ENGLISH ELECTRIC LIGHTNING F53

ZF579

REFURBISHMENT

01/02/2000

Section 1

ZF 579 Airframe Pre Restoration Survey. Carried out 07/2001.

The airframe is generally in good order. There is no generally no corrosion in stress bearing areas, though there are local areas of corrosion in the gear bays, which will require attention. Most corrosion, is surface oxidation only and is treatable. Ribs, spars and frames are all in good order, showing no signs of corrosion. The outer skin of the airframe has suffered, since retirement. Deterioration is mainly limited to surface oxidation resulting in a dull grey appearance instead of the original highly polished finish. The lower centre section of the fuselage, or high stress panel (Running between frames 25 and 45, under the wings) has degraded slightly more than the rest of the outer skin, resulting in some light surface pitting and some fine coating of white aluminum oxide. Overall the outer skin is good enough to strip back and buff to a high finish, though the high stress panels require more care to remove surface corrosion. These would normally be inspected on a flight to flight basis. All access panels, have already been painted in silver/grey, presumably during service.

During the ageing process, most warning and service/identification text has faded away and will also require attention. The hinged jet pipe access panels have corroded significantly. These will be removed and replaced with restored spares. All spine panels, bar that covering the emergency DC generator compartment, have corroded very badly, leaving all compartments exposed to potential water damage through the compromised outer skins. All will require replacement with new or re-skinned panels where possible. Likewise, cable duct covers are also in a similar condition. Both of these areas have deteriorated due to the lighter grade of magnesium alloy from which they are constructed.

The outer airframe will be treated with an oxidation and scale removal acid, to prepare the surface for buffing and polishing with compound. Internal areas such as the gear bays will require paint striping and treatment with anti corrosion agents before repainting. Corrosion X or Dinatrol. The poor condition of the current paint finish has resulted in localised areas of moisture ingress, and also resulting in heavy corrosion on gear leg fairings, all fairings will require significant attention, though spares are in much better condition. Gear legs are in good order, showing no signs of structural corrosion, mainly surface oxidation. Similarly all PFCU and gear jacks show no corrosion, since they have been protected in the retracted position during storage. The cockpit has suffered some water damage in the bottom 3 inches, below the seat base, due to flooding and moisture ingress through rain dispersal ducts. Resultantly some electrics such as seat motor have been corroded and rendered inoperative. Water has also progressed downward, from the cockpit into the hot air equipment and throttle linkage compartments (port side) and control rod coupling compartments(s/board), rectification will require seat removal for general cockpit restoration. Said control compartments do not appear to have suffered any corrosion.

Upon retirement the engines were removed, along with jet pipes, and a large majority of components, significantly reducing stress on the airframe, whilst in storage.

AIRFRAME-REASSEMBLY

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. 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 Scrase 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

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 shortly after reconstruction

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(regions JB7 and JB8) and the elevators fitted. The rearmost ventral tank has also been fitted, although this is likely to be removed again to facilitate access.

Final View after re-assembly.