The BBMF Lancaster ‘Major’ maintenance is continuing with the Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) at Duxford. At this stage of the programme there is not much visible progress, but a huge amount of work is being carried out in the background to return the ‘Lanc’ to flight next year, some of it on components being serviced by sub-contractors away from Duxford. Almost half of the work cards which make up the Major have now been completed, along with a significant number of the required maintenance procedures.
To avoid any delays to the output date from the Major the decision has been taken to refit the Lancaster’s ‘bay serviced’ fuel tanks until new fabricated fuel tanks are available to fit, with the swap to the new tanks likely to occur during the winter of 2027-28.
It was originally intended that all of the control chains, which are part of the system for controlling the engines and the ailerons, would be removed from the aircraft for inspection on this Major, something not done before. A sample of ten chains has been removed (including a sample aileron chain) to be inspected on the bench; all have been found to have no defects. It has now been agreed by the BBMF Project Team (PT) Engineering Authority that only chains where the full length cannot be inspected in situ need to be removed, which will save some time and effort.
The previously reported repair to the Lancaster’s starboard trailing edge wing ribs continues, with the required repair plates for the approved repair now having been manufactured. Four ball sockets for the flap operating gear have also been manufactured and delivered by Kennet Aviation. Meanwhile, corrosion found on the Lancaster’s engine cowlings has been treated and repairs are in progress prior to painting.
The non-destructive testing (NDT) of the wing spar shackle plates is proving challenging and is taking longer than originally anticipated. Only one shackle plate can be removed on each side of the aircraft at any time for the NDT to be carried out. They then have to be refitted before another plate can be removed on each side for NDT. This vital work is still ongoing.
The Major maintenance remains on track for the Lancaster to return to BBMF for the 2027 Display Season.
