despite what all the doom mongers say, there is nothing wrong with using WD40 at all. PX24 is not readily available from retailers, neither is ACF50. WDis fine for what you are doing if you are prepared to re-apply it every 3 weeks. If you can mix it with 40% heated Wax oil and apply, even better. New engine oil is particularly good, though attracts some dust after a few days, and expensive. I can think of two very nice Lightnings that have survived 25 years of open storage with 60/40 WD40/waxoil, and has done them zero harm! If Wd40 is what you can readily get my friend, then mix it with clear Wax oil and go for it! if you can get PX24 then great.

We were rather surprised at how well No 3 ran given the wear. We had it up to about 1,850rpm,

1850? bah, come on boys, give those griffons some damn stick:rolleyes:, get em up to 2200-2500, get some boost going, and save yourself all that plug cleaning!!;)

Noble sentiment chaps, but seriously, it aint going to happen!!.

I can tell you first hand after taking two apart and putting them back together again for running and flying respectively, it is a mamoth undertaking!!. taking apart properly is one mountain, getting it back together to run again is an entirely different mountain. 724 in pieces, then up to Elvington, would take 3-4 years to put back together with team members from Brunty, Binbrook, Cranfield, GAM, AALO every single weekend, to a safe fast taxying standard. I’m afraid none of these groups now have the slack or time to take such a feat on. Once you have disturbed the wing centre section, you are in for a world of frustration and pain when you put it back together again. sometimes the RAF couldn’t get it right, and they flew with minor centre section leaks ,inspected every few flights. That is not acceptable, but operationals needs dictated. You cannot afford to do that as a privateer, so it has to be exactly right. They are NOT meant to be split in half!!, thats why its so dofficult. With a full vacuum kit and all of the right skills and materials, you can get the centre section dry again. It took us 2 years alone to get that right, in and out of the tanks, struggling like **** using every single method by the book, with all the right kit and 20hrs a week hard graft, and shed loads of knowledge. Trust me, she is better off where she is in one piece, and a team put together to bring it back to standard. The idea of moving her to Elvington from Binbrook is simply nuts. If it were somewhere with hangarage, power, water, tools etc, then it would be a far flung idea, but entertainable. The other thing to remember is they do not want it else where, she is to stay at Binbrook for thew proposed museum.

XM365 is almost ready the uc system was retracted at the weekend (to aid fitting of the doors) and is complete other than rigging of microswitches however we run with ground locks fitted so it’s not a priority, the fuel system is 90% complete the last of the collector tank pipes need fitting. The hydraulics are complete and the uc retraction revealed a few pipes that needed tweaking up

all that remains is to hydraulically connect the foot pedals, install another set and bleed the brake master cylinder and foot pedals, and “simply” charge all the uc legs apparently you can cx the jp standard charging point for a standard schraeder valve type which would make thing a lot easier

It can then come off jacks and go for ground runs and leak testing after which the seats can go back in and it can all be panelled up, with a fair wind and enough willing hands it’ll be ready for this years open days

and then we can tweak the vixen !!!!!

oh and the small matter of a gnat and hunter

kin ell! how do you few blokes get em running so quickly!?! you’re knocking em out on a conveyor belt

Rich, your more than welcome anytime at all. yes it is a problem having all the airframes to fettle, never anywhere near enough hands!

no brainer, cams out! unless those pics are an optical illusion, I fail to see how they are “within limits” or how polish and regrind will fix those lobes. the lobes have gone, not to mention ramp and duration will be a mile out. I’m surprised those cylinders even fire.

Very sad indeed.Whilst I understand why it is being chopped, it seems short sighted to retire it simply because of its high operating costs. I would have thaught the Gr9’s offer more bang for the Buc, and more versatility in the long run, when compared to the tonkas left behind ? lets hope a good number of them come up for disposal in one piece, and a dozen can be flown into preservation and kept live. I fear that won’t happen though, since all the engines will surely go back to Rolls for redeployment.