ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING F53

ASSEMBLING Ex RSAF F53 53-671 - ZF579

The major components are all assembled together ready to be fitted. Here is shown the fuselage, nose and the front ventral tank.

As can be seen this is effectively one large aircraft model kit, well sort of! The wings are being assembled on the ground supported by tyres. The port wing can just be seen in the foreground.

The wings are fitted together and Andy Scrase (Monarch Airlines) completes the attachment of the last brackets and bolts.

Final checks are made by Andy and Scott Mortby (British Airways) to ensure that the integral fuel tanks are sealed.

The assembled wings are now ready to be attached to the fuselage. The sealed tank areas and the four rows of bolts holding the two wings together can clearly be seen, a similar number of bolts are on the underside of the two wings.

The two crates containing the two Rolls Royce Avon 302's are used as a trestle. The fuselage will be moved by crane into position and fitted to the wings from the rear.

With the fuselage mated to the wing sections the long process of fitting the bolts and nuts begins. Initially only the major bolts will be fitted, eventually every nut and bolt will be put into place.

With the major supporting bolts in place the nose section can be offered up to be fitted.(Yes, we know its the wrong way round!)

The nose section (now the correct way round!) is attached to the fuselage and wings by four large bolts. This piece weighs over 2.5 tons! Now the sections are coming together it's actually starting to look like a Lightning!

The supporting bolts are now done up and the crane can be re-positioned to lift the complete aircraft. The undercarriage will have to lowered and locked in place before the end of the day. Inspection of the nose undercarriage begins, it WILL extend!.

With the main assemblies now in place the undercarriage was lowered and ZF579 stood on it own legs for the first time for many years. The last job for the crane was to lift the fin into place and a long, hard but highly satisfying day came to an end.

This is the view facing rearwards, the picture is taken inside the fuselage where the lower engine normally fits.

The reverse view shows the intake up to and past the bullet.

ZF579 now has the leading edge tanks fitted, the wiring inside this area has been connected and the elevators fitted. The rearmost ventral tank has also been fitted, although this is likely to be removed again to facilitate access.

From the front, the clean lines of the wings with the tanks fitted is evident.

Further work carried out recently has been to start repairing the cut cables. The 28V ground power connection has been repaired and now we can begin to bring DC services back into action. See the next items for a detailed account of the work so far.