One of the slight (hidden) problems of an elongated build profile – mine was around 4 years build due to pressures of work and the like plus a similarly elongated test flying period – min was around 9 months – again mostly due to work and family commitments means that you feel you are always working on the aircraft doing something .. a little tweak here a fix / update there BUT …

… you sort of think you MUST be doing everything that is good and needed … but, as I took the rudder off for its decals I noted that the  bolts (that I visually check EVERY pre flight for security and split pins etc) were very dry

When I put her together they were greased with some special stuff that I gather the US military use … looked great .. didn’t run .. was fine and easy to apply but it looks like the sea air has pretty much completely dried it out .. having only washed the aircraft fully down a few times and it used any harsh solvents I can only put it down to salty air

So – it’s going to be a session when I get back from a short break away slipping every rudder, elevator, aileron bolt out in turn .. cleaning the shaft and then putting longer lasting more resilient film of grease on – maybe coppperslip like I use on the motorbikes

Will create a laminated checklist for weekly, monthly, quarterly routine checks to add a re greasing section in

… until I decided what colour or style would blend in .. nothing too sharp and angled but something that might reflect say a 20’s era

Picked diamonds

A local company (Signcraft) asked for a paper template and I mocked up a diamond design based on a model that TLAC had kindly provided …

slightly enlarged the diamonds as my wife said they would look squitty at a distance !

.. and hey presto .. 72 hours later they had colour matched decals .. paper thin for weight and then added a UV protection film over each diamond ! Amazing quick professional job

Having been asked if I would show the Sherwood at the Jersey Air Display I thought it  would be good to have a pre practice in the general display area

The display team have advised that there is a general practice day the day before ! But as I am a newbie I thought it wise to at least get some orientation in advance

Called up Jersey ATC on a lovely clear Sunday morning and asked for two circuits and then a possibility to run at 700′ between Elizabeth Castle and the Grand Hotel – pseudo display line

The chap queried it but the ATC team granted it straight away – so helpful !

This was also post the first 25 hour oil change on the engine .. kept 100 oil in for now …

The footage below shows some of the tight turns simulating keeping well within any crowd lines and the like

The beauty is the Sherwood turns on a sixpence

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