Super Guppy Restoration

[Gaz]

I posted this on the "Other" forum, but, as it's a massive undertaking....

On Saturday I was given the "Go Ahead" by David Walton, to start work on the Super Guppy. Any of you that have seen her will appreciate the amount of work we have in front of us.

So...

I need any help I can get! I've got a few people lined up but anyone else who would be interested and can spare a few hours, a couple of Sundays a month and the odd Wednesday afternoon, PM me and we'll talk.

You don't have to have any aircraft experience, but, if you can work a spanner, hold a paint brush and can take a joke. Let me know.

[Xplumberlives]

No, bog off!

[Gaz]

Given how you handle a shotgun matey, I wouldn't trust you with a paintbrush!!

[Xplumberlives]

Given how you handle a shotgun matey, I wouldn't trust you with a paintbrush!!

When did you ever see me with a shotgun?

[RLN]

Love to help, but it's just too far. Hope you have every success.

[Saracenman]

would a normal restoration be any easier than a "Super" one?

sm

[Dougs]

gaz i would love to help but i dont have any time left in the spare time bank, but wish you all the best good luck

[Mackrick]

I wish I could help but all my spare time is taken up with a vulcan

[Gaz]

It's going well!

[Xplumberlives]

It's going well!

So what have you restored so far?

[Gaz]

We've restored the flight deck to the tune of 2 missing dials have now been replaced. We've restored the right wing to it's pre "Lets paint the wings and engine cowlings with moss" paint scheme.

Best part though, a nice lady at Boeing sent me the avionics manual for a 377 Stratocruiser, which, as I'm sure you know, has an identical flight deck to the guppy so, on Sunday, we'll do our first systems check. It'll be the first time she's had power on for 8 years, be interesting to see what, if anything, still works

[Dan4th]

Gaz:::::::

Watch out for the Dreaded White Smoke on Sunday!

Hope you're keeping a Photo and Vid record of your efforts!

(...which you will, of course, then share with US!!!)

May the Force be With You!

Danf.

[Gaz]

Gaz:::::::

Watch out for the Dreaded White Smoke on Sunday!

Hope you're keeping a Photo and Vid record of your efforts!

(...which you will, of course, then share with US!!!)

May the Force be With You!

Danf.

It's the blue smoke of death I'm worried about Danf!!!

Needless to say, we'll have a video camera in there with us.........................and a fire extinguisher!!

[Gaz]

A VERY good day at Bruntingthorpe today. I got some sanding done on the nose, Dickon did a great job on the props (Granted, Ian had already had a go at them, but, they are gleaming now!) and Gregg drank coffee and ate cake all day And did some corrosion surveying and measured up for our new locks.

We also did an electrical systems check, but I'll get to that in a bit. Some pics:


Caption competition:




The "After" pic from what I did this morning, I think Gregg got a "Before" one:




Wingwalker Bubbles:




Busy Dickon:




So, that was our morning/lunchtime. Then we hooked up the battery, fired up the GPU and went up to the flightdeck.



She breathes! Well, kind of. We got lots of lights on, even the ones in the cargo bay, but, it's not drawing any power from the GPU, it's all off the battery. So a trip to the fuse boards is on the cards, but, it can probably wait. The exterior is in far worse condition.

Gregg got some pics of all the illuminations, but here's a video of the first attempt:

[Dan4th]

Lived to tell the tale, I see........

What's the goal besides cleaning her up?

Taxy Duty or what?

Important thing is she's not just being
left to rot!

More Power (literally) to ALL of you!

Danf.

[Vulcan Bomber]

Lived to tell the tale, I see........

What's the goal besides cleaning her up?

Taxy Duty or what?

Important thing is she's not just being
left to rot!

More Power (literally) to ALL of you!

Danf.

She lacks engines at the minute for that, however I believe that the engines are the same as the hercs........ who knows?

[Mackrick]

Thanks for the photos Gaz..

[Wedgy]

Great stuff - thanks Gaz

[Mayfly]

was going to say before the forum went down

the inside looks in really good nick.... thanks for the pics gaz

[Gaz]

Lived to tell the tale, I see........

What's the goal besides cleaning her up?

Taxy Duty or what?

Important thing is she's not just being
left to rot!

More Power (literally) to ALL of you!

Danf.

If we can blag some engines (And thats a massive IF!!) then, who knows. It has become clear though, that with the amount of corrosion on the underside of the wings, she will NEVER fly.

If we can re-paint the livery and restore the cockpit so it's complete, I'll be happy with that.

[Dan4th]

Mister Gaz::::::::::::

I know you got some manuals and stuff from
Boeing -- did you ever consider asking them
to help you out a little bit even if it was just
perhaps some materials and/or moral support?
Bet they have a UK warehouse FULL of assorted
stuff!

After all, she IS a historic aircraft for them, too!

See if you can't develop some contacts via the
internet. Maybe send that Nice Boeing Lady the
same pics you put up for us.......

CAN'T HURT!

Danf.

Later:



Oh, and if there are no engines, what are the props
hanging off of and what happened to her old ones?

D.

[Gaz]

Mister Gaz::::::::::::

I know you got some manuals and stuff from
Boeing -- did you ever consider asking them
to help you out a little bit even if it was just
perhaps some materials and/or moral support?
Bet they have a UK warehouse FULL of assorted
stuff!

After all, she IS a historic aircraft for them, too!

See if you can't develop some contacts via the
internet. Maybe send that Nice Boeing Lady the
same pics you put up for us.......

CAN'T HURT!

Danf.

Later:



Oh, and if there are no engines, what are the props
hanging off of and what happened to her old ones?

D.

Thanks for the vid, Danf! Great stuff!

I am going to approach Boeing in due course. I didn't want to go back with the begging bowl when they have only just sent us the avionics manual, but, I do have a very polite contact at Boeing now and (After your tip) I will be sending her progress pics.

As for the props, the truth is, I don't know how they are held on because the clasps on the engine covers are seized. Some people have said that the gearboxes are still in, at least, some of the engines. Others have said that they have just been bolted to steel plates. We'll get up there with the WD-40 soon and see if we can get a good look at them.

[Dan4th]

BEHOLD THE WIKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Guppy

Links at the bottom are good, too......

Danf.

[Gaz]

BEHOLD THE WIKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Guppy

Links at the bottom are good, too......

Danf.

Very Interesting!

But I'm quite biased!!


PS: Gregg (Bubbles) posted some quite insightful pics on TVOC. I won't re-produce them here because they're his photos, but, they do show the size of our undertaking!

http://www.vulcantothesky.org/forums/to ... hichpage=2

[Dan4th]

Make sure you send some of those to
Boeing Lady, too........minus some
of the commentary .

Danf.