Riga Parts Collected

 

Riga Parts Collected

Riga liked to get her hands dirty. Like she was now. Inside the medium sized aircraft hangar work was being done. Her shark like green and brown Messerschmitt 309 was raised up on supports. It was being taken to pieces for servicing. Outer panels had been removed. Others were open. They gave access to the engine, radio, guns, ammunition, to the aircraft's systems. Part of the wing covering was being removed. Rivets needed to be carefully drilled out to do this. This was to get to the main wing spar. Bolts would be removed and the wings taken off. All parts would be inspected, serviced or replaced. The tail unit and landing gear would be dismantled. All of it.

 

Riga worked with two younger mechanics. They knew what they were doing. Their names were Mayor and Vigel. Riga pointed. "I have a section of wing skin almost removed. A flush rivet is bent. My drill will not reach it."

 

Vigel nodded and replied. "I need to finish this tricky bit. I have to disconnect these electric lines. Mayor please help Riga with the rivet."

 

Mayor smiled and went around the port wing to Riga. He looked at alloy skin and problem rivet. The metal was carefully streamlined. Any pulling it would bend it ruining the aero foil shape and also the rivet hole. Flush rivets were difficult to remove. They were smooth with the skin. If you drilled it wrong the drill could slip and damage the wing skin. "I see what your problem is. Let me take a look. I had one like this before. There's a way to remove this. I will show you..."

 

"I will watch with interest. Then I will know how to do this," Riga commented as Mayor got his pocket knife. He opened a long narrow blade, sized up the problem rivet and thought. He nodded and murmured.

 

'There is always a solution to engineering issues. This isn't in the book. Watch closely Riga." The mechanic placed the blade by the rivet. "Support the wing skin. There, yes. Take the weight. Here we go..."

 

​Riga was silent and watched. Mayor did something very quickly with the blade. Her eyes were fast but she missed it. She held the metal and it suddenly came free. She carefully carried the metre-wide panel over to the work bench and placed it down on an oily sheet. Upon returning to Mayor she said, "Well done Mayor. Just what exactly did you do with the knife? You were fast."

 

"Well Riga, Vigel taught me this. It's all about control and force. Using just enough controlled force in the right place. I used the knife and popped the rivet out of the hole without damage. It's all physics. But very delicate physics. Now we can remove the wing after getting the bolts out..."

 

"You know your stuff. Show me how to loosen the bolts and steps for taking off the wings please." The gal pilot was fascinated. She had never seen a full plane being disassembled before. Especially her own.

 

"Of course. I will show you what needs to be done. Hey Vigel, you nearly done with those wires?" Mayor was ready.

 

"Just finished it buddy. I will help you both. Here's the spanners and correct socket sizes..." Vigel replied. He removed his head and shoulders from a fuselage access panel and got the tools from his box.

 

​"How hard or easy is this procedure?" Riga asked. She looked at the exposed wing spars and bolts. Three big steel bolts held each wing on.

 

"Easy enough. It has to be done right though. First, we remove the forward bolts then the rear bolts and finally the middle bolts. Then we slowly slide the complete wing off. The three of us will be able to support it but it's heavy. Ok Riga and Vigel?" Mayor smiled at his small female boss. Vigel gave a thumbs up.

 

Vigel and Mayor got their tools ready. It was time.

 

"First the forward bolt. The under wing supports will take the weight..."  Vigel put his 25-millimetre spanner on the bolt and tested the torsion. His spanner had a gauge on it and registered the number. He nodded then slowly moved the spanner to the left. The bolt came loose.

 

"That's right..." Mayor commented. He was ready for any issues if Vigel got into trouble. It was fine. Vigel continued and lifted a large wide long bolt out then held it up. He handed it to Riga. She took it in both hands.

 

"It's very heavy. Look at that..." She turned it over and inspected it.

 

"That holds your wing on to the spar and the fuselage. It saves your life every time you fly. It's made from high grade stainless steel." Vigel added.

 

"Fine German engineering," Mayor said. "I will remove the rear bolt. Riga, you will remove the middle bolt. Then we will slide the wing free. And after that, we do the same for the other wing. Please put the bolt in the tub on the desk there..."

 

"I promise to be careful. This is my plane and it carries my life as you say..." Riga put the bolt safely down and grinned. "This is serious work but fun!"

 

"We knew you would like to take part. Now you see how complicated a machine your plane it. Precision engineering for high performance. Just wait till you see a turboprop or a jet. Now they're something else..."

 

They continued their work servicing and dismantling Riga's 309 piston engine warplane. It was a small plane but huge job. She had new views and more respect for her mechanics now. She would buy them both a beer when they were off duty...

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