zetec2
11th Oct 2009, 13:08
Regenerating this as hoping it may jog memories.
Many years ago (1962-1964) I was an engine fitter on 105 Sqd at Khormaksar, Aden with the Argosy, one aircraft XP409 was a bit special, it had been blessed by the church at the time the new Coventry Cathedral was built, anyway from the old Coventry Cathedral 6 nails (big ones about 6-9" long) were removed from the beams/woodwork structure & one each was given to the leading industries in & around Coventry - Rootes Group & Armstrong Whitworth being two that I remember.
The nail was fitted/placed into a panel on the fuselage skin of XP409, Port side somewhere near the Cof G datum plate on the fuselage, it was a bit of a novelty & the first entry in the aircraft F700 in the defects log was "nail in forward fuselage at frame ??".
It was also odd as it had a completely different electrical fit to the other Argosies as a result of a battery box fire (at Benson early 62 I seem to remember) which burnt out most of the fuselage wiring harnesses & was rebuilt as it stood with Nyvin & whatever was to hand, caused lots of problems in service as nothing matched the AP wiring diagrams & it was a case of "suck it & see " when diagnosing electrical defects, must be some leccies out there who remember it ?.
Can anyone elaborate, have photo's or any data showing the nail, I worked on the aircraft for over 2 years but find I have no photgraphic record of it, can anyone out there help ?.
Paul H.
Many years ago (1962-1964) I was an engine fitter on 105 Sqd at Khormaksar, Aden with the Argosy, one aircraft XP409 was a bit special, it had been blessed by the church at the time the new Coventry Cathedral was built, anyway from the old Coventry Cathedral 6 nails (big ones about 6-9" long) were removed from the beams/woodwork structure & one each was given to the leading industries in & around Coventry - Rootes Group & Armstrong Whitworth being two that I remember.
The nail was fitted/placed into a panel on the fuselage skin of XP409, Port side somewhere near the Cof G datum plate on the fuselage, it was a bit of a novelty & the first entry in the aircraft F700 in the defects log was "nail in forward fuselage at frame ??".
It was also odd as it had a completely different electrical fit to the other Argosies as a result of a battery box fire (at Benson early 62 I seem to remember) which burnt out most of the fuselage wiring harnesses & was rebuilt as it stood with Nyvin & whatever was to hand, caused lots of problems in service as nothing matched the AP wiring diagrams & it was a case of "suck it & see " when diagnosing electrical defects, must be some leccies out there who remember it ?.
Can anyone elaborate, have photo's or any data showing the nail, I worked on the aircraft for over 2 years but find I have no photgraphic record of it, can anyone out there help ?.
Paul H.