like its falling apart!

:confused: Seems a bit odd – BAe Heritage have requested a space at NAM’s Lightning event in May!

http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=287&t=75123

Who is saying that it is to be scrapped?

That certainly wasn’t the plan late last year.

PM

At least if they can salvage spares from the airframe it could help the likes of the Brunty, Binbrook and Cranfield Lightnings in taxiable condition. Although saying that I don’t specifically know what aircraft are going to be recieving ZF580’s parts.