Nimrod’s wing structure was unlike that found on a modern low wing airliner in that its central torque box was integral to the wing structure . The fuselage has a pressure load bearing floor above the cut out, through which the wing passed. The A400m/146/ATR42/72 are a little similar but as high wing architectures. The modern A or B team airliner has the torque box is integrated into the fuselage and a LH/RH are attached by hundreds/thousands of bolts with the gaps taken out by shim strips..... yes that’s right shims.
Nimrods wing attaches to the fuselage at just eight locations, the “cathedral” fuselage fitting to forward edge of the torque box( 8 x15/16 bolts in two groups port/Starboard), this joint includes machined shims to ensure the z gap is correct (prepared from measurements taken before hand), then at the aft of the torque box there’s two vertical links, pin joints at both ends, oversized bushes hand reamed to final pin fit size. On the back of the torque box is the shear fitting, shimmed it the x axis then straight pin jointed. Finally there’s four shackle links which go between the lower torque box and fuselage, two forward and two aft, again oversize bushes hand reamed to final pin size. I remember access problems leading to oversize reaming, difficulties with spanner removal once some of pin nuts were tightened but nothing that resulted in a more than a few hours delay. Indeed I always thought with this wing/fuse joint there was more latitude to accommodate tolerance variation than the other types ..... so the often claimed wings didn’t fit which killed the project or sized to Comet in the scrap compound .....no just didn’t happen.....indeed pretty insulting to the professionals involved.
