WK163 runs!

I’m still waiting for the tea! :rolleyes:
I ‘ll supply the donuts, Bens not having any more he just complains about the sell by date and squirts jam everywhere. 😮

I thought I’d wait till we were desperate until I offered the free beer! :dev2:

By the way, if anyone is interested in volunteering to help us out then please do drop me a line. There’s always plenty to do and not necessarily mechanical stuff either (we make our own tea btw so don’t worry 😉 ).
We’re definately not a closed shop and make everyone feel welcome and an important part of the team (as Alanl will testify.)

He’s right you know,I have really been made to feel welcome(its mine you hear all mine,get off!) :diablo:

There are many and varied tasks which need to be carried out to keep these things running and each is just as important as the engineering side.
We are keen to find a signwriter who would be able to paint on a dedication to WK163’s altitude record as we no longer have her in the Scorpion markings. If you are / know of such a person who would kindly do that for us, then please get in touch.
You can mail me on [email]a109ster@ntlworld.com[/email] (eve) or [email]chris.cawdron@gb.mahle.com[/email] (day).

Regards
Chris

Free tea, that will get them running. :rolleyes:
Ican borrow Bens stencil set will that be okay?! :p

Ah but I was watching ‘Johnny English at the same time,and struggling with me spelling, so it might have been a dead heat :rolleyes: ( I thought the thrust was next to you?!)! or is that the ‘Force’, oops wrong film! 😀

By the way, if anyone is interested in volunteering to help us out then please do drop me a line. There’s always plenty to do and not necessarily mechanical stuff either (we make our own tea btw so don’t worry 😉 ).
We’re definately not a closed shop and make everyone feel welcome and an important part of the team (as Alanl will testify.)
There are many and varied tasks which need to be carried out to keep these things running and each is just as important as the engineering side.
We are keen to find a signwriter who would be able to paint on a dedication to WK163’s altitude record as we no longer have her in the Scorpion markings. If you are / know of such a person who would kindly do that for us, then please get in touch.
You can mail me on [email]a109ster@ntlworld.com[/email] (eve) or [email]chris.cawdron@gb.mahle.com[/email] (day).

Regards
Chris

Ha! beat you to it Al……you’ll have to be quicker than that mate…..I’ve got 14,000 lb’s of thrust behind me! 😀

Ah I do apologise!, All I remember is a couple of people wandering into the cafe saying something about the canberra getting stuck… :rolleyes:

I was wondering, where did you get the Avons serviced at?, I remember seeing one being delivered on a lowloader of some description, are CFS capable of Jet Engine maintanence with types like the Avon???

No problem, I just promised not to mention it but you said it first so I had to put the record straight! It just makes the team look daft when it wasn’t our fault, next time we will have to drag him out of the tug and shout’ Noooo!’ :diablo:
The engines were overhauled by Chris (109ster) at and with the assistance of CFS, I do not beleive that they are licesensed (?) to do the work themselves though. Keep an eye out for an article about the overhaul of the engines in the aviation press?! 😉
Alan.

The maintenance on said Avons was done by yours truly and CFS kindly provided their workshop and facilities for me. To be fair to them, they provided me with a hell of a lot of assistance with the restoration of any parts that I deemed unfit to re-use in their removed state and I am very grateful to them. CFS don’t currently hold their own approvals for the Avon which is why it fell to me as an approved engineer for Air Atlantique. I carried my approvals across from when we were just Classic Aviation Projects based at Bruntingthorpe.
Hopefully in the future, I can assist AA and CFS to get their own approvals for the type. I’m still only a volunteer at the end of the day and I guess from a company’s aspect, they shouldn’t rely soley on volunteers to keep their aeroplanes flying…..eggs in one basket and all that?

On the subject of the recent ‘off roading’ incident, I must learn to taxy her one day, I’m sure I could stay on the grey bits! 😀

Regards
Chris

Congratulations to everyone involved in getting her this far.

Ah I do apologise!, All I remember is a couple of people wandering into the cafe saying something about the canberra getting stuck… :rolleyes:

I was wondering, where did you get the Avons serviced at?, I remember seeing one being delivered on a lowloader of some description, are CFS capable of Jet Engine maintanence with types like the Avon???

I think you guys have done a cracking job on 163, I have peeped my head round the hangar door occasionally to look at it whilst passing by!.

(P.S Is it a nasty rumour that on friday it slipped off the taxiway whilst being towed? 😉 )

If I may correct you there Fairy Dan, it didn’t slip ,the Twonk that was towing it decided to ignore advice,and past history and decided to tow it across the grass, needless to say a fully fuelled Canberra does not do ‘off roading!’ especially in mid winter. :rolleyes:
Alan.

I think you guys have done a cracking job on 163, I have peeped my head round the hangar door occasionally to look at it whilst passing by!.

(P.S Is it a nasty rumour that on friday it slipped off the taxiway whilst being towed? 😉 )

To be honest Chris I think the colour scheme is important on any aircraft, but at the end of the day, that isn’t what keeps WK163 in the air, it’s all the staff and vulenteers that do that, so no matter what colour scheme it is, hats off to you all for the job your doing and continue doing so for as long as possible………..

Oh, and make sure you don’t get moving off to any other sites and stay at Coventry. It’s good to have our own selection of display aircraft on our doorstep, regardless of the noise upsetting the neighbours!………crank ’em up!! :diablo:

Color schemes

Granted she looked good in silver, especially with the Scorpion markings, but it was felt that we needed a change to refresh some interest with the airshow organisers. 2003 also coincided with 617 Sqd anniversary hence the red lightening flash on the nose.
Color schemes are always going to be a problem as it’s a very subjective thing from one individual to another? I personally think the current scheme has gone down a storm and what better tribute to the Canberra than the initial Service color scheme and markings.
What people also need to bear in mind is the enormous effort that goes into changing a scheme as we have with WK163….twice!!. Not only do we rely on the paint being kindly donated (as has happened with both the silver scheme and the current scheme grey/black scheme) but also once painted, all the flying control surfaces need to be removed and re-balanced (you’d be totally amazed at how much weight a proper coat of paint can add aft of the hinge points) and also the aeroplane needs to be re-weighed again to ensure that the centre of gravity is still within limits.
I’d like to give you a ray of hope that she may fly in silver again one day, but realisticaly, I doubt it I’m afraid.

Regards
Chris

Brings back happy memories of having a good look around WK163 a couple of years back (thanks Janie!)

Any chance of WK163 being repainted back in silver at any point? Looked beautiful in silver, and brings back memories from when me and my dad were given our own little private air display from her when she left Brunty to go to Cov. Looks like Coventry is home to three of the best (if not the best) Canberras around.

Nice picture Janie, I see that you have got the Ram Air Turbine in the shot as well, top right , or is it the APU? 😉 , just stick it out the door if all engine power fails!
Alan.

Oh so that’s where that piece of card with the writing on goes! 😀
I nearly threw it out Friday, it was getting in the way by the throttles!
I’ll stick it back up at the weekend LOL 😉

Cheers

I just had the overwhelming urge to post this photograph taken in 2003.

Well done chaps. I’m really looking forward to seeing her again.

Hi, Jochen! Instead of hijacking this thread I will get my Midland Air Museum January 12th pix together (including photos taken inside the PR Canberra WF922) and put them up on a new thread hopefully later today – I have some translation work to finish first!