Gents, stop looking at individual aircraft – the facts are simple:

Could you fly any currently static museum aircraft? – no
Could you restore any museum aircraft to fly? – yes (with conditions)
In 99% of cases, would it be feasible to restore any museum aircraft to fly? – no.

I think it would be fair to say that every static aircraft in any museum would need a huge amount of engineering work before flight could be achieved.

The B29 at Duxford may have flown in, AND have its log books, but every component that matters will have to be re-certified ‘on condition’, which will mean dismantling the aeroplane. Likewise with the P51 at Hendon.

As has been said, these are ‘unrestored’ (while static) and would offer the easiest route to airworthiness.

Previously restored aircraft are a whole new ball-park… If a single bolt has been exchanged for a non-airworthy one without paperwork, you are looking at a complete strip-down and re-build. NDt on the spars, anti-corrosion measures, replacing non-conforming parts with servicable ones… not a task for the feint-hearted.

It is easier to build a new spitfire using plans / drawings and a data plate than it would be to restore one…. Was the Lincoln at Cosford mentioned? 😀

…..the scenario ended with the aircraft being flown into the house of commons….

… a thinly populated area most days of the week….

pity for those who would be lost on the aircraft, but no real loss on the ground.. :diablo:

Dear bickering sirs,

You are cordially invited to watch the whole of the Olympics at a public house of your choice anywhere north of the M62. You will be able to enjoy coverage of your favoured sport in the wonderful company of us rowdy Northerners, without the risk off getting your heads blown of by some damp cardboard missiles. We are outside of the blast area of every possible missile, nuclear or conventional, our police carry big sticks (and the occassional Moat-seeking-Taser) and will give any nasty terrorists a severe telling off or a clip round the ear. You will be able to sleep soundly in your beds, well away from any terrorist threat (unless there is an increase in Boarder Reiver activity). There is room for all in this sparsely populated sleepy-hollow. I’d suggest you abandon the south from Nottingham down, and come to live in the peaceful hills north of the Humber.

Oddly, if an airliner or missile fell anywhere near south London, how would you tell?….

:diablo:

Anything by Armstrong Whitworth. NEAM would love to have an FK8 or Ara.

I know…. they’re almost certainly some kind of door hinge, but from what type of door, I have no clue. The S-76 rear cabin door on VIP configured aircraft looks to be at least an inch thick, but I can’t find a good photo of the actual bracket. It’s bl**dy annoying…

Is this the first time the forum has been stumped? If so, well done that man! 😀

I can tell you which nose u/c door links they are NOT – F4, A6, A4, F14, F16, F18, F86, Harrier, Tornado. Wing fold mechanisms don’t appear to have anything like that at all… The irritating thing is that I’ve seen them before, but I can’t remember what on. Could have been anything…. Still working on it, since it is now doing my head in….

Getting closer… F84 is along similar lines, but again, not the offending items. http://www.flickr.com/photos/24302898@N08/5916814405/

So simply (!) replace the upper and lower spars, the flying controls…… not impossible from an engineering point of view, but cost would kill it before it started. You can see why the CAA are twitchy! I would imagine that if a proposal which included all of the replacement parts, or effectively zeroed the airframe life, then an application would most likely be successful.

I’m digging for oil in my garden as we speak…..