Finns make F/A-18 from planes' parts

[uy707]

N776TW alias N28714 did not crash.

What I mean, when Bolivian airlines used to rebuild a C46 for instance, they made a collection of salvaged parts from usually two/three aircrafts which in some cases even crash landed once or twice maybe more !!!. In the latter case, what could be reworked by one way or another was trucked up to La Paz. When this proved impossible, what was left of a given crash were a collection of twisted metal ....

^CoA = Certificate of Airworthiness, delivered by aviation authorities.
It officially allows the service entry of a new type. When an airliner comes up with prolific derivatives such as the 707/737/747/DC9 and more, the FAA (I think they may still do ?!) issues what is called an STC/Supplemental Type Certificate for every new version added, provided of course developpment and relevant test flying have been successfully completed ...
Some authorities may have divergeant points of view. For instance, when the FAA certified the 707-320 (powered by JT4s) and 420 (Rolls Royce Conways), Britain's ARB demanded some further modifications which culminated in rising the high of the fin and adding the inner fin. The whisms took sufficiently long to fullfill and BOAC could not introduce the 707 into service until May 1960, aka, months after Air France, Sabena, Lufthansa as far Europe was concerned.

Alain

[MaxPower]

Thanks for the stories Alain.

Yes they were still flying. As for Bolivian registered C.46s, the real end usually came when the aircraft REALLY crashed, I mean truly unsalvageable by any sort !!! What I remember of N776TW. She was a 331B delivered new to TWA and held the distinction to be one of some turbofan JT3D powered 707-320B to be delivered with the underside fin !

Oh that hurts as I didnt know it did crashed. Heard some stuff about this long time ago from recreation group from denmark (Had a project on a 727 as well. Cant provide you the reg on this one,as I dont remember it.

She was hijacked in 1968 (I think) courtesy of some feddayins, when rebuild, a new CoA was allocated together with a new rego as N28714. She kept flying afterwards for years .

Sorry, Uhm a litle noob question here for you., Whats an CoA....???

Personally I flew this lady in 1979 between JFK and NCE with an enroute stop at GVA. Interestingly, the inner fin was never removed unlike contemporary 1962 built AF 707-328B F-BHSV.
Alain

Thats interesting Alain, You are truly an aviator in a way unlike others..You have flown with aircrafts that was unfortunately also got highjacked and all that. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[uy707]

Yes they were still flying. As for Bolivian registered C.46s, the real end usually came when the aircraft REALLY crashed, I mean truly unsalvageable by any sort !!! What I remember of N776TW. She was a 331B delivered new to TWA and held the distinction to be one of some turbofan JT3D powered 707-320B to be delivered with the underside fin ! She was hijacked in 1968 (I think) courtesy of some feddayins, when rebuild, a new CoA was allocated together with a new rego as N28714. She kept flying afterwards for years ... Personally I flew this lady in 1979 between JFK and NCE with an enroute stop at GVA. Interestingly, the inner fin was never removed unlike contemporary 1962 built AF 707-328B F-BHSV.
Alain

[MaxPower]

Are these mentioned by you still flying. Well I dont know what year they were rebuild so.... Or maybe they are now grounded .... ??

The N776TW would be great to know more about. Mind to share its story, Alain ??


Thanks.

[uy707]

First time I hear of this on an Hornet, but definitely not the first time I hear of complete rebuilds, far from it. Some ...
- galore of C.46s and 47s, especially in Bolivia
- Hijacked and partly blown-up 707-331B N776TW rebuilt on location at Damascus/Syria with a complete nose section shipped from Boeing
- Here we go again with this scenario. This time the actress on surgery was an AF 732 and Teheran provided for the location.
List goes on
Alain

[MaxPower]

Found a very good comment from another forum PFSG .

Not that much differentence between the parts(if any) of the F/A-18 A model to the B model to the C model to the D model.

Now if they were taking a F/A-18A and B trying to make a Super Hornet that would be something since a Super Hornet(E & F models) is a completely ground up new design from the A through D. That was a scam to get funding to buy the aircraft.

If they would have called it something else the Navy would have had to do the bidding thing with all manufactures. Instead Boeing/MD came up with a whole new aircraft with the look of a Hornet and called it a "upgrade".

The differences between the differences between one aircraft model to the next are for the most part minor. Avionics is the biggest change that happens in model changes.

The finns are clever. Something nobody else in the world have done before.

[medic1]

Nice! My hats off to the Fins for undertaking the project.......

[MaxPower]

Frankenstein!

Its half way there to be a frankenhornet

[screaming_emu]

Frankenstein!

[Cam]

It figures we have some crap mothballed...half the frikin' military is in mothballs.... Oh Canada.....

[MaxPower]

A project underway in a remote hangar complex in Halii, Finland, will create one of the most unusual F/A-18 variants in the world. With help from the U.S. Navy and Boeing, the Finns are taking parts of a damaged one-seat F/A-18C and, using spare parts and a fuselage section from a mothballed Canadian F/A-18B, will create a two-seat D-model aircraft. The Canadian plane’s cockpit section contains the two-place arrangement, and with systems upgrades and the remaining pieces from the Finn’s B model, this aircraft will become a later-generation plane. The aircraft should have a life expectancy at least as long as the Finnish Air Force’s current F/A-18Ds, due to the significant rework of major structural stress points. The aircraft is scheduled for completion sometime near the end of 2007.

Photo caption - A project underway in a remote hangar complex in Halii, Finland, will create one of the most unusual F/A-18 variants in the world.

Wow. Isnt this just great. I really do hope it will fly ..

I wonder how long it wil take. Good luck finishing the job @ the workers.