Originally Posted by
Fitter2
Spot on; being a fairy rather than a sooty, the precise details of what lived inside that panel were mysterious, but that was where an Avpin explosion would occur if it happened, and where to squirt the CO2. Once both Sapphires were spinning up, one of us ( + 1 at night to hold a torch) dived underneath to secure 22 Dzus fasteners. Earlier marks had cartridge start, producing great clouds of black smoke.
Those things that dwelt inside that panel included the auxiliary gearbox; this item was the foundation stone around which the Javelin was built! On its front face was a forest of lock-wired hydraulic pump pipe connectors, known to all of us engines men who still bear the scars, as the bramble patch. Some of the engine starting system components, including the initiating cartridge breech assembly and the Avpin injector were mounted on the rear floor of the compartment. Failure of any of these items or their associated plumbing were the principle causes of the dreaded start-up fires.
The large access panel had a small hinged panel, secured with only 2 fasteners, inset in it. This hinged panel was originally left open during start-up (not at Kuching!) to allow a quick shufti to check no Avpin fire existed after starting No.2 engine.
Following a series of starter bay ( No.1 service bay) fires at Tengah and elsewhere, there was an instruction issued that the large access panel was not to be fitted until after a visual check for Avpin leaks/fire (i.e. starter crewman was supposed to stick his head inside the opening ) had been made. Not many starter crew personnel 'volunteered' to place their head in the dragon's mouth but the large opening made it more likely that a fire could be spotted from outside.
I expect there is a former Javelin man somewhere claiming to hold the world speed record for securing the fasteners!