Thank you to the supporters of the Caravelle project

We managed to restore the SAS Caravelle III Sven Viking, abandoned on the edge of the airfield for decades, to the Finnair OH-LEA Bluebird in the schedule we had defined. It was open to the public during the Turku Airshow at Turku airport, on June 17th and 18th. On both days there was a queue at the Bluebird’s gate and the volunteer guides, who have been involved in the restoration work, had an interested audience. After a successful effort – the restoration and the airshow weekend – the team of volunteers can relax and enjoy a well-earned summer holiday.

Photos by Jouko Tarponen

We think that this is a good moment to thank all those who have supported the Caravelle project. Without you the Bluebird wouldn’t be ready to be presented to the public.

In this period of about a year and a half we have received financial support for the procurement of many important items. In a society operating on membership fees we appreciate your support very much. Many of you have lent us special tools which are needed in the disassembly and reassembly work. Without your help we wouldn’t have been able to get these tools. Furthermore, we have been given access to Caravelle archive data, we have been given lots of valuable advice and all kinds of help in the problems we have encountered during the project.  

We thank the companies and societies which have supported us. They are mentioned at the end of this blog.

We thank all the private persons who have helped us in various ways during the project.

And last but not least, we thank the family members and other close ones of our volunteers for patience and understanding for the OH-LEA Bluebird.

Caravelle-project supporters:

Statens Maritima on Transporthistoriska Museer (Sweden)

• Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle III SE-DAF "Sven Viking" aircraft.

Arlanda Flygsamlingar (Sweden) / Jan Forsgren

• Assistance in matters related to Caravelle aircraft.

Le Caravelle Club (Sweden) / Ulf Nyström

• Assistance in matters related to disassembling and reassembling the Caravelle, and tools lent for assembly work.  

Swedavia (Sweden) / Andreas Persson

• Assistance in matters related to moving and disassembling the Caravelle.

Danmarks Tekniske Museet, Helsingør (Denmark) / Susanne Krogh Jensen

• Assistance and archive material in matters related to disassembling and reassembling the Caravelle,.

Ahola Special

• Assistance and consulting in planning the Caravelle transportation.
• Special thanks to the drivers for helping in loading and unloading the aircraft parts.

Finnlines

• Trasportation of four special trucks on the ferry from Kapellskär to Naantali and turning the ferry around in Naantali.

Rantala-yhtiöt

• Assistance and consulting in planning the lifting operations during the assembly phase.

• Special thanks to the crane operators during the assembly.

P. Tyllilä Linja Oy / Juhani Tyllilä, Katri Tyllilä, Kimmo Koskinen

• Travel and accommodation arrangements in Finland and abroad.

Select Service Partner Finland Oy

• Lunches at Turku airport for the volunteers working on the Caravelle site.

Kuljetus R. Stenvall Oy / Jussi Mäkelä

• Sea container logistics and support in planning the transportation, contact information for Finland and Sweden.

Nostot & kuljetukset R. M. Laine Oy / Mikko Laine

• Transportation and lifting of sea containers, passenger stairs, etc. in Turku area.

Toolpoint

• Hydraulic pump and cylinder for the disassembly and reassembly work.

Hyvinkään Ilmailukerho ry

• Cradles and supporters lent for the disassembly and reassembly.

Finnair Tekniikka

• Tools lent for disassembly and reassembly.

Granlund

• Work safety material for the disassembly team.

Finavia / Juha Aaltonen, Veli-Matti Paasikivi, EFTU kunnossapito

• The site for the Caravelle at Turku airport and other assistance in the project.
• Earth moving works on the Caravelle site and wheel loader to help during the preparations of the assembly phase.

Canon

• Colour prints of the OH-LEA painting by Kari Vertanen for a fund-raising campaign.

Port of Turku

• Assistance in bringing the Caravelle to be restored in the Pansio port hall.

RMR Merirakenne

• Assistance and material for building the free-turning pulley system for rotating the aircraft.

Companies in the Pansio shipyard area

• Assistance in moving and lifting the aircraft and tools lent for the assembly work.

Teknos / Markku Uusitalo

• Paint for the restoration work.

Anzo / Oy C.E. Lindgren Ab

• Paint brushes for the restoration work.

Jalmeri

• Mohair paint rolls for the restoration work.

Arctic Decals / Mika Jernfors

• Assistance in acquiring the stencil stickers and in sorting out the details for the painting work.

Peter Lampinen

• 3D-printing of the navigation light covers

Ronema

• Instruments for the Caravelle’s flight deck.

Consolis Parma

• Three hollow core slabs to be placed under the Caravelle’s landing gear at Turku airport.

NCC

• Gravel for building the other driveway to the Caravelle site.

Ossi Harjula

• Construction contracting services for the Caravelle site works.

Finnish Aviation Museum

• Support in acquiring information, permission to use premises and equipment for doing Caravelle restoration work, tools lent for disassembly and reassembly.

The Media

• Articles and video material about the project in various phases.