Victor K2 XL231

[Xplumberlives]

Cracking progress lads, well done ALL!

[Blue_2]

Can the Weather Gods be Bribed

It's worth a shot!

And do you have a low temperature under
which your paint won't work properly?

Under 8 degrees C it won't cure. We're getting to the time now where the day isn't over that for very long. In addition the damp skin of the aircraft is taking longer to dry on a morning, and the nights are drawing in too so we lose time at both ends of the day. We are determined to finish the job before winter sets in though.

Cheers XPL!

[Blue_2]

bonus day off yesterday so I went to have a nice peaceful day working on the jet by myself. I know Rich had got so far with prepping the screen frames so I took on the Starboard side of the screen and the hatch. First job was to mask up the glass, as I didn't want to damage the invaluable cockpit glazing with ham-fisted sanding or painting! This was a fairly long and fiddly job to do right. I rubbed down all the starboard side screen frames, a very awkward little job. I took all the steel fixings to bare metal to rid them of surface corrosion and then primered everyting to within an inch of its life.
After lunch I continued, more prep was needed on the frames around the glazing in the starboard top canopy panel I felt, with steel fixings there needing attention too. The glazing area has clearly not seen the most thorough of prep work during repaints in the past, as a thick layer of green camo paint was still very much in evidence!
I then decided that seeing as the sun had put in a guest appearance I'd hemp the area while it was still all masked up. Below you can see the results





Hopefully it'll have cured ok. The temperature felt warm enough, as warm as we're going to get on an afternoon in early November anyway.
I'll be back in Sunday so next report early next week. I'll get some decent photos then- the port side is painted, just needs the nose section doung. The starboard side had its rear 1/3 painted. Hopefully there'll be some progress along the fuselage this weekend if the weather's kind

[Ramshornvortex]

Where did you get your windscreen wipers, Blue?

Halfords by any chance....?

[Dan4th]

I wondered that, too, RHV.....

They have a distinctly automotive look
to them

I'm sure Mister Blue and crew will get
the right ones soon enuff, though....

I just love seeing the progress

Danf.

[Ramshornvortex]

I'm sure Mister Blue and crew will get
the right ones soon enuff, though....

If he wants some 'new' ones from a proper aeroplane manufacturer (AVRO), he can ask me. I am sure they can be adjusted to fit a Handley Page jobbie!

[Blue_2]

Ramshornvortex they are indeed automotive wipers as Andre couldn't source any of the correct ones in a serviceable condition when the last set expired. If you've some you'd like to donate to a worthy cause we'd be grateful though!
This weekend saw a Saturday crew and a Sunday crew, as it's a race against the waether now. The guys in on Saturday made massive progress. Here's some shots of the new paint on the Starboard side.





And Lindy, masked over for now, looked like she was in the film 'Avatar'!

Yesterday we had as you can see a grey, cold dismal day. I decided to get some filling of dents sorted on the port side nose, while Rich carried on rubbing down.
This had a nasty dent where the stubborn panel had been pried open. Not now!

Rich scratting away at the old paint

After lunch I decided to finish the prep of the port screen frames and get them and the IFR probe painted. The probe was the obvious choice to start with, seen here after painting and after I'd removed the cover off the cockpit windows. Didn't want them hemp too!



Then it was to the screen frames. As I had done with the starboard side I masked the glass prior to prep, as I didn't want to damaged the glass while sanding. Here the hemp is partly done.

I was worried that, given the cold temperatures the paint wouldn't cure. I'm still waiting to hear if it's ok, but it looked fine when we left.



Rich got done the bits he wanted to do, and John busied himself with giving Lindy some ground power for a while. Overall given the weather I think we did well yesterday. Still to do, a patch of the starboard fuselage, the port nose, the RAT scoops to complete, a trim tab and a couple of other little bits. Fingers crossed these will be done this week, I hope to assist towards the end of the week so we'll see. A couple of unusual shots to finish, a high head on of Lindy

And a view Andre christened the 'Basket's eye view' of a Victor, right from the tip of the refuelling probe.

Remember, we're doing Movember this year with all proceeds to 2 very good causes. Should you wish to know more or even donate all the info you need can be found on our blog

[Ramshornvortex]

Blue - see your PMs.

[Dan4th]

Thanks, Blue

The last and next to last are ones
you ought to save and sell!!!!!

I've ordered some warmer temps
for you guys for next weekend

Danf.

[Xplumberlives]

Very well done lads!

Almost there!

[MOD]

Brilliant work Graham.

Do you know who was responsible for the original Lusty Lindy artwork?


EDIT: I see when Andre acquired her XL231 had a white chin - why was this? Pardon my ignorance.


Ian

[Blue_2]

RHV, replied. Many thanks.

Danf, thanks, glad you like the pics! Hope the good weather's delivered on time

Cheers XPL, Ian. She's very close to done now. Cpl. Andy Price did the original nose art.

Ian I'm not sure what you mean re. Lindy's chin mate, Lindy had the standard hemp/grey colour scheme when she flew into retirement, see here: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-makpQatLPKI/T ... ington.jpg

[MOD]

This is on the Victor Association website. Will 231 look the same as this? I can't tell from your latest pics.




