Warbird Information Exchange

Two more aircraft are preparing to depart the Olympic Flight Museum for a new home.

Disassembly of the English Electric Lightning, and Hawker Hunter was started this last Friday in preparation for their shipment.







Sorry for the long shots, but I was busy at work and didn't have time to swing over for close ups.

I've been told that both aircraft will be shipped north to Canada where they are to be the subject of a long term restoration to flying condition.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

who where when???

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Cheers,
Peter

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I was up there a few months ago. The Lightning is going to be real long term and mega bucks to restore to flying condition. Good luck to those who are attempting to do so though.

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

I don't know if I am at liberty to divulge that specific information.

Maybe Mustangpilot will check in and give out some details as he sees fit.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

An airworthy Lightning is a beautiful sight Remember seeing an high speed pass at Leuchars in the 80's. Wow. Wouldn't like the fuel bill though!!! Those were the same days when 111 Squadron Phantoms would scramble for real during airshows to intercept those pesky Bears. Ahh, the memories

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If the first casualty of war is innocence, the second is sobriety - Hawkeye.
Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws - Plato.
Lies get halfway round the world before the truth has a chance to get it's pants on - Churchill
If you are going through he11 - keep going - Churchill

Well, at least Brad got all the spiders cleaned out

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Don't touch my junk!!

Because of my flying schedule and upcoming PCS to Oklahoma, I couldn't get leave to make it out there. But I was asked to come up and take them apart since I was the one that put them together originally. Of course it was with lots of help from a few other guys at the museum.

The lightning will be a big project to get flying again as the corrosion is just awful. We had it all put together and just didn't have time to get it up on its gear before I had to leave for a flight to Afghanistan. Orders were left to not touch anything and I would get it on it's gear when I returned. I even had the crane reserved and everything. When I came back a few weeks later, a mechanic who thought he knew more about it than I did had it up on its gear.

Unfortunately, because he didn't know what he was doing, he used a porta-power to lower the landing gear. That wouldn't have been a problem except he didn't take time to remove the gear door uplock. So, when the left gear forced it's way out, it broke the door off the wing, tearing up the mount when it happened. It wasn't the uplock that tore off, mind you, it was the structure in the wing where the door was attached. When I saw it and asked what happened, his reply was "well it wasn't gonna fly anyhow."

It could fly...but I think the chances are very small. We had a lot of fun getting it together though! If we had hanger space to keep them in Olympia, they might not be leaving.

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Brad

Wasn't there a group in Texas or Southeast somewhere trying to get a lightening flying again?

Tom P.

Yes. http://www.lightning422supporters.co.uk/

Brad, they always say patience pays off. So sad to hear about the damage done to her wing. I would guess that would be a difficult repair to make towards flying her?

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Cheers,
Peter

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I guess in the scheme of all that would be required to get old girl in the air, that particular damage wouldn't be that hard to tend to. It would involve replacing a large casting in the wing that served as the mounting point for the door and the part might be hard to find. The problem is that the casting is a big part of the wing structure.

When we put the plane together, we took some shortcuts because it was going to be a static display. Nothing that couldn't be easily addressed in an airworthy restoration and nothing that hurt the airplane. Some damage was done during shipping from Mississippi and it had some other problems from being in a storage yard for a while in England. Nothing that was done while we had the plane at the museum would fit in the airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration." category that my friend Curt has as his signiture line.

Corrosion is going to be the issue with the entire airplane.

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Brad

Where are they expecting to source the Avpin from?

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

Avpin?

I was hoping to get some shots of the damaged area today but got held up at work by a Lear 45 that dropped in.

Hopefully tomorrow.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

Heap big white man magic for make bang to go & other hilarious consequences.

http://www.rhodesianforces.org/No1sqnavpin.html

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Must be some around as there are other hunters still flying in the world.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."