XL319 Spars
Xl319 at NEAM (Sunderland) is probably the most ‘at risk’ airframe in the UK. She was the first to be delivered into preservation and was kept systems-live until the early 1990’s when the a.a.p.p. finally had enough. When she arrived, the RAF spares recovered her, split every fuel tank, and robbed the whole of the aft flight deck. The volunteers who begged, borrowed and maybe stole all the bits back should be commended.
However, since the early 1990’s, 319 underwent minimal preventative maintenance until James C (558 contractor) gave restoration a go single handedly, and more recently, myself and the lads from Newcastle Aviation Academy began work (last year) to try to prevent her dying.
As previously mentioned, TVOC gave James C permission to use some of their resources to look at 319’s spars in light of 558’s own problems. James worked for several weeks to investigate the spars and TVOC compiled a report for NEAM highlighting key problem areas.
First of all, the spars themselves: the front spars have minimal corrosion on the spar itself, HOWEVER, the mag alloy brackets used to hold the skinning to the spars are all completely shot. The rear spars are generally sound, but with similar problems with the brackets. This report was compiled in late autumn 2007, by which time, bad weather and lack of daylight hours forced us to concentrate on other areas.
This week, the NAA guys – Chris, John, Michael and Grant will re-open the spar covers and finally get back to repairing the damage within. The plan of action is:
bead blast as much of everything as possible, treat with anti-corrosion compounds, prime, paint, and finally fill with waxoyl.
The corrosion in 319 is certaily not terminal, and as I have stressed on so many occassions in the NEAM thread – she looks worse than she is. When she landed, she was filled with waxoyl from top to toe, and this has payed off.
The worst corroded areas are –
Fin
Rudder
Inner Flaps
Exhaust end caps
Over the winter, we have replaced the majority of the spine with new metal – aluminium replacing the diseased magnesium alloy. I still have a new panel in my hallway, and the fin/spine fillet to manufacture at work. Leaks in the cockpit were sealed, and the instrument panels have been repaired and repainted.
I have now left the project officially as I have my own concerns to attend to, however, the NAA guys are still plugging away and most importantly learning the old skills, restoration techniques, and starting to become obsessed with old aeroplanes. I should add that they are all in their early 20’s…. I don’t thing any one of them has actually seen a Vulcan fly.
Do not write off XL319. She will return from the brink.
LL
Former NEAM Projects Manager, Vulcan restoration team leader + Airframe Engineer
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