Ian

[Blue_2]

Mate that's grey not white, and she's always been like that! It's the grey all her undersides are painted in.I took that photo with flash one murky day about a year ago, that may be why it looks white.

Edit: I've had a fiddle with one of the above pics, you should be able to see her grey bib in it now

[MOD]

Got it.

[Blue_2]

Goodoh!
Further news, I'm told yesterday Andre got the port side of the nose repainted, so her whole front end is in hemp now. Think we're going to win!
Also another arty shot from the weekend for DanF

[Sploosher]

Thanks for the latest update and pics Graham...............

[Blue_2]

Morning all! This update should've been up on Thursday, my apologies for slacking!
Andre had been in on Monday and broken the rollers out. His mission was to get the nose completed, and he won. The difference when you walk out from between the buildings is really striking

Closer up



A shiny Victor nose...?!

I was however foolish and had forgotten the key for the jet, so just had to get on using whatever I had to hand. I decided to give the lower nose hatch some tlc; this is still in its original RAF paint!

A bit further on, awaiting the filler setting and bare areas primed

We also had a very interesting visit from Andy Kellett, one of Lindy's former drivers, the last to qualify as a Victor captain and thoroughly nice chap. He's already been shanghai'd into doing an article and providing some pics of Lindy while she was in service so keep an eye on the blog for that one!

Finally, a gratuitous new paint shot

We'll be back at the jet today, and intend to complete the hemp work; hopefully the next installment on here from me will start with the words 'we've' and 'finished' in large letters!

[Gaz]

She's looking great!

[Sploosher]

She's looking great!

oh yes............

[Dougs]

Bang tidy!

[Dan4th]

Hey, Mister Blue.......

So, is Hemp legal in the UK??????

Hope so

Anyhow, what I'm wondering now that she's
all prettified is: What's up next on the "List"?

Danf.

[Blue_2]

Only when it's smeared all over a V-bomber Danf!

Next up will be a brake rebuild. Seeing as next year we hope to get some use out of them......

I have a fairly major update for you from yesterday, one or two of you may find interesting. A beautiful day with 6 of the team present meant that we should be able to make good progress. Could we get the hemp phase of the repaint finally finished? I'll split the report into the different jobs we did for ease of reading.
We had to wait to commence as the jet was a tad damp, in fact still had a coating of frost in places.





While waiting for the jet to dry I decided to continue work on the H2S access panel. Here it is seen in mid-prep.

Primed

And in new paint

After the paint had dried it was refitted by Rich and I, then a couple of blemishes touched in (hence the lighter patches)

While waiting for the still damp starboard side of the fuselage to dry enough to paint, Andre and our pet patient arts and crafts person got on with the stencilling on the nose. Here, Andre looks smug as he's found the petrol pump mission tally stencil. Ian just looks confused.

First pumps on. The black ones would have been done too, had some kind person not made off with our black paint...

Fire extinguisher being applied

And done

Lettering being applied. The lighter patches round some of the letters are hemp paint touch-ups, invisible now the hemp has dried

Ian got on with the fiddly work of masking and beginning the repaint of Lindy, starting with the blue bits. Not sure what he's up to here...

Masking up

trimming the masking tape round the very fiddly 'Lusty Lindy' lettering

new blue paint applied

Ian removing the masking

And de-masked and with the blue bits refreshed, and more stencilling completed


Part the Second of this week's bulletin is a tale of paint, paint and more paint, beards, and a miracle! Here we go.

Rich decided while the Light Aircraft Grey was out to re-do the panel where the bomb aimer's window used to be. Here it is seen part prepped

And here I bring news of the weekend's miracle; John using a sander! Rich looks on, bemused, amazed and surprised but approving of the sight of John getting his hands dirty!

Later I gave it a coat of LAG

Time was getting on, and the starboard side of the fuselage, the last major part of the aircraft still to see fresh hemp, was declared dry enough to paint. So Andre broke the roller out and got painting

I did the high bits Andre couldn't reach, and the side of the RAT




The side was soon nearly complete, and John was given the honour of painting the last bit. Here he is about to do the deed

Aaaand......done!

After clearing away and some other jobs it was time to stand back and admire the team's hard work before the sun went totally.





Seen with the Nimrod, and John and Andre giving scale to the aircraft and the job.

A couple from over the Nimrod's shoulder



I couldn't resist this shot of the 2 jets with the sun and an aura behind.

So, the main part of the repaint is now done. One side of one RAT, a trim tab and the parachute doors still need doing, plus some other odds and sods. But I can say WE'VE (nearly) FINISHED!

One other bit of business, Movember. 4 of the participants were present yesterday, I present the Rogues' Gallery!

It really is us; We haven't rounded up the residents of a nearby homeless shelter and stood them in front of the jet, honest...

Remember we're doing this for 2 very good causes, so please support us if you can. Info can be found on the blog.

[Dan4th]

Just amazing what you've accomplished

She is looking entirely Spiffy (!) and even
though there are some dribs and drabs yet
to do, I think you guys ought to be proud!

Brakes, eh?

Brakes are GOOD, after all, especially when
you are in a Moving Aircraft

Hope that most of the brake work can be
accomplished inside where it's warm and
toasty!

Perhaps down at the Homeless Shelter

Thanks for the report, Blue!

Danf.

[MOD]

Great work. Great shots.


ibw