Super Guppy Restoration

[Xplumberlives]

You're right Gaz that does look much better in the second picture! Mind you it might just be that the working platform was moved out of the way!

[Gaz]

29th Feb.

First day back since my holiday (I got the new bulbs BTW), I spent a lot of time chiselling at this:



on the other side of the nacelle I started. I've bashed all the corroded aluminium off, it was badly de-laminated, and now it's back to good, strong metal. I've sprayed it with acid etching primer, soon I'll fill and sand it ready for paint.

That took quite a while, but I did manage to get a bit of paint on.

Before:



And after:



Considering I didn't have that much time, I feel like I got a bit done!

Well, quite!

[Gaz]

Nice video from our friends in Toulouse, of #2's arrival at their museum

[Gaz]

Ok, last time I'll be there this month, so, here's the March update:

10th March

Actually had some help today, so, we could finally test the boom on the cherry picker:



It works!!

I went up in it, not to that height, the basket is too damaged to risk a human at that height. I did go up as high as the cheat line though. It's a very good bit of kit, everything works as it should. We are going to start repairing the basket on Wednesday.

It seems to have developed a fairly serious oil leak though, but, with the speed and location (Filler cap) of where it was coming out, we think it's just a seal.

I also started the work on filling that corrosion hole on the nacelle.

Good few hours work, all in all


14th March

The filler I applied to that corroded patch in the nacelle had gone off, so sanded and painted



The patch is right at the bottom, dead centre on that photo. You can just about make it out. I'm not overly happy with the finish, but, it's the best I could do with the equipment available to me. It looks better anyway



ALSO, I located the source of the oil leak on the cherry picker:



It's not a part I'm familiar with on a car engine. If anyone has any knowledge of lorry engines, I'd appreciate your input!


21st March

Frustrating day today. The cherry picker hasn't been fixed yet and, probably, won't be. It turns out it's the pump, not just the seals. The owner is reluctant to pay for a new pump as it would cost more than the truck is worth. The search is on for a suitable pump on site. We think there might be one we can use on an older truck.

My height issues were made worse when the platform I was using seized up. So I spent a couple of hours lubricating stuff and whacking things with hammers. I got it working again though.

I only had enough time left to do this:



Finished painting that panel and started to de-moss the next one.

Such a shame considering the glorious weather


24th March

Another beautiful day and, with my rickety old hydraulic platform working, I was able to get a lot done.

Finished the first nacelle and put the blanks in:





First time the blanks have been in since she arrived with us in 1996. I found them, by accident, right in the bowels of the aircraft.

Started the second nacelle:




And got a good amount of it done:



And took this one to give an idea of what the two would look like when they're both finished




It's really coming on now. As much as we need the rain at the minute, I'm secretly hoping for the weather to stay fine


28th March

Good day today! The weather was perfect and allowed me to crack on.

We've inflated the main gear as much as we dare, at least the tyres don't look flat now. Also, we've managed to get the tail jack out of the mud and retracted, so, the aircraft has been pulled forwards, enough to get the tail jack on the concrete. It's been in the mud for a few weeks and has seized a bit, so, we've drowned it in oil and are giving it a few days to work.

After all that, I didn't have much time to paint, but...

Finished one side inboard port side nacelle:




And started the other side.

Before:



After:




It's all good!

[Xplumberlives]

Bravo that man!

Good to see you're keeping busy!

[MOD]

Well done Gaz.


Ian

[RLN]

Coming on a treat.

[Dan4th]

You KNOW how I love that aircraft!

Keep it up, Gaz, there are many
Guppy Lovers behind you PUSHING

Seriously, I think you understand
you aren't alone on this project.........

Even though it might SEEM like that
at times........

Danf.

[Gaz]

Cheers everyone!

It does mean a lot, to get positive comments. Kinda keeps you going!

I couldn't have got as far as I have without peoples support, be that DW or everybody else's donations.

Thank You!

[Xplumberlives]

Oh get on with it and stop turning in to Kate Winslet!

[Gaz]

I was going more for "An Evening With Liza Minnelli"

[Xplumberlives]

[Bubbles]

Thought i'd give a quick update today, we made head roads into getting the knackerd tail jack fixed, after two days of swearing, scraped knuckles, bumped heads, wire in eye we got the sodding thing out the aeroplane, Saturday will see Gaz and me beating the crap out of it untill it works.

[Dan4th]

Now, THERE'S a Vid I'd LOVE to SEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Hey, Bubs, I hope this isn't just a rare visit.......

We could use you on here, you know!!!!!!!

Danf.

