Sea Harrier ZD614 restoration thread

Thank you all for your words of support. Its true Peter, its also an interesting story! If anyone here knows how to get in contact with Simon “Spon” Clayton I’d love to get his take on the events of that day back in 2001!

I have a contact for Simon “Spon” Clayton for you – PM Sent (Many ex-SHAR pilots and ground crew are interested in your venture!!!)

Wow, that will be an enormous task! Good luck with this project, would be awesome to see it ground run 🙂

Thank you all for your words of support. Its true Peter, its also an interesting story! If anyone here knows how to get in contact with Simon “Spon” Clayton I’d love to get his take on the events of that day back in 2001!

Well I wont scoff at the pc screen. For a one man show to tackle something such as a SHAR i think it is fantastic! Hope you can get her nose repaired as it is a shame it was damaged.but if that hadnt happened.. then you wouldn’t have her to play with.. 😉

I’m only a lurker here but I just want to say that there’ll be no “nay saying” from my side, only respect for the effort and money that you’ll be putting into the project. And, I’d just like to say thank you to you for sharing. It’s fascinating to follow these restoration threads. Good luck!

Good to see a Harrier remaining in the UK – good luck with the rebuild and hopefully you’ll be offered plenty of help…

Its not top secret, I was just tailoring a personal response to Paul.

The airframe will be moved in and out of the Hangar as work is done and other operational aircraft need to be moved about. I have a secure, undercover workshop for smaller assemblies and cockpit items to be worked on (about 25ft by 15ft). I will have an airside pass so can gain access to the airframe whenever required and may escort anyone else through to the aircraft to carry out work. The long term goal is to get her ground running and I have absolutely no intentions of parting with her. There is a good chance that she will spend a time at the Bournemouth Aviation Museum on the airfield perimeter but this is through choice not necessity. She has a permanent home here and her future is secure. There are further plans and thoughts beyond this but they don’t need to be discussed here at this time. Anyone wishing to help will be brought fully up to speed and will always be kept in the loop. I am a one man band so to speak at the moment but all work is being carried out under the supervision of a CAA approved maintenance company so everything will be done properly.

I hope this answers the questions originally posted by Paul.

Oh and to the nay sayers (they will be out there scoffing at their computer screens!), you are entitled to your opinion but your not going to dissuade me! I made the decision to get up and give it a go, I intend to see it through. I know its not going to be easy, the most rewarding things in life seldom are. This is my dream, I fell in love with these aircraft as a 6 year old and never thought that owning one could be a reality. Now that it is I am grabbing onto that opportunity with both hands and running with it.

Which bit is top secret? Seems to be plenty of pictures on thread of it and I am sure a PM will get more pertinent details

shame its hush hush, as cadman asked some pertinent questions

im certain that people would be happy to help if its not so top secret

Paul,

I have replied via PM. The question did get me thinking, if there is anyone local that would like to become involved in any way please do get in touch.

Couple of questions for you. PM me if you prefer not to make answers public.
You are restoring the Sea Harrier airside at Bournmouth airport, do you have hangar space for the complete restoration or just container storage and out door working ? I assume access is restricted being airside.
If this a solo endevor or are you heading up a small group. What is the long term goal, once restoration complete, retain the SHAR, or loan to a museum ?

Wishing you the best of luck with a great project
Paul

It was, I think I must have looked like a kid in a candy store and everyone that went past the fence in a car waved which was nice. Anyway enough of the playing and down to the serious business now! The Sea Vixen is looking stunning too btw, had a good look over her today and it will be great to see her back in the air soon.

That looked like fun!

Moving air-side.

We moved air-side today. Temporary parking until Wednesday for operational reasons then the real work can begin!

Apologies for the audio on the second video, it was rather windy today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGlPBTPUaXI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AiKIuMlFJ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-RXz_LCO0Q

Watched all the videos – what a great way to share your project with us. Thanks for posting, fascinating!

Here’s the link to the HUD, but it ended all of a sudden (sold privately ?)….

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAF-Aircraft-Smiths-Industries-Pilots-Display-Unit-/200906618137?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item2ec6f7b519&nma=true&si=AFQwEk3xWeXjYWD1yULCdyEA9rQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557#ht_308wt_958

Alan (alvampman) has full SHAR AP’s hard copy and soon digital versions. My laser cutters have drawings for all the metalwork to hold in Harrier front glass.

And here’s the link for pressure gauges…

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Small-diameter-pressure-gauge-reading-0-4000-psi-RAF-Harrier-etc-GA1-/190826345375?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item2c6e22f39f#ht_825wt_958

I didn’t even see the HUD, do you know what it sold for? I’ll PM Bruce for the gauges, thanks for the heads up. AP’s would be a god send. I’ve got a GR3 IPC and servicing manual but haven’t been able to find SHAR specific AP’s. In terms of cappings, what have you got?

There was a SHAR HUD on eBay few weeks back, did you get it ? Bruce stocks the five pressure gauges that fit port side above throttle box.

And what windscreen/quarter light cappings do you need ? And do you need AP’s as well ?

Having spent many a happy hour fingering aircraft parts, I can never understand why they strip things down to the nth degree, this Harrier being a good point, after what it went through I cannot imagine lots of spares would be useable, do they do it for training or something to do, I remember I used to empty large sacks of Mk10 seat parts, everything including harness locking buckles dismantled into bits, so I figured how to remantle them.

Thank you everyone for your positive comments. The weather was looking decidedly dicey today so a little protection was the order of the day. I managed to get the tail done just before hail started coming down! I will finish tomorrow ready for our move airside on Monday morning.