Work Day 24th November 2018

Three of the team had the usually busy day either continuing with tasks and taking on new ones. One on-going task which at long last we are nearing the end of is the new roof decking for the T86 and another two weeks should see the decking complete. The upper surfaces being painted with non-slip paint. See accompanying Photo with Ian doing his favourite job – painting.

The four pedestal covers and have been refurbished and returned to Cosford. A task that included painting, restoring the covering of rubberised RFI sheet which was badly cracked or crazed and all seals were replaced. Two accompanying photos show the four refurbished pedestal covers.

Pete M continued with the refurbishment of the T86 pedestal base. The accompanying photo shows corrosion treatment being applied, light in colour but will turn black as it reacts to the corrosion. Note that one of the refurbished pedestal covers has been fitted to check the clamping and seals, all good.

One problem I’ve had is understanding the bearing aerial positioning. We are often moving the aerials in azimuth and the limit indicators come on and off for clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation. I’m planning to write a note so anyone moving the aerials in azimuth knows which way to turn them to avoid the end stops. Information in the technical publications is not clear with some documentation refering to the T86 MK2, is there a difference in aerial control? Pete M moved the aerials in azimuth to what we believed to be the vehicle centre line. I’ve attached a photo that shows the exact ‘zero’ point, the small spigot cam which is just short of the microswitch SJ.

Note the corrosion on the main shaft, yet another job.

One task was to remove several of the covers from housings for the bearing and elevation synchro units for refurbishment off site. What a pleasant surprise, the various synchro’s and units were ‘as new’ being in sealed units. See accompanying photo which is an example of the condition of the synchro’s.

A word on our working practices. A lot of work is taking place on the roof of the T86 cabin and we are very conscious of safety, even though the T86 is not on top of a tower. We are fortunate to have several gantries available to us that we can place against the walls of the T86 cabin so there is no drop off the roof. To gain access we use a gantry with enclosed steps as show in the accompanying photo.

Pete H

Work Day 17th November 2018

Effort remains on the T86 aerial system and its pedestal, rubbing down, priming and corrosion treatment. It is the last of these that was exposed on Saturday (yet another problem to be sorted), the corrosion under the rubber sheeting at the base of the pedestal. The cause of the corrosion is water getting under the rubber sheeting due to deteriorating sealant and adhesive that has long since stopped being and adhesive. Three photos showing the rubber sheet lifting, the pedestal base with the rubber sheet removed and the sections of rubber sheet.

 

The pedestal base has a thin gauge metal base then glass fibre sheet and finally the rubber sheet. Observing the photos shows the amount of corrosion which in one place is through the metal sheet. Also note the gear box for raising and lowering the pedestal which has already been refurbished. The square spigot on the gear box is for manual raising and lowering the pedestal; the pedestal drive motor has been removed.

The original pedestal gear box and motor cover on the base of the pedestal is being replaced with a refurbished cover retrieved from a derelict T86 (Ser. No. 111) on the North Luffenham airfield. The original cover  for our T86 (Ser. No. 501) had suffered from severe corrosion and wasted metal. Two accompanying photos show the refurbished cover, all ready to be bolted back on.

Pete H

Work Day 3rd Novemember 2018

Two jobs for this Saturday, firstly to prepare the front of the Receiver and Transmitter dishes and the In Flight Reference Aerial and secondly to apply a second top coat to the T86 cabin roof.

The dishes are of fibre glass construction and separation had occurred in places on the Ttansmitter dish creating large bubbles. The majority of the bubbles had been repaired previously must some work was still needed before a primer could be applied. The attached images show the final preparation work on the Tx dish and the front of the dishes after priming. We used a specialist primer for glass fibre hence the colour. Black looks quite attractive!

 

A further photos shows the T86 cabin roof following its second coat. All this work on Saturday was undertaken by Pete M and Dave.

The simulator was run up with Pete M eventually emerging from the LCP following ten engagements in various jamming scenarios and with a claim, ‘I got all ten’. The simulator remains serviceable.

Pete

New LCP Photographs On Our Website

We have made sets of LCP photographs available from two friemds. Andy’s includes descriptions of  displays seen on the jamming Assessment Display

Andy McReady

Steve Harrison

All our photographs can be accessed through the menu option.