Super Guppy Restoration

[Gaz]

Cheers!

[MOD]

Gaz:

[Gaz]

Thanks, Ian!

[Howslo]

Good progress!

No wonder that van had been dumped. Steering wheel is on the wrong side.

[MOD]

The Guppy looked great in the sun today, at least from one side









Gaz why does everyone park their car around or under the Guppy?

[Hula-Hoop]

Nice photo's Gaz, yes its a shame about the cars and the poor light!!!

[Gaz]

Thanks for those!

The cars on the port side (Non display side as we call it ) we're ours. There's that many of us now, we take up a fair amount of parking space. I will address that before the next CWJ day.

The other side is our neighbour and all his hangers on. Not a lot I can do about that, I'm afraid

[Gaz]

July Update

For most of the month, the weather has been terrible. We've done a few indoor jobs. Neil did a few more panels in the cargo hold right at the beginning of the month, the rest of us, between us, have stripped down two 50 ton jacks ready for overhaul, they need, at least, new seals making, but, that's in hand.

Then, on the 25th:

25th July

It's been an annoying month, one way or another. We've done a few little bits but the weather has really been against us.

However, this week has been much different:

"1" done:



and main livery, well on it's way:





All credit to Ollie and Ash, they've really made a good job of it!

So it turned out alright

Asda day on the 11th August, so, hopefully, a much needed boost to the coffers!

Onwards!!

[Xplumberlives]

I hope you get a lot of fivers mate!

[Gaz]

Me too!

[Gaz]

July Update

For most of the month, the weather has been terrible. We've done a few indoor jobs. Neil did a few more panels in the cargo hold right at the beginning of the month, the rest of us, between us, have stripped down two 50 ton jacks ready for overhaul, they need, at least, new seals making, but, that's in hand.

Then, on the 25th:

25th July

It's been an annoying month, one way or another. We've done a few little bits but the weather has really been against us.

However, this week has been much different:

"1" done:



and main livery, well on it's way:





All credit to Ollie and Ash, they've really made a good job of it!

So it turned out alright

Asda day on the 11th August, so, hopefully, a much needed boost to the coffers!

Onwards!!

Not the end of August yet, but, we got a lot done today:

http://superguppy.yuku.com/topic/122/master/1/

[Gaz]

Ok, strap yourself in for the August update

1st August

Busy day today, got a lot done between us.

I went to the paint shop to blag a litre of white gloss, then, did a panel in the hold:



Ollie, his mate, Emma and her son, set about cleaning down the port wing:



Remember when the leading edge looked like this?:



Well, it don't any more!



Exhaust blanks went in:



some paint went on:



and a herc flew over:



Other than the cherry picker key going astray and one "Team" member clearing off before he tidied up, leaving me to do it, it was a good day!


8th August

Got a lot done, without actually doing anything, if that makes sense!

Wrestled the main battery from its compartment in the cockpit and got it on charge ready for Saturday. If we do well on Saturday we'll be getting the battery refurbed. The plates are quite corroded and it's not holding much of a charge these days.

Had a meeting with the owner, started to make some arrangements for getting the aircraft moved so it's ALL over concrete. He's also signed off on us getting the cherry picker PROPERLY fixed. There's only so many times we can patch it up. If all this comes off we should be able to fix the rudder before it falls off!

Picked up some paint and stashed it in the Guppy

Somebody, nobody seems to know who, put the cherry picker keys in our crew hut. Whoever it was, thanks for putting them back.

Likewise, the puffer box for the nitrogen (CWJ equipment) has been damaged by misuse so I helped Gregg with the repairs.

Like I said, busy without touching the aircraft!


15th August

Very rainy today so did a panel in the hold:



After and before

Other than that, I've done some shopping with our takings from Saturday (see the facebook page for a review of the Asda day) restocked us with roller sleeves, white paint, masking tape and such like. Also had some fluorescent orange paint mixed up, so, we can roller the prop tips. Hopefully it'll last a bit longer than the spray paint, having to re-do it every 3 months or so!

So, I stashed all that and locked it away, dodged the rain and drank coffee!

Good day all round


22nd August

Mostly preening now, ready for the open day. I tried our new orange paint on a prop tip, It's certainly bright enough, if not day-glow. If the rain hadn't kicked in, I'd have got a few done



Boy, did it rain!

