Mattie Bee

The Step is correct, I may have over sized it very slightly but the step is there. I Still have a little tidying up to do, especially on the Starboard side of the Wind screen and I am also aware I have the shape slightly wrong above the nose but I will be addressing this. The angle of the picture does not help as most real life images are taken looking up as the Windscreens not down. But They are reasonable + or - 1mm or so

Its been very fiddly and I now have a headache from straining, but I have finished the windscreen wipers, i've even impressed myself.

Well there are a fair few so I'm taking my time and doing one or two a day. And i'm afraid I don't get paid for my photography so you will have to live with what you get, but I will take on the advice.

My reply will have to be: I have been commissioned to build this, I also work on the aircraft and have done for 6 years now so have an unfair advantage. Its a certainty that the model will come in to contact with the real XW665 so I have had to detail it to the max. But please don't let this put you off, or anyone else for that matter, from doing your own models. As I have said before I am happy to help anyone with any information I can. Obviously there is a lot of sensitive information I cannot divulge. But please don't not build your own aircraft because of mine, its still a reasonable kit with out all the correct detailing I have done. So looking forward to your 2 builds

The observant ones amongst you may have noticed that I removed the Wing Leading edge details a while ago. So today they have gone back on including the Wing Fence that the kit is missing

Oh I forgot to mention, In the middle image you can see the correct set up of the Flap. The Outboard Plain Flaps sit slightly lower than the aileron. This is an aerodynamic feature and not an error on my part As seen in this image

The Squadron have original images of 64 as she in 1974, with the Pannier Bay open and you can make them out.

Yes they have always been there. but there very thin panels. There .50mm plasticard sanded very very thinly.

All the lower Aerials and Antennas added. The "Serrated" Sections on the lower Pannier doors are strengtheners

Its the Tire Pressure, just need to put the date. Its a thing the Tire Bay does, They Mark the Pressure and the Date on them in chalk as there stored for a while before we get them and they regularly check them as an empty tire is knackered. Just need to see whats written on the others when I go in tomorrow

Oh yes she is looking good And I'm glad I've been of help. I only have 2 Months to finis mine now, hope I can stop finding little missing details

I'm back.................................I'll sort the images out soon but on with the build. U/C all painted up, just need to add the brake pipes and weather them a little. All the roof mounted Antenna Finished, just the lower ones to do. A few more little details added, Hot Rod and Escape hatch hand grips. Still loads to do, but everytime look at it I add a little more detail. Wipers next

What was the weather, surrounding terrain, relative position, direction and speed of the aircraft? As these all affect the sound that you hear. "The Doppler Effect" Sounds like something has lessened the shear sound of the hot exhaust gases hitting the cooler surrounding air. So you are in fact hearing the Compressors Spinning/wining. When I was in the block at Kinloss over flying Nimrods sounded like Commercial Airliners at night because of a similair effect

"Most of us don't wear it anyway" That is an inaccurate statement. Having been at RAF Waddington for 6 Years now I have rarely seen people in civi's The whole station is a wash of blue with a hint of Green (Due to 5 Sqns Army contingent) All of the Station and Squadrons Management wear Blues, aircrew wear Blues when not flying and I were blues when Duty Hangar Controller or Tool Stores as does everyone else. But how would dropping the uniform save money? It will be a massive waste if it is dropped think of all the spares in stores and the cost of disposal and if we drop ours are the navy to do the same? I for one are proud of my 100 year old uniform, (Yes I know it was originally green) but look at it, especially our No1s, it realy has not changed.

You have to remember that your supervisors have more that one person to supervise and cannot be there all the time so in that case do what I do> Drag them over when you get to a critical point in the task. Its never inconvenient, not when safety is the primary concern. Even if the aircrew are wanting to go an hour ago, we can say no. Example for me being a valve change; The supervisor doesn't really need to see you take it out. I get them over before I start the fitment, happy that the area and ducts are clear then fit the seals and claps whilst their there, There also a second pair of hands, When the clamps are on they can go off supervise someone else and leave you to tighten the thing up and connect it electrically then when your finished they come back check torque settings and orientation. Then on to the Ground run. After which it gets locked up bay checked and done I'm sure the principles are ths same for your "Black boxes" You take the box out, get your supervisore to watch you put the box in then call over the Riggers to wirelock it

I have read in to this one and In my opinion the court is correct. The Aircraft was a ATR 42 and on the previous flight the same pilot snagged the Fuel Level Indicator. A replacement was fitted but was the wrong type, that of a ATR 72, which is a larger aircraft so gave a 1800Kgs over reading. No fuel was placed in to the aircraft over night and the Pilot noted in the morning that he had an increased fuel load but left without the refueling chit or confirming the situation after the dispatcher said he would look for it and give it to him when he gets back. My understanding is he must have that chit before he leaves, no matter what the dispatcher says. Also when he had the double engine failure after numerous failed engine starts he did not feather the props which if he had would of enabled the aircraft to glide past the airport he was attempting to divert to. But back on to the original Topic. This isn't really a new thing. We all have a duty to the aircraft and its crew, and I certainly can say I have never signed for some thing I have not done, if I have been asked to do so I basically start the job again. I cannot vouch for everyone but I am certain what I do. It may annoy the supervisors but rather that then have the aircraft go down and your stood there in front of the board of inquiry with your name on the job that brought it down and your saying I never did the task I just signed for it. Aircraft paper work is not just a bunch of signatures that need to be done to get the aircraft airborne. They are legally binding documents, and its not worth the risk.

At the moment no as I'm still overseas My usual image host has shut up shop and lost all the images so I will have to upload to Photobucket, but that will have to wait till I return

Primered the whole aircraft yesterday and that will be it for a while as I deploy overseas. So will update soon.

Oh yeah. Thanks to Roland for originaly posting this http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5333

Sorry its been a while. Work has been rather intense at the moment and the last thing I wanted to look at was a another Nimrod. So a few little details today. The Pitots and Q Head and most of the upper antennas and aerials. All that is missing is the "Towel Rail" and HF Aerial Mounts

The Tip Pods are almost complete, just need to put a grill over the airframe anti ice outlet the HF Antenna upper mount fitted And the new Antenna mounts fitted to 65 as seen in a link previous on this thread, I'm afraid I can give no details on these and the only reference is the previous post on this thread

Thanks Mate

That's the plan. but weather the Sqn keep it on the base is up to them.

The ring around the tail cone is a strengthener, can just be seen in this image as a dirty brown colour. The two raised ribs are static bonding strips and should be silver This is how the top of the tail cone looks

I had a look at 65 and there are no raised surround to the manhole covers were 49 has, so that'll teach me to use 49 as a reference in the future. Hopefully its clear, but I will take some more tomorrow in the light of day. The bottom of the Engines so far. Still a few lines to scribe on the port side but you get the general idea