

There has been an update to the progress at Airframe Assemblies which highlights the implementation of repair procedures on the stringers, as specified in the Typhoon repair manual. As far as we know this is something that has not been done since May 1945.
There are a total of 26 individual stringers that have to be separated from the skins. This entails carefully drilling out each rivet where a typical length of stringer contains some 200 rivets. Firstly it is necessary to ‘centre pop’ the centre of each rivet head so that the drill will not skid off. The head is then carefully drilled to a depth that will separate the head from the shank of the rivet, rather than drilling right through.
The stringer can then be easily separated from the skin panel and the rivet tail removed without enlarging the rivet holes. Some of the stringers are intact along their length, others alas have sustained damage along the way. Where ever possible the intention is to retain the original undamaged portions, splicing in new sections as required utilising original Typhoon repair schemes as outlined in the appropriate service repair manual.
Once the stringers are all separated, the next step is the long process of paint stripping them. Despite the outward condition of some of them underneath the many layers of paint they are in remarkably good condition.
Visit our gallery for more updates…
https://hawkertyphoon.com/gallery/airframe-assemblies-progress-jul-sept-2019