Super Guppy Restoration

[Gaz]

We're a bit in limbo at the minute. It is still supposed to be going in the hangar, but, the hangar is still full of building materials.

I SERIOUSLY doubt that it will ever go in and we're going to have lost 3 months of nice weather when we could have got a lot done. It's pointless us painting her though because IF she does go in, they'll be
stripping it all off again.

Thats a bugger Hope things move along ONE WAY or another for you Gaz

Me too, mate. It's frustrating to walk past her and not do anything.

On the plus side, I've been able to help the CWJ lads prep our new crew hut, so at least I've been busy

EDIT:

Nipped up today just to pick something up from Dave, we got to talking about the Guppy. I told him why we hadn't done any painting for 3 months. His response was "Who told you it was being painted whilst in the hangar?" So I told him that the people in the hangar said the people in the hangar would be painting it.

I now know that Dave Walton had never signed off on them painting it and it was only ever going in for the metal work repair. I told him that that was not what anyone else on the site had heard. Dave said that there were two reasons why the others wouldn't be painting it. 1: We were doing a cracking job rollering it and 2: He wasn't going to pay for it to be resprayed.

So, on we go! It's a shame to have lost 3 months to a misunderstanding, but, on the plus side, I'll be back up my ladder next Wednesday

[Xplumberlives]

Glad that's all sorted then!

[Mayfly]

Good news Gaz - like you said a shame to have lost 3 months perhaps it was wishful thinking on the painters behalf - or they were going to do it gratis

[Howslo]

At least you've found out now, while there should be three months or so of reasonable weather. You never know, you might even have longer, if it's a dry and mild Autumn and Winter.

[Mackrick]

Well at least you now know what the plan is Gaz ....

[Gaz]

Come and see us

[Old Rigger]

When it gets in the hangar being fixed would you be able to carry on with the paint yourselves and maybe utilise their access equipment to get at the top, that might be better than doing outside with your current equipment.

Allthough it will probably not be feasable do to from a Health & Safety regs perspective once it is in the hangar and liability issues.

[Gaz]

When it gets in the hangar being fixed would you be able to carry on with the paint yourselves and maybe utilise their access equipment to get at the top, that might be better than doing outside with your current equipment.

Allthough it will probably not be feasable do to from a Health & Safety regs perspective once it is in the hangar and liability issues.

It has been discussed, but, like I said, I doubt it will ever get in. The Comet has been (rightfully!) moved to the front of the line to be next in, after that, it's us. My thinking is though, that the new occupiers of the hangar will want to move in sooner or later. I just think we'll run out of time.

As for H&S. It's not as slapdash as you might think, up there. Everything we do (On a grand scale anyway) has to be risk assessed and all safety measures have to be adhered to. As the site is a commercial enterprise, everything is also covered by PLI.

After what happened with the Victor, the HSE are watching everything we do.

[Old Rigger]

Sorry Gaz, I did not mean to imply that the work you are doing outside is not done safely etc but when I re-read what I had written I can see it how it appears that way, so apologies again.

[Gaz]

Sorry Gaz, I did not mean to imply that the work you are doing outside is not done safely etc but when I re-read what I had written I can see it how it appears that way, so apologies again.

No, that's ok. I think I read it the way you meant it. We've had a few queries, on other fora, about insurance and H&S, so it was as much to answer those people as answer you

[Gaz]

04.08.10

So the weather put paid to any paint going on, besides, there was another, more pressing, problem to solve:



That was as far as the front access door would open, which, of course, is where (what's left of) our kit is. So I had to go round the long way and try and sort it out in the dark. It turns out, the door close mechanism (Which is basically a length of steel wire on a self retracting ratchet) had become a tangled mess. The main problem was, that door is BLOODY heavy and the weight of it is constantly resting on the wire so the only way to fix it was to force the tangle through the mechanism, which worked!!



The only trouble is now, the very end of the wire has become stretched and it doesnt take the weight of the door until it's about a quarter of the way open. If you happen to be standing under it (Which you would be) when it's being opened and you don't know about the problem, there is a good chance a very heavy door will come to an abrupt stop, atop your head. I think, until it's fixed, a suitable warning sign should be erected.

Other than that, I have salvaged a good length of 15amp, 3 core, cable and I have started to make a new extension lead, seeing that our old one has vanished!

I've been assured that the RAF haven't forgotten about our request for some engines.

There is a chance that we will be getting our own workshop (Posh word for old lorry trailer)

Still on the lookout for volunteers. I'm getting pretty lonely up there

[10680]

04.08.10

So the weather put paid to any paint going on, besides, there was another, more pressing, problem to solve:



That was as far as the front access door would open, which, of course, is where (what's left of) our kit is. So I had to go round the long way and try and sort it out in the dark. It turns out, the door close mechanism (Which is basically a length of steel wire on a self retracting ratchet) had become a tangled mess. The main problem was, that door is BLOODY heavy and the weight of it is constantly resting on the wire so the only way to fix it was to force the tangle through the mechanism, which worked!!



