The original objective was to create a smart looking static display, we have no plans for flying or taxiing her. I think we've achieved this aim and we now have the cockpit open to visitors far more often than ever before.
Visitors to this site who have followed XA699's
progress over the past few years will have seen the Restoration Diary.
This was perhaps a little more information than was necessary, regarding the
work being done on her! In its place I'd like to summarise what has been
achieved so far.
Both ejection seats have been removed, cleaned,
repainted and refitted.
The green/grey camouflage on top, also the pale grey underside has all been
repainted, followed by the RAF markings, serial numbers and squadron insignia.
Tyre blacking has been applied to the main gear and nose wheel tyres and a coat
of matt black paint has been applied to the radome.
The gunsight and various panels in the cockpit have been cleaned and repainted.
Mechanically, the sliding hood rails have been freed off and greased and we're
now starting to unfasten some of the exterior access panels to give us a glimpse of
what's inside.
Opening the servicing bay was fascinating, a fairly large space directly behind the navigator's seat contains the accessory gearboxes, the aircraft's generators and inverters; and a whole array of fuses and circuit breakers. More news about what we find in there may follow.
Last year
I gained an
assistant, Dan, who is a new member of the Museum and has been a tremendous help
with all sorts of maintenance, cleaning and painting work.
He's seen here with one of the panels off, probably taking something or other to
pieces!
Having two of us on the aircraft will be a great help on some of the larger
projects and it means we are able to open the cockpit to visitors much more
frequently.
Thanks to Dan's hard work, XA699's cockpit is looking smarter all the time.
Latest picture, taken during some fine weather in October 2004.
You're sure of a decent view into the cockpit at the moment, because the steps are permanently in place in front of the starboard intake.
