BBMF Maintenance contract outsourced.

[Al R]

What happens to the engineers? Can we expect a Duxford dash?

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/NewMaintenanceContractForBattleOfBritainFighters.htm

"The contract for the maintenance of the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) Spitfires and Hurricanes has been awarded to the Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) at Duxford."

[Hot Charlie]

Reading the article I think this is just the overhauls of the fighters - which for the past few years have been done in Area 51 at Duxford anyway by HFL...

[Green Flash]

BBMF to be transfered to IWM, anyone?

[stiknruda]

Relocation to IWM?

Did Kesteven DC and L/Rover not provide some of the funding for the new BBMF hangar? If so, surely there is some clause about not relocating?

[Hot Charlie]

Relocation to IWM?

Did Kesteven DC and L/Rover not provide some of the funding for the new BBMF hangar? If so, surely there is some clause about not relocating?

I think the above was tongue-in-cheek.

This is no change to the norm, just a change of company doing the overhauls (to a company in the same building?).:)

[pr00ne]

What new BBMF hangar?

The B1 they operate out of is 66 years old......................

[Rigga]

Surely this is no different from letting someone else do the majors on the Lanc?
Either way, there is sure to be someone with good knowledge of the Spits overseeing the Jobs.
'Jerbs' might be that man! More than 20 years on Spits and Lanc and, I believe, now working for BBMF again.

[rum_monster]

It is only the Major Maintenance on the Spitfires and Hurricanes, not all the maintenace. ARCo have done a couple of Spits and Hurricanes for us previously.

[gas path]

Well whoever does it at least there's a Haynes manual available!
http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=44001&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=34565
:ok:

[ChristiaanJ]

gas_path,
Thanks for that link. Says 'temporarily out of stock', but I've left a notice....

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

gas path. Ah yes; Haynes. "Detach canopy and lift clear: replace aircraft and reattach canopy"!

[Al R]

Ah, Haynes.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS.

'Rotate anticlockwise'.
Translation: Clamp with molegrips and beat repeatedly with hammer. Anticlockwise. No, the other way.

'This is a snug fit'.
Translation: Clamp with molegrips and beat repeatedly with hammer.

'This is a tight fit'.
Translation: Clamp with molegrips and beat repeatedly with a bigger hammer.

'As described in Chapter 7'.
Translation: That'll teach you not to read through before you start. Now you're looking at scary photos of the inside of a gearbox and wondering how you got there.

'Pry'.
Translation: Hammer a screwdriver into...

'Undo'.
Translation: Buy a tin of WD40 (giant industrial economy size).

'Retain tiny spring'.
Translation: PINGGGG - :eek: "Where the f:mad:ck did that go?"

'Press and rotate to remove bulb'.
Translation: OK - that's the glass bit off, now fetch some good pliers to dig out the bayonet part (and maybe a small first aid kit).

'Lightly'.
Translation: Start off lightly and build up till the veins on your forehead are throbbing, then clamp with molegrips and beat repeatedly with hammer.

'Weekly checks'.
Translation: If it isn't broken don't fix it. In fact, forget about it.

'Routine maintenance'.
Translation: If it isn't broken, it's sure as heck about to be.

'One spanner rating'.
Translation: An infant could do this... so how did you manage to **** it up?

'Two spanner rating'.
Translation: Now you may think that you can do this because two is a low, teensy weensy number... but you also thought the wiring diagram was a map of the Tokyo underground. In fact that would have been more use to you.

'Three spanner rating'.
Translation: Make sure you won't need your car for a couple of days.

'Four spanner rating'.
Translation: You're not seriously considering this are you?

'Five spanner rating'.
Translation: OK - but don't ever carry your loved ones in it again.

'Bolt will be tight'.
Translation: You havent a hope in hell!

'Tap'.
Hit.

'Alternatively, you can fabricate your own special tool simply and quickly0, like this'.
Translation: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

'Compress'.
Translation: Squeeze with all your might, jump up and down on it, throw it at the garage wall, then find some molegrips and a hammer...

'Inspect'.
Translation: Squint at it really hard and pretend you know what you are looking at, then declare in a loud knowing voice to your wife, "Yup, it's going to need a new one."

'Carefully'.
Translation: You are about to suffer deep lacerations.

'Retaining nut'.
Translation: That's it, that big spherical blob of rust.

'Get an assistant'.
Translation: Prepare to humiliate yourself in front of someone you know.

'Turning the engine will be easier with the spark plugs removed'.
Translation: However, starting the engine again will be much harder. Once that sinking pit of your stomach feeling has subsided, you can start to feel deeply ashamed as you gingerly refit the spark plugs.

'Refitting is the reverse sequence to removal'.
Translation: Yes, but you'll swear in different places.

'Prise away plastic locating pegs'.
Translation: Snap off...

'Using a suitable drift'.
Translation: Clamp with molegrips and beat repeatedly with that hammer again.

'Apply moderate heat'.
Translation: Unless you have a blast furnace, don't bother. Alternatively, clamp with molegrips and beat repeatedly with hammer.

'Index'.
Translation: List of everything in the book, except what you need to know and where to look.

'Everyday toolkit'.
Translation: Will cost more than your house. A Rally team would be hard pressed to justify this amount of stuff.

[Jackonicko]

Al R,

Comic genius!

But will I find it so funny when the Lotus arrives?

[Cornerstone958]

You may do
LOTUS = loads of trouble usually serious

[Al R]

Jacko,

Thats nothing. Have you seen the new phoentic alphabet? :eek:

ASBO
Bulemia
Crack-whore
Drive-by
Euro
Fedex
Gigabyte
Helpline
Ink-jet
Junkie
Key-Stage
Litter-lout
McJob
Neo-Con
Ofsted
Pimp-mobile
Quickie
Road-rage
Sat-nav
Ticket-tout
Upgrade
Video-link
Wiki
X-games
Yuppie
Zit-cream

Enjoy the Lotus, what are you getting? I helped my dad build a Europa in the early 70s (ok, passed him the biscuits) and would offer a choice of either testicle for an early simple ever so pretty Esprit. The Elise too, again - only an early one mind, with a sorted engine (bin the Rover piece of junk in there).. wonderful cars. Pick one up for 8k too, fine if you don't mind driving around in a tumble drier. Perfect for the triangle from Benson to Wally world, to (god what was the place - where the IRA wanted to bomb the railway station?) to Henley and back down that glorious hill with poppies on the left. Perfect for a car (or bike :ok: ).