(cont)

“We keep on restoring the aircraft and in doing so, we’re on top of any potential problems before they develop.” Says Sticky. “Today, we’re checking the copper gaskets of the exhaust stubs to ensure that they won’t cause fumes to escape.”

Among a long and very technical list of potential defects and checks to be completed during the winter time, Sticky revealed that valve checks, cam shaft checks, the flame traps of the induction manifolds, engine lubrication, cooling system pressures, prop checks, perishable hoses, magnetos and CSU units all needed completing, checking or maintaining on each of the four engines – and that’s just for the Lancaster – so it’s easy to see why Sticky and his five colleagues have their work cut out during the cooler months.

Looking at the exposed engine in its spotless, impeccably maintained condition is extraordinary, but understanding the engine, how each component is connected, and how each functions is awe-inspiring.
Naturally, obtaining spare parts is a little more complicated than popping down to Halfords; for a start, each part must meet stringent AGS (Aircraft General Spares) standards, but with no 1940s spares available, each replacement part must be custom fabricated by the station’s workshops according to specifications from the aircraft’s original schematics.

Unless to correct a design impairment or in the case of components which are particularly prone to failure, no modern ‘improvements’ are made to the aircraft.

Each Rolls Royce Merlin engine generates 1,600hp, the equivalent of over 10 family cars, and after a season of maintenance, the aircraft are all tested beyond the limits of their permitted flying restrictions before a series of test flights shortly before the start of the season.

Sticky says that the job is much more rewarding than working on modern aircraft. Unlike the new Eurofighter Typhoon, also based at Coningsby, which diagnoses its own systems electronically, Sticky said there’s a large amount of problem solving, logic and engineering know-how plus a degree of multitasking as engineers work across the BBMF’s Spitfires, Chipmunks and Dakota, and fabricate plating and brackets as and when needed.