Also, went over to the paint shop to get some more "Brunty" orange mixed up. That's what we use on the orange band of the main livery. We should have enough of each colour now

Once the rain stopped:



I put the new plates on the van. We thoroughly expect these to be vandalised in some way, seeing that somebody peeled the 9 from XX900 off of our vinyl on the back window. Don't know why anybody would want to do that, but, hey-ho, there's some strange people around

Onwards towards a busy weekend!


27th August

Well, yesterday's open day was a TOTAL success! I spent nearly all day with the Guppy and answered a ton of questions, it really is the most enjoyable part of the job! Emma and Neil and, my brother, Adam, also spent, pretty much, the entire day with me (We were THAT busy, couldn't get away!) Oli did a good stretch with us too, he's been doing some research, spouting facts that even I didn't know!

Neil did the best shift out of all of us though, he manned the door, did traffic control on the ladder, took the only photos we got and found the time to paint a couple of panels in the hold. Well Done, Mate!!

Neil's handy work:



and one of the photos he took:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 3161_n.jpgí

We did better than expected, donations wise, the expense for shipping the new tyres from NASA should be just about covered now. Just waiting for the nod from the powers that be, at NASA, then 6 new (to us) main gear tyres will be on the way!

Most of the aircraft behaved. A hydraulic problem on "our" Buccaneer prevented her from running and another bucc bust a tyre late in the day, everything else ran without hiccup.

We now enter the long slog until the next open day, some big changes SHOULD have occurred by then!

[Xplumberlives]

Looking forward to the BIG changes!

[Aceyone]

Great stuff Gaz, would love to come up and see it sometime !

[Gaz]

Wednesdays or Saturdays mate, someone's usually there

[Jigsaw]

That was a fantastic update mate

[Gaz]

Cheers, Jigs!

[Gaz]

It's just occurred to me that it's October!!

Suppose I'd better do the September update:

1st. September

Good day today, got Emma to take her brave pills and sent her out on the lift to paint the orange bit above the port wing.

Before:


During:


And after:


Good job done, I reckon!

Also, I did a prop tip with our, newly mixed, paint. It's not dayglow, but....



I think it's bright enough

Onwards!


12th September

Weather was a bit of a hindrance today, so, did a couple of panels in the back. We're very nearly finished the lower half of those fibreglass panels now, have to get a stepladder up there soon and start the top half. That shouldn't take too long, no fiddly bits to mask, should be able to blitz it pretty quickly. Have to find a different bad weather job soon. Perhaps make a start on the cockpit


26th September

I was ill last week, so, didn't go to the airfield. It's been eventful in the meantime!!!

I had an email, last week, from a lady at Freemantle Media. They are making a film for the Discovery Channel and want to feature the Guppy in a "World's Weirdest" series they are making. I can't tell you how excited we are about this!!

Anyhoo:

Today's weather forecast wasn't great so I did a panel in the hold. It's a job that's becoming a bit tedious (and it must be for you, dear viewer) but, it does need to be done and, at least, I've got past all of the fiddly masking now, it should be a much quicker process from now on


Interesting sort of month, September. Mostly mundane stuff but, that news from Freemantle and ALSO the news that some of the Toulouse lot are coming for a visit in November, really stirred us up a bit!!

Forwards!!

[RLN]

Hope you are feeling better, and thanks for keeping us abreast of things.

[Dan4th]

From one Sicko to another, thanks
for the update

The TV thing sounds GREAT!

If you're interviewed, though, just
remember the 11th Commandment:

"Thou shalt not touch thy nose on camera"



Danf.

[RLN]

Gaz will probably do what he has done to me in the past. He'll turn up with Xpl and demand money with menaces.

[Gaz]

They're paying me a WHOLE pound to use my photos/videos!!

BUT!!

They HAVE agreed to put the website address on the end credits and in the corner of the images they use!


I'm better now, thanks. It was just THAT week. The whole family were struck down, I wasn't really poorly, I just couldn't move! SERIOUSLY, lifting my arm was a challenge!

All better now though

[Gaz]

Signed the contract with Freemantle today!

Made sure I remained the owner of my images/footage though

[RLN]

When are they filming, or is it too early to say?

[Gaz]

When are they filming, or is it too early to say?

I don't think they're coming to film the guppy. They just wanted permission to use my photos/videos. She said it will air early in the new year