The only trouble is now, the very end of the wire has become stretched and it doesnt take the weight of the door until it's about a quarter of the way open. If you happen to be standing under it (Which you would be) when it's being opened and you don't know about the problem, there is a good chance a very heavy door will come to an abrupt stop, atop your head. I think, until it's fixed, a suitable warning sign should be erected.

Other than that, I have salvaged a good length of 15amp, 3 core, cable and I have started to make a new extension lead, seeing that our old one has vanished!

I've been assured that the RAF haven't forgotten about our request for some engines.

There is a chance that we will be getting our own workshop (Posh word for old lorry trailer)

Still on the lookout for volunteers. I'm getting pretty lonely up there

It wasn't me. It was fine on Sunday.


I'd love to join you, but 3 1/2 - 4 hour drive each way tends to rule it out.

[Mayfly]

So where are your helpers then Gaz? - I guess Dickon is busy at airshows

[RLN]

Like others on here, I really wish I could.

[Gaz]

So where are your helpers then Gaz? - I guess Dickon is busy at airshows

Dickon can only do Sundays (Which I can't at the minute), Gregg is without transport but he wants to help out and Ian has joined (along with most of the old Vulcan volunteers) the Beech crew.

[Gaz]

11.08.10

Didn't have too long up there today but I did get some paint on. I was going to finish the orange around the windows but...



Somebody parked an aeroplane there so I couldn't get the steps in, so, I did a little bit of orange along the other side (Didn't think to get a photo, sorry).

David Walton paid me a visit today. We discussed various things. The Toulouse group have a radome for sale (New in its box, FANTASTIC!!) so we are negotiating a price for it. He also offered me the use of this:



which is great! It goes up high enough to reach the lettering on the side of the aircraft and, more importantly, it's VERY stable whilst your up there

Other than that, I trimmed the cable on the door mechanism and re attached it - Problem solved!

[Xplumberlives]

Might even get Dickon up in the safety raiser without him wetting himself!

[Gaz]

18.08.10

Good day today, got a lot done.

On with the yellow paint. This pic shows a good before and after:



And after:





So it's coming on. Hopefully by this time next week I'll have, at least, 2 colours done, up to the junction.

Other than that I have completed the new extension lead, it's a beastie too, well over 100 feet. I also moved the cherry picker to a more secure location and got it on charge. I had a bit of a tidy up in the cockpit, it hadn't been done for a while and these pesky visitors like to leave their litter behind!

I think the cockpit will be the winter job this year. Other than having a few dials missing (Pesky visitors!!) the dashboard (As I call it ) is in pretty good nick, so, over the winter I think we'll focus on re-painting the walls and tarting up the upholstery.

In other CWJ news, the two seat hunter's pitot tube now functions correctly. I think a slow run on the upcoming CWJ day is not out of the question

[Mayfly]

18.08.10

Good day today, got a lot done.

On with the yellow paint. This pic shows a good before and after:



So it's coming on. Hopefully by this time next week I'll have, at least, 2 colours done, up to the junction.

Other than that I have completed the new extension lead, it's a beastie too, well over 100 feet. I also moved the cherry picker to a more secure location and got it on charge. I had a bit of a tidy up in the cockpit, it hadn't been done for a while and these pesky visitors like to leave their litter behind!

I think the cockpit will be the winter job this year. Other than having a few dials missing (Pesky visitors!!) the dashboard (As I call it ) is in pretty good nick, so, over the winter I think we'll focus on re-painting the walls and tarting up the upholstery.

In other CWJ news, the two seat hunter's pitot tube now functions correctly. I think a slow run on the upcoming CWJ day is not out of the question

Well done -

Must be down to Toffs

[Xplumberlives]

Bloody Toffs!

[Gaz]

22.08.10

Good day today. For the first time in a while I was able to get there on a Sunday and Dickon came out to play.

Before we started:



Bitta blue done:



Bit o' orange done:




So the painting is starting to gather some steam

When we first arrived, the gaffer came over and gave us some good news and some bad. The good news was: The nose leg is being repaired this week The bad news was: 1.5 tonne of sand has to be removed from bowels of the nose section So we set to it and 28, 50kg bags of sharp sand later...



We had cleared the lot. David has also decided (and I agree with him) that the only way to battle the corrosion to the fuselage, is to acid treat it and paint the belly of the aircraft (up to the bottom of the blue line, all the way round) in a light grey, ultra hard wearing, paint. Hopefully that should peg it back a bit and give the airframe many more years. The beech lads have agreed to spray that though so that will save some time.

The sheet metal for the fuselage repair has been ordered

All in all, a productive day in Guppyville.


Oh one last thing!

Look who remembered his brave pills this morning and went up the scissor lift:

[Mayfly]

Well done - thought Dickon would have been on the south coast with his bucket & spade!!

[Dickon]

Well done - thought Dickon would have been on the south coast with his bucket & spade!!

Nah, being at Brunty is much more fun. The BAH guys fired up Tina (XM715) after Gaz left, so i hung around & gave them a hand for bit.

[Mayfly]

Well done you - I take you're not fond of heights?

[Dickon]

:)) Well done you - I take you're not fond of heights?

I dont mind them as long as i'm underneath a solid surface, not boucing around in the wind