Sven, did you manage to get hold of the windscreen blue prints so that I could get new units made up?

Not quite yet. TVOC passed on their contact details (thanks to Colin Marshall) and I’ve spoken to them a few times (GKN aerospace that is). I’ve given them the part numbers and they’ll ring me back as soon as someone’s had a chance to go down to the archives. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anymore.

And thanks Ian, Peter and Scott. Not quite sure what to do with my weekends down here now.

A belated last post from last Saturday.

Last weekend was my last at NEAM. I wish Dave and “Acid bath” good luck with the rest of her restoration.

I finally put the no. 2 PFCU back together (almost, hopefully Ian will finish it off). Those yellow marks are leaking hydraulic fluid. There’s a good layer of paint on there.

Ian managed to open the no. 3 ram so we can lock it off. It’s pristine in there, seals and all.

The sun going down on 319.

Thanks for reading over the last year and a half.
Sven (in Swansea, where amazingly it’s not currently raining).

Whats wrong with her lights or are they corroded solid?

All three blisters have been smashed by vandals. If anyone knows of any going spare we’d love to get our hands on them.

Engineering update

Very sadly this will be one of my last engineering updates as crew chief before I move down to Swansea (anyone know of any cold war jets that need working on down there?). Ian (ACID319) and Dave will take over as joint crew chiefs, so she’ll be left in safe hands.

Not a huge amount of work got done as NEAM’s October Blitz brought in a steady stream of visitors to the Vulcan and her cockpit. John heroically carried on removing rusted bolts and stiff electrical connectors to get at the number 4 PFCU.

319 framed by the re-enactor’s setup with Dave waiting by the museum’s WE177.

Meanwhile I carried on with the number 2 PFCU in the workshop and it’s now all treated and painted ready for assembly.

The motor case will be heading back your way soon Blue_2. I must admit to going for a “coat it as thickly as I can so we don’t have to worry about corrosion” approach rather than an award winning cosmetic job, but no one will ever see it again.

Ian took the number 3 PFCU home for stripping. Here we’re starting to take the ram apart in preparation for locking the elevons level. Some of those nuts are a bit short, did it need a special spanner (1/4″ W from what I can tell, just very short)?

Finally some of the NEAM team dressed up in various period costumes.

Hopefully there’ll be one more update from me, if not it’s been a pleasure to be her crew chief for the last eighteen months, especially now we actually have a crew. I’m sure Dave and Ian will keep us all posted on their progress.

Sven

Not that I am a fan of it but what about filing the tires? Not like she gets moved at all.

That would probably be the best option, funds permitting.

October update

Another two weeks and work on XL319 continues. No photos I’m afraid (far too busy working last weekend to take any).

We’ve undercoated the wing up to the engines. Work’s slowed a little here due to the number of stencils to trace (which John and Adam have thrown themselves at). Meanwhile Dave has started on the stencil free bomb doors, getting one into undercoat and making good progress on the second. Ian’s been preparing (with help from Dave) the number 4 PFCU for removal whilst I’ve been finishing off the number 2 PFCU ready for refitting.

To get at the number 4 PFCU we’ve had to remove some of the aluminium strips used to patch over her corroded elevons. What we’ve found is a bit scary (areas with skins completley detached from ribs) and they’re definitely in need of a re-skin/rebuild; nothing the team can’t handle over time (with a little help from our friends).

Come along to NEAM’s October Blitz next weekend and see the progress (plus there’ll be a few other bits to have a look at).

http://www.neam.org.uk/News/news.htm

Engineering update

The four regulars plus new member Adam plodded on with the repaint and we’ve now made it up to the first undercarriage door!

After drilling off all the screw heads last week we managed to remove the number three PFCU for corrosion treatment and locking (reversibly) level.

Two out, eight more to go. The bays will also get a bit of a clean.

Dave and John also found time to get up on top and try to stem the flood into the cockpit.

Hopefully we’ll have some topcoating to report soon.
Sven