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Gatwick Aviation Museum Today


bexwh773

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Hi ya Gang, spent today helping out our Lightning team refitting its bang seat without a chuffing crane, so we used the old fashioned method of Brute Force & Ignorance :lol: Oh :sorry: about the crap photos, me and cameras dont mix very well :yikes:

Enjoy

Bexy

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Hunter T7

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Nice one Bex... Which Lightning is that then? Is it one of the ex-Saudi ones?

Some good cockpits shots anyway ;)

Karl.

Thanks Karl, shes ZF579, ex Saudi F53. You wouldnt believe how much sand has been hoovered out of her. Oh the guy with cam, his Dad & Grandad both worked on this airframe when built @ Preston :yikes: Once they get the engines in, she'll be a static Ground Runner.

Bexy

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Great pix Bex, I have taken the liberty of "Right click, Save as" on a few, hope you don't mind.

Thought you may like this link over on Hyperscale. I know its another forum, but hey...

Hey Ozzie, youre more than welcome to nobble any pics I post on here, that applies to anyone else too.

BTW that Hyperscale very impressive but, er wrong :yikes: He got her nickname right of Pelicano (Pelican) but he missed off the reason why she was called Pelican.......... The Honeywell Bendix Radar Dome under the nose behind the bomb aimers nose position. Oh well Cranberry Anorak off now.

Bexy

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:angrysoapbox.sml::angrysoapbox.sml:I live in the wrong part of England :angrysoapbox.sml::angrysoapbox.sml: .

Good to see an ex Saudi bird getting some TLC, my one hope is that she will be resplendant in her origional RSAF colours, I notice that AC ground is connected, what equipment is operational?.

The stopwatch is also still in place, christ thats rare!!!, oh the questions! the list goes on!!!, I MUST get down and see you lot one day.

Regards,

John Von experiencing Lightning overload.

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:angrysoapbox.sml::angrysoapbox.sml:I live in the wrong part of England :angrysoapbox.sml::angrysoapbox.sml: .

Good to see an ex Saudi bird getting some TLC, my one hope is that she will be resplendant in her origional RSAF colours, I notice that AC ground is connected, what equipment is operational?.

The stopwatch is also still in place, christ thats rare!!!, oh the questions! the list goes on!!!, I MUST get down and see you lot one day.

Regards,

John Von experiencing Lightning overload.

Ow Do John Boy, I thought youd like these piccies, as we had her in "Convertable" Mode I thought Id take the oppo to get some Office Shots for you lot. Told ya before matey, pack ya bags and head south :tease: Creepy Crawley aint too bad.

She will be kept NMF but as RAF machine ZF579, but I think Milt and his gang will be leaving the Saudi squiggles on her. As for ground power, thats the DC plugged in, all DC systems I believe are up and running, wing tanks fueled and pressurised along with hydraulic system. The AC system is next on the list.

Bexy

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Well its a crying shame about the RAF markings, DC :doh: should have known that one!!.

John.

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Very nice pixs Bex! :goodjob:, Where is Gatwick Aviation museum by the way?

Gruffy, its actually at the Charlwood end of Gatwicks runway which is great for us :yahoo: but not very helpful if you dont know the area so here is the address:

Gatwick Aviation Museum

Vallance By-Ways

Lowfield Heath Road

Charlwood

Nr. Gatwick

Surrey

RH6 0BT

If you want directions from the M23 then just gimme a shout, and we have an open day the end of March with running our Shackleton.

Bex

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Gruffy, its actually at the Charlwood end of Gatwicks runway which is great for us :yahoo: but not very helpful if you dont

Lol , no wonder i can't find it! I was looking to the wrong part of gatwick!

Thanks for directions Bex!

:thumbsup2:

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Found this photo of 53-671 on her return flight to Warton in 1986 (only 22 years ago!!).

As a matter of interest, I seem to recall that these ex-Saudi aircraft were ofered to other airforces (Austria and Nigeria I think) as they were incompatible (with the RAF F6) and couldn't be integrated into the RAF - by then though their days were numbered of course..........

Delivery Flight Pic

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Thats a rather nice piccy Bill, Im just glad she didnt get sold to anyone else, especially as shes in brilliant condition, the Lightning Gang have had very few problems with her apart from stupid little leaks. One of the team used to work on Lightnings in Saudi, and said that this one was one of the most reliable of their fleet :yahoo:

Bexy

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  • 2 weeks later...
Ow Do John Boy, I thought youd like these piccies, as we had her in "Convertable" Mode I thought Id take the oppo to get some Office Shots for you lot. Told ya before matey, pack ya bags and head south :tease: Creepy Crawley aint too bad.

She will be kept NMF but as RAF machine ZF579, but I think Milt and his gang will be leaving the Saudi squiggles on her. As for ground power, thats the DC plugged in, all DC systems I believe are up and running, wing tanks fueled and pressurised along with hydraulic system. The AC system is next on the list.

Bexy

Hi Bex,

If you want any of that Arabic translating, send me a scan/pic, whatever.

Regards,

Dave.

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Hi Bex,

If you want any of that Arabic translating, send me a scan/pic, whatever.

Regards,

Dave.

Thanks Dave, I'll pass on your offer to the Lightning Gang, Im only an "Honary" member, you know, when they need some mug to help em do some grotty heavy labour :rofl:

Bex

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Thanks Karl, shes ZF579, ex Saudi F53. You wouldnt believe how much sand has been hoovered out of her. Oh the guy with cam, his Dad & Grandad both worked on this airframe when built @ Preston :yikes: Once they get the engines in, she'll be a static Ground Runner.

Bexy

Sweet pit shots, Bex. Now to the more important matters. To hell with {she'll be a static Ground Runner} get that bird airborne ASAP. A veteran like that deserves to be where it was built to be; not running around on the ground. I equate that to single man telling his girlfriend we'll get married soon, but never asking her.

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Sweet pit shots, Bex. Now to the more important matters. To hell with {she'll be a static Ground Runner} get that bird airborne ASAP. A veteran like that deserves to be where it was built to be; not running around on the ground. I equate that to single man telling his girlfriend we'll get married soon, but never asking her.

Thanks :clif: The Gang are rebuilding it to a standard high and legal enough that if the gits at the CAA ever let us fly a Lightning, she'll be ready for the Big Blue.

Bex

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  • 2 weeks later...
Great pics, Bex. I've got two of the Airfix 48th kits to do so these shots are most welcome. Do you think she'll ever get airborne again?

Tony :clif:

Tony, the Milton (the poser in the cockpit) and his team are actually rebuilding her to such a high standard, that if the :fuhrer:CAA would let us fly a Lightning she would pass all inspections, but alas they wont let them fly in the UK :crying: so ground runner only Im afraid. If you want anymore photos like that before the engines go back in let me know and I'll grab em for ya.#

Bexy

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