XM655 Winter Maintenance

[Sooty655]

Nice thanks for posting them Sooty - was it a tad warmer yesterday?

Didn't you fancy visiting the cousin then?

The weather man might claim it was warmer, but the finger ends didn't seem to notice.

Decided I could manage without another Vulcan fix this week, especially as I am without wheels at the moment, and I've already got the boss's car booked for two days next week (plus Saturdays, of course).

[Xplumberlives]

RHV may have some pictures of the day's activities when he gets back from his day off visiting our under-powered friends at Lineham.

WHERE?

[Sooty655]

RHV may have some pictures of the day's activities when he gets back from his day off visiting our under-powered friends at Lineham.

WHERE?

Careful, XP, or that Minelli woman will burst into song.................

It's Lyneham with a Y, not Lineham with (etc., etc., et boring cetera)

[Xplumberlives]

Oh, sorry I thought this was a game we ALL play!

[Mackrick]

XM655 MaPS team take a day out from their Winter Maintenance to check up on XH558 Winter Maintenance....

[Sooty655]

RHV is obviously over-awed by his visit to Lyneham today, so I have to post the pics of yesterday's work.

The top half as removed, with the two cracked stators showing.


Cleaned up and with the blades removed.


The removed blades. Two were replaced with spares, the rest refitted in their original positions.


The completed casing being lifted for re-installation.

[Sploosher]

Thanks for the pics Sooty.................

[Wedgy]

I'm ashamed this is my first read of this whole thread. Love the updates and pics - thanks all

[MOD]

Sooty, photo #1 should be framed, it is a beaut... I've seen worse efforts win the Turner Prize.

Ian


EDIT. I just can't stop looking at photo #1. Can I take a copy for a block mounted print? I love surreal aviation art. This shot has it all. Colour, texture and almost 3D depth PLUS it is of a subject that not many get to see close up.. I really think it is brilliant and the best aviation photo I have seen for years... and not photoshopped... .. And to those in the know - it tells a story!!


Ian

[Sooty655]

EDIT. I just can't stop looking at photo #1. Can I take a copy for a block mounted print? I love surreal aviation art. This shot has it all. Colour, texture and almost 3D depth PLUS it is of a subject that not many get to see close up.. I really think it is brilliant and the best aviation photo I have seen for years... and not photoshopped... .. And to those in the know - it tells a story!!

It isn't my permission to give, the picture was taken by Ramshornvortex. I suggest you pm him.

[Mayfly]

Now you mention MOD it does look good!!

Sooty I think I asked this last year but what do the stators do?

[RLN]

Basically, the stator blades guide the air from one compressor stage to the next to get the most energy from the air. It could be done without stator blades, but you would get nothing like the performance. The blades are also shaped to increase efficiency.

[Sooty655]

Sooty I think I asked this last year but what do the stators do?

The rotor blades give the air a push, which increases its velocity, and also give it a rotary motion. The stator blades turn the airflow back to a (roughly) fore-and-aft direction, and reduce the speed, turning the velocity into pressure.

Then the next stage does the same thing again. Each successive stage gets smaller, because the pressurised (squeezed) air takes up less space.

Compressor stages are always rotor followed by stator, turbine stages are always stator followed by rotor. Turbine stators are sometimes called nozzles.

[Teapot]

well done, guys, brill pics and graet video, she is still looking good

[Sooty655]

The more observant of our followers may have noticed that we didn't publish an update last week. This was because we spent the whole day working on infrastructure (new storage containers) and ground equipment (Bovril's sick tug), and repositioning the aircraft which we had previously moved to provide access for the container delivery.

This week we were able to continue with the No 3 engine inspection, and good progress was made. We removed the HP compressor top half casing and inspected the stator and rotor blading, rotor spacers, etc. Everything was found to be in very good order, and by the end of the day we had the casing back on and fully bolted up.

This is the top half casing showing the stators.....


..and the hole in the engine which it normally occupies.

Next week we will put back all the "dressing items" (external piping, bulkhead diaphragm, etc) and get ready to refit the engine in the aircraft.

I am also pleased to announce that Bovril's tug is now better ~ it's amazing what an overhaul of the ignition system will do for a poorly petrol engine.

[Mayfly]

Thanks Sooty -

a poorly tug eh! No wonder Bovril's been quiet of late

[Bovril]

yes the tug is much better

two weeks ago we tried to start her nothing, she eventually started but ran like S%$^"

last week "crew chief" and I fitted new points, plugs, dizzy cap, rotor, condenser

but she wouldnt start . We all felt the fault lay with the coil , and called it a day

But Sooty thought about it during week and he felt something was wrong with the points .. so he took a look on saturday and spotted a minor problem with one set. He corrected the points, and i then proceeded to replace the original coil with a nice new one and put the rest back together.

I turned her over and with the first crank there were signs of life., another crank and off she went

[Sploosher]

yes the tug is much better

two weeks ago we tried to start her nothing, she eventually started but ran like S%$^"

last week "crew chief" and I fitted new points, plugs, dizzy cap, rotor, condenser

but she wouldnt start . We all felt the fault lay with the coil , and called it a day

But Sooty thought about it during week and he felt something was wrong with the points .. so he took a look on saturday and spotted a minor problem with one set. He corrected the points, and i then proceeded to replace the original coil with a nice new one and put the rest back together.

I turned her over and with the first crank there were signs of life., another crank and off she went

Just goes to prove that its okay to be cranky sometimes...............

[Sooty655]

Horribly wet and cold at Wellesbourne this morning, but it got a bit better in the afternoon. We spent the day putting back most of the external plumbing on the No 3 engine, and we now only have a small amount left for next week. Painting and other repairs have also been completed in the engine bay, so we hope to get the engine hoisted back into place before close of play next Saturday.

[Mayfly]

thanks for update, pleased to see hear it's coming along

I trust you had your thermals on!!

[Sooty655]

:ymapplause: thanks for update, pleased to see hear it's coming along

I trust you had your thermals on!! :p

You betcha!

[Mayfly]

So come on then spill - is the engine ready to go back in?

[Ramshornvortex]

So come on then spill - is the engine ready to go back in?

It was safely and successfully hoisted back in last Saturday with only one teething problem which will be resolved this Saturday.

Lots of plumbing to do over the next two Saturdays, then a further Saturday as 'spare', followed by an EGR and aircrew training day on 26th March.

We're getting quite good at this now......the score: 4 engines taken out, 2 put back in!

[Mayfly]

So come on then spill - is the engine ready to go back in?

It was safely and successfully hoisted back in last Saturday with only one teething problem which will be resolved this Saturday.

Lots of plumbing to do over the next two Saturdays, then a further Saturday as 'spare', followed by an EGR and aircrew training day on 26th March.

We're getting quite good at this now......the score: 4 engines taken out, 2 put back in!

I hope you are counting the 2 from 603 or she'll be under powered!!

[Ramshornvortex]

I hope you are counting the 2 from 603 or she'll be under powered!!

Yes, only two 301s would be about the same power as '558 with all four 201s fitted.....

You're right of course, our tally includes removal of Nos 2 and 3 donks from '603.