[Gaz]

Now, THERE'S a Vid I'd LOVE to SEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Hey, Bubs, I hope this isn't just a rare visit.......

We could use you on here, you know!!!!!!!

Danf.

Here, hear!!



Seriously though, good to see you posting, mate!!


And that locking wire in the eye looked like it REALLY hurt!!

[Bubbles]

It hurt like a biatch mate

[MOD]

Hi Gregg. It was good to see you again at Brunty. I hope you enjoyed your taxi run.

It was very dark when the Buccs eventually taxied up and down the runway but Clunes, as usual, got the best shots.

Ian

[Jigsaw]

Just caught up on this. Well done Gaz (and Gregg). Bloody brilliant. I admire your time and dedication to this. I have said before, if only I could I would jump at the chance to help. Instead I shall applaud your efforts from afar and wish you continued success. Well done mate

Good to see a post from Gregg as well

[Bubbles]

Good seeing you again Ian and in better circumstances! I'm alive and well and still messing with aeroplanes. I'll be around as often as time permits

You still owe me that Snoopy shirt Jiggy

[Jigsaw]

Good seeing you again Ian and in better circumstances! I'm alive and well and still messing with aeroplanes. I'll be around as often as time permits

You still owe me that Snoopy shirt Jiggy

I was only thinking about that a couple of weeks back when I was in Ely I left Marshall's 3 years ago mate (time flies). I did have a contact and I asked him if he could get one (he got me the clock made from one of 558's Maxerets(sp) ) but don't even know if he is still there .
I know it doesn't help but I havent forgotten

Keep well mate and keep posting

[Sickbag_andy]

remember me?
just popping in to say that I've done an update on the superguppy website this evening, you've probably most of the news on here anyway but just giving a heads up, there's a link at the bottom of the home page to the update (if you go via the home page it adds to the counter - got to make that 10000 somehow!

http://www.superguppy.co.uk/index.html

[Gaz]

remember me?
just popping in to say that I've done an update on the superguppy website this evening, you've probably most of the news on here anyway but just giving a heads up, there's a link at the bottom of the home page to the update (if you go via the home page it adds to the counter - got to make that 10000 somehow!

http://www.superguppy.co.uk/index.html

Cheers Andy, I would have hassled you come June anyway

[Sickbag_andy]

no probs, it's just a pain as the programme for it is on my old computer and i have to set that up to do it, for some reason i cank get the upload to work on my newer one will have to have a play round to see if I can find the problem

[Gaz]

April update for your perusal:

11th April

Sometime in the past couple of weeks, I finished the port side nacelles



I think they look fantastic!

Then today, me, Gregg and Emma set about removing the tail jack. It can't be done with it in situ, believe me we tried!!

Removing bits:




Almost out:



We did get it out, but I didn't get a photo. Dear god this thing is HEAVY, it's a good job we had three people! But, it's out now. On Saturday we'll start servicing it and hopefully get it functioning again.

A good team effort today. To give credit where it's due, Gregg did most of the work, but, in the end, it needed three people!


14th April

So, we got the Jack outside and, once we'd been able to have a proper look at it, we sorted it fairly easily. It wasn't seized, there's a retaining rod inside that had failed, distorted and was jamming the whole system up. We took out the offending article and that solved the problem.

Here's Gregg, giving the ram some attention before we put it back:



Also, we had a new starter today, Neil. We gave him a glamorous job:



Not the most exciting job in the world, but, we've ALL done a bit of cleaning and painting at some point, hell, that's pretty much ALL I do

So a good day, all in all. Wednesday will see me and Gregg swearing a lot whilst reinstalling the tail jack


18th April

HORRENDOUS weather today, luckily, the job of the day was all indoors. It saw Gregg, Emma and myself wrestling with the tail jack, first to get it back into position, then to fix as many bolts before we ran out of time



We are getting there though!

Hopefully, Saturday will see it finished


25th April.

Tail jack's back in:



And working!:




Just need to attach the footplate (It's in my garage being refurbished) and it's done! It might not seem like much, but, this has been a problem since day one, it's never worked properly. Feel like we turned another corner today!


26th April

Neil wanted to do a bit today, so, as the weather is dire, I pointed him in the direction of the cargo hold. He managed to get a couple of panels done.

Before:




And after:




Looks like a pretty good job to me!



A productive month, all in all!

The first few days in May will ALL be about preening for the open day, but, if Hurricane Jedward ( bloody annoying, came from nowhere, sounds terrible and it's wet) carries on, I doubt we'll have many visitors

[Bubbles]

Quick question .......WTF is Cowbell?