The BBMF Lancaster is doing well at Coventry with Air Atlantique and Classic Aircraft Maintenance carrying out the maintenance. The inspections have been completed and the aircraft is in good condition. We are now entering the rectification phase with painting scheduled to begin in Feb 07. All the control rods are being replaced, hence the aircraft being split at the tail section to enable their removal.
All the BBMF engineers are busy at this time of year carrying out the annual maintenance on the rest of the fleet at Coningsby. They are not scaled in manpower to carry out maintenance to this depth.
It is policy to contract out the larger maintenance operations such as the Dakota, Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane and Chipmunk major servicings. This allows a second set of eyes to check the aircraft and acts as a quality audit.
The BBMF participation after the aircraft enters the civilian contractor is minimal, being limited to attendance at progress meetings carried out every 20 working days.
Air Atlantique previously carried out the minor maintenance on the BBMF Dakota.
The major rectification carried out during this maintenance has been:
Flap control tube replacement
Control rod replacement
Engine subframe repair
Various skin repairs due to minor corrosion
Undercarriage assembly repair
Fuel tank repairs
Wing boom inspection and NDT by BAeS
All work is in-hand and in line with the project plan.
Engine subframe removed for repair and further NDT inspection
Corrosion found on the stbd wingtip. The skin is being replaced.
Tail section back together after control rod replacement
Day 60. Engine subframes removed
Fuel tank bay
Oil and Fuel Tanks post bay maintenance
By: lotus72 - 12th January 2007 at 12:11
Really, really nice photos. Thank you indeed for posting them, I hadn’t seen them anywhere else. Great stuff!
By: Hornchurch - 12th January 2007 at 10:27
During winter servicing at Coningsby in 1978 a few rivets had popped on the port flap. On replacing them a few more surrounding let go. On closer inspection many more magnesium rivets were found to have failed or were about to fail. It soon became obvious that the work was beyond the resources of the BBMF and teams were called in from No. 71 MU at Abingdon. The aircraft was grounded for eighteen months whilst repairs were made but this was only the start of the work carried out by 71 MU.
“Cat 3” was the fact that the work was beyond unit resources and not because it was involved in an accident.
Frightening stuff
Hearing this AND seeing jackattack’s pix brings home just how lucky we are to have ‘474 …….. & to have her so well looked after.
U.K.’s best/most treasured Warbird for a long country-mile.
By: jackattack - 10th January 2007 at 16:31
Great pictures, thank you for sharing!
Are PA474’s turrets still powered?
No, the system has been disabled.
By: turretboy - 10th January 2007 at 15:52
Great pictures, thank you for sharing!
Are PA474’s turrets still powered?
By: Beaufighter VI - 10th January 2007 at 14:46
I thought the rivet replacement comment was interesting too. Why a ‘Cat 3 repair’ was she pranged at some point or was it just a serious case of ‘Irish Woodworm’:D Just curious.
Martin
During winter servicing at Coningsby in 1978 a few rivets had popped on the port flap. On replacing them a few more surrounding let go. On closer inspection many more magnesium rivets were found to have failed or were about to fail. It soon became obvious that the work was beyond the resources of the BBMF and teams were called in from No. 71 MU at Abingdon. The aircraft was grounded for eighteen months whilst repairs were made but this was only the start of the work carried out by 71 MU.
“Cat 3” was the fact that the work was beyond unit resources and not because it was involved in an accident.
By: jackattack - 10th January 2007 at 14:10
as a matter of interest
what do they use to strip the old paint off
seems like a mamoth job to me
It was carred out by Sprayavia. I am not sure what they used but it didn’t take very long. What surprised me with this project was all the tasks that looked difficult on paper actually worked out to be relatively straight forward in execution, such as splitting the fuselage, removing and replacing control rods to name but a few. It took over a year to plan the maintenance and what and how we were going to approach each tasks. At this stage, prior planning seems to have paid dividends. There is still a lot of work to be done as the rectification, reassembly and painting phase begins.
By: nibb100 - 10th January 2007 at 13:11
as a matter of interest
what do they use to strip the old paint off
seems like a mamoth job to me
By: jackattack - 9th January 2007 at 23:36
I think the above was through an organised visit/press day. Normally the Lanc is off-limits, though I do confess to having had a sneeky look through the cracks in the hangar doors.
The Lancaster is off limits to the general public. However, as I am the project manager for this, I thought it would be of interest to all those with a keen interest in the Lancaster to show how she is doing. Web cams and a dedicated web page were considered but discounted due to the amount of correspondence they may have produced requiring answers.
As the maintenance progresses, it is likely that the further updates will be from the BBMF website.
CR
By: BlueRobin - 9th January 2007 at 23:13
I think the above was through an organised visit/press day. Normally the Lanc is off-limits, though I do confess to having had a sneeky look through the cracks in the hangar doors.
By: Bluebird Mike - 9th January 2007 at 23:02
Absolutely, they are really appreciated. Dare I be cheeky and hope we’ll have more as the service progresses? Some of her in the paint shop would be awesome!
By: Der - 9th January 2007 at 21:46
Thanks for posting these fascinating photos.Serves as a reminder of some of what goes on to keep this beautiful old lady in the style she deserves.
By: Yak 11 Fan - 9th January 2007 at 21:20
Personally I hadn’t seen them elsewhere so thank you for taking the time to share them here.
By: jackattack - 9th January 2007 at 20:52
Previous pictures of PA474
[QUOTE=Lancman;1066001]Many of these pics had already been seen elsewhere as linked to by Fluffy, but it was nice to hear some other details and to see some more up to date new pics, too. Cheers!
Correct Lancman. The pictures on the other forum were taken by me as getting this aircraft back to BBMF is my responsibility. I wasn’t sure if you all look at the different aviation forums so I thought I would post here also.
By: Bluebird Mike - 9th January 2007 at 19:22
Many of these pics had already been seen elsewhere as linked to by Fluffy, but it was nice to hear some other details and to see some more up to date new pics, too. Cheers!
Re. the rivets, the Lanc spent all of 1978 on the ground, due to extensive wing rivet corrosion.
By: robmac - 9th January 2007 at 19:15
Absolutly superb. Photo’s are really good. Hard to believe this is only about 500yards away from us at the museum!!
Great stuff!!;)
By: topgun regect - 9th January 2007 at 17:38
Nice photos. Interesting comment on one of the bits of paper about 74,004 rivets being replaced.
yes excellent photos. I thought the rivet replacement comment was interesting too. Why a ‘Cat 3 repair’ was she pranged at some point or was it just a serious case of ‘Irish Woodworm’:D Just curious.
Martin
By: ollieholmes - 9th January 2007 at 16:33
Nice photos. Interesting comment on one of the bits of paper about 74,004 rivets being replaced.
By: Russ - 9th January 2007 at 15:03
Crikey! 😮
A serious reality check for those who think that these aeroplanes maintain themselves I think!!
Indeed!
Wonderful pics, thanks for posting
By: Ivan - 9th January 2007 at 13:59
Brilliant! Many thanks for those.
By: low'n'slow - 9th January 2007 at 13:58
Crikey! 😮
A serious reality check for those who think that these aeroplanes maintain themselves I think!!
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January 9, 2007 at 1:52 pm