The Buccaneer Aviation Group News.

[Sooty655]

18 years after leaving Cosford XW544 has finally made it back inside for major work to be carried out!

Most importantly a repaint will be carried out on her and some of the ground equipment will recieve a coat of paint. A small test patch was prepared on the airbrake and although the green was ok we decided the grey we've bought was to light being closer to light aircraft grey rather than the medium sea grey. Luckily a darker shade we'd bought for cosmetic work on 894 is a closer match so we will need to get some more of that quickly. And a darker shade for 894's touch ups.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 065&type=1

Some seriously long winded jobs like the nose wheel steering jack replacement will also be carried out.

Andy
The Buccaneer Aviation group Secretary

[Xplumberlives]

Thanks for the good news, please keep us updated!

[Lucas1860]

Great stuff, thanks for the update.

Jim

[Mayfly]

A couple of questions if I may - who owns these a/c? and have you coverage to work in or do you have to put with the cold?

Hope it all goes well over the coming months.

[Jigsaw]

Nice to hear what is going on. Good luck with it

[T-Bag]

Hi,

XW544 is out right owned by the Buccaneer Aviation Group XX894 and XX889 are owned by someone else and on caretaker loan to us as we raise money to buy XX894 from the current owner.

We have an inner core of 11 shareholder members and are launching a public membership area as soon as we can get the website set up to allow automated join up. At the moment we are doing it the old fashioned way. Email me and i'll sort you out kind of thing,

Various plans are afoot to allow different levels of membership to the general public that allow different levels of participation further down the line.
ie. honary membership- services or equipment loaned on a no vote long term basis.
Gold member- lump sum donator who then as no vote team member is allocated a training day and taxi ride 1 per year
public member- £20 per year allocates a anti det run back seat 1 per year and ground crew experience/training day
Drawn by raffle eventually as membership increases.
And some more benefits will be on offer more info of which can be found on our website.


As to the rub that 544 is in, it is owned by a company on the airfield and is used as a covered area for intensive work and we've booked the time in advance for 544 to go in for repaint, obviously there are other aircraft waiting for slots for winter servicing so we've got a lot to do in a short amount of time. Most of the time though we do operate outside and in all weathers! There aren't many places to hide under a Buccaneer though.

Hope this helps
Andy
The Buccaneer Aviation Group Secretary

[Mayfly]

Yes thanks Andy that explains the set up very well. I'm pleased you have shelter to carry out some jobs over the winter.

Please link to the website when it's up and running.

[Gaz]

The Guppy's going in the rub next!

[Xplumberlives]

The Guppy's going in the rub next!

And just where are you storing the wings?

[Gaz]

The Guppy's going in the rub next!

And just where are you storing the wings?

Wings, tail, most of the upper fuselage.........etc

[T-Bag]

Plenty gone on this week! top half of aicraft fuselage sanded, underside cleaned, tailplane top side has had some paint put on it already. Along with the stbd side of the fin.

Other stuff, well....... nose wheel steering jack replaced, hopefully that was the cause of the leak !
seats removed from aicraft for cleaning and service. The front seat has been out before but the back one was out for the first time since its arrival at Cosford all those years ago. And put up a mighty fight i can tell you !
A lot of the external panels were also removed again and greased up before painting to.
some time was also taken whilst under cover for the Boundry layer blow system solenoids to be removed for servicing aswell.
The towbar and horse box have also been cleaned and painted.
Back to it for more sanding next weekend.

[Dan4th]

Mister Bag::::::::::::::::::::::::

Anyone in your group take PICCIES?????????????



I know you are busy, but there are more
than a few on here who would drool over
some photos!

ME INCLUDED!

Danf.

[Mayfly]

Well done, I don't envy you the sanding it's a job I hate!!

[T-Bag]

we have some piccys but they are semi - secret for now !
heres a little teaser though .........

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 9719_n.jpg

[Jigsaw]

Thanks for the update. Look forward to more (and more pics of course)

[Gaz]

I've seen it first hand, they're doing a grand job!

[Xplumberlives]

we have some piccys but they are semi - secret for now !
heres a little teaser though .........

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 9719_n.jpg

Why are they SEMI-SECRET? What have you done to her?

[Gaz]

we have some piccys but they are semi - secret for now !
heres a little teaser though .........

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 9719_n.jpg

Why are they SEMI-SECRET? What have you done to her?

OK magazine have first dibs!

[T-Bag]

Nah, they have to go on our website first, thats all or theres no point having it. Soon as they are up on there i'll post some here.

[Sooty655]

Its been pretty busy in the 544 world, lots of sanding and painting going on

here's a few pictures off my phone for you to see whats going on, not particularily good quality but give you some idea anyway.

















julian re riveting the radio bay door back on after the hinge was replaced


first section complete


since these were taken the squadron pathc is back on and the rear of the aircraft is finished completly.

[Dan4th]

Looking REALLY good!

Thanks for the photos AND
the hard work!!!!!!!!!

Danf.

[Olicat]

Nice, thanks for posting

[Gaz]

It looked good on Saturday when I had a peek!

[Xplumberlives]

It looked good on Saturday when I had a pee!

Too much information!

[Gaz]

I had to re-read my post, but no, you edited it.


Game on!