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Just noticed the posts on tools, the engineer's bread and butter. My father, whose toolbox included one or two for pre-war biplanes, and another which became widely produced on-station for Hurricane tubing battle damage, allowed me to try the pump-action screwdriver mentioned on a scrap panel. One attempt was enough and he admitted he could not use the damn thing himself. The socket set was the first tool which was a really practical replacement for the box spanners used until (I think) around 1950 in the RAF at any rate. Ratchets etc had to be booked out from Stores.
Anyone remember the socket-set beginnings? Today of course we can buy a serviceable set for £50 or less, my first set of BSF and BSW cost me two weeks' wages. |
Anyone remember using a "grolleybar"?
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Originally Posted by Akrotiri bad boy
(Post 11834500)
Anyone remember using a "grolleybar"?
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Originally Posted by Luqa Sid
(Post 11827485)
When 103MU was struck off in 1975 the tool store held items stored from the early 1920s when the MU was called X Depot in Egypt, we had to load up lighters to dump all this junk off shore, Audax rigging boards and beautifully made brass things in mahogany boxes were all chucked overboard.
One of the main tasks on the MU was to drill holes in things, all alloy, manganese steel, brass and extrusions, the standard RAF windy drill could only be selected ON or OFF, ON gave a very high RPM and this could only be reduced by kinking the airline to restrict air supply, absolute rubbish. I later bought a lovely pistol grip windy which was perfect for all jobs and offered complete control, used it for years and it cost about fifty quid in the early 80s, how this would have improved the job time and quality of the job on the MUs. |
Originally Posted by Luqa Sid
(Post 11827485)
One of the main tasks on the MU was to drill holes in things, all alloy, manganese steel, brass and extrusions, the standard RAF windy drill could only be selected ON or OFF, ON gave a very high RPM and this could only be reduced by kinking the airline to restrict air supply, absolute rubbish..
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Given most of us have some involvement in BDR, if at all possible could you elaborate on this please ?
" and another which became widely produced on-station for Hurricane tubing battle damage," True, the pistol grip windy was by far the best option, IF, space / access permitted and, as others have said, "controlling" the speed of other windies by kinking the air hose was fine, until, the hose went "pop ! " in the vicinity of your hand. However, as I've said before, RAF tools were embarrassing when compared to other nations, likewise ground equip, some of which seem to be dated back to the 40's / 50's. You got the impression "every expense spared" was the motto for procurement and, by doing so, displayed why engineers are / were, undervalued. |
Originally Posted by HOVIS
(Post 11834558)
Bloody hell, windies, that takes me back, still got mine tucked up in my garage! The noise! I'll go to bed tonight and dream of 747 belly skins getting drilled off. 😁
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Grolleybars heathen? They were the only way of getting the stressed skin panels off the sides of the mighty toom. Admittedly there would be a number of busted anchor nuts to rivet back on.
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
(Post 11827552)
When the first Chinooks arrived, each came with a snap on toolbox filled with all the tools you may have needed, they were promptly removed to God knows where along with the centre row of seats, never to be seen again.
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Grollie bars, was that the contraption we used on the VC10 wing tank panels,
when you got a screw out you screwed the vertical bar in its place, on that there was a split hinged horizontal bar of some length, it contained a floating extension on which you would put a screwdriver socket, on the top you would put an extension and a ratchet handle / breaker bar If I remember correctly. One man would put his weight / strength into forcing the bar down and hence the screwdriver bit into the screw while the other person attempted to undo it. |
Grollie Bars - Tool of ‘next to last’ resort. Then came the Easy Outs. Harrier high torque screws were a nightmare, once you managed to get a drill bit to the right cutting angles for those screws , you hung onto it for life. Not great tool control though.
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Originally Posted by Nolongerin
(Post 11839692)
Grollie Bars - Tool of ‘next to last’ resort. Then came the Easy Outs. Harrier high torque screws were a nightmare, once you managed to get a drill bit to the right cutting angles for those screws , you hung onto it for life. Not great tool control though.
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Anyone remember the "Aer Lingus" tool? 😁
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Crew chiefs will be getting £113K apparently.
How can the military hope to retain engineers when civvy wages are rapidly becoming huge? |
Sky Sports,
They can't - next question. |
It's exactly 25 years since I made the hyper-space jump from RAF SNCO to unqualified airline mechanic. Coupled with the transition from Section L to EASA that was going on, the route to achieving my unrestricted licence was an ordeal.
With the advent of dual airworthiness certified aircraft like P-8/737, Atlas, King Air, and the MAA, is there any better commonality now between military technician training syllabi, certification and qualification that makes the transition easier? |
Originally Posted by DuncanDoenitz
(Post 11851256)
With the advent of dual airworthiness certified aircraft like P-8/737, Atlas, King Air, and the MAA, is there any better commonality now between military technician training syllabi, certification and qualification that makes the transition easier? I worked with some Aussie guys whose technical type training on Bell 205 in Aus Army and Air Force was recognised by CASA as soon as they left and obtained licence. Probably all changed now since CASA started following EASA procedures. |
Originally Posted by DuncanDoenitz
(Post 11851256)
It's exactly 25 years since I made the hyper-space jump from RAF SNCO to unqualified airline mechanic. Coupled with the transition from Section L to EASA that was going on, the route to achieving my unrestricted licence was an ordeal.
With the advent of dual airworthiness certified aircraft like P-8/737, Atlas, King Air, and the MAA, is there any better commonality now between military technician training syllabi, certification and qualification that makes the transition easier? The RAF Licenced Engineers such as on the Shadow fleet have their powers “throttled” in the RAF I believe to justify the existence of Engineering Officers who simply do not exist in the real world, that task being undertaken by Licenced Engineers. As was previously pointed out to me |
Having seen civil apprentice training, I'd say the MOD curriculum is eons behind in so many respects. However, the experiences gained on RAF Line Units (Forward Units?) through their intense over-servicing of aircraft is enormous compared to that of civil LAMEs. I remember that almost all Ryanair Lineys gathered one night at Stansted to take part in the very rare event of changing an aileron!!
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