The Lancaster

[SKIPRAT]

Hi All

I was in Tesco's car park loading up the old push bike with supplies at 5.19 pm this evening and heard the drone of a multi engined aircraft in the distance.As the aircraft got nearer and louder it resolved into the unmistakable sound of four synchronized Rolls Royce Merlins sweet music to an aviation enthusiast's ears and the aircraft looked great as well it was "The Lancaster" and i watched it till it disappeared in the distance.

Cheers Paul

 

[Tin Falcon]

Those old bombers certainly have a distinctive sound. Growing up I lived a bout 5 miles, less as the crow flies from the local airport that has annual air shows. I remember one night hearing an unusual sound. Could only be one thing IRRC the EAA aluminum overcast B-17 that was on static display at the show those 4 stacked radial prats sure played a tune. I can only imagine a whole formation of those overhead during wwII. not a comforting feeling for the Germans on the ground. Of course hearing an F-16 take off at two AM full AB was a pretty impressive sight and sound as well. The sound of freedom. The the guns firing on an A-10 is also another impressive memorable sight and sound.
Tin

 

[robwilk]

Hello Skip Rat to see that great sight you must live in the lincolnshire area not far from me where abouts do you live.

 

[Lakc]

Not sure how many Lanc's are left flying nowadays, but we had one at the KYIP airshow last year, what an impressive bird.
I am quite lucky, living in Redford MI, that almost every Wednesday evening during the summer the local B17, the Yankee Lady, fly's right over my back yard. Four Wright radials sure make a happy tune.

 

[rickharris]

As far as I know there are only 3 regularly flying Lancaster bombers left - The UK Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Conningsby, one in New Zealand and one in Canada. There is also one under restoration at East Kirkby Lincolnshire although not at present in a flyable condition.

If you have seen one in the UK than it is the city of Lincoln from Conningsby. When I was stationed at RAF Shawbury it was parked for a month there whilst a new engine was fitted. We were invited to get in and look around. Interesting but I don;t think it would be the place i would want to be in war time.

 

[Blogwitch]

Rick,

You must have been at Shawbury the same time as myself, 76 to 80.

I got dragged into helping a little with the change when I found out an old mate of mine was on the Lancaster servicing team, a chap called Pete Jeffries, who gave up all chances of promotion to spend the rest of his service career working with the Battle of Britain flight. I think he retired from the RAF (and the B of B flight) about 3 or 4 years ago.

And you are quite right, the main wing spars thru the fuselage didn't help moving about one bit, I came a cropper trying to get over it a couple of times.

Bogs

 

[HS93]

Rick,

You must have been at Shawbury the same time as myself, 76 to 80.

I got dragged into helping a little with the change when I found out an old mate of mine was on the Lancaster servicing team, a chap called Pete Jeffries, who gave up all chances of promotion to spend the rest of his service career working with the Battle of Britain flight. I think he retired from the RAF (and the B of B flight) about 3 or 4 years ago.

And you are quite right, the main wing spars thru the fuselage didn't help moving about one bit, I came a cropper trying to get over it a couple of times.

Bogs

you Must have been a great help with the change , with your knowledge of how they went together after you building them in the first place :big:

;D Peter ;D

 

[Blogwitch]

Don't you be so cheeky young Peter, otherwise I'll put you over my knee next time you come across, and give your a**e a good tanning. *knuppel2* *knuppel2*


Old John

 

[rickharris]

Rick,

You must have been at Shawbury the same time as myself, 76 to 80.

I got dragged into helping a little with the change when I found out an old mate of mine was on the Lancaster servicing team, a chap called Pete Jeffries, who gave up all chances of promotion to spend the rest of his service career working with the Battle of Britain flight. I think he retired from the RAF (and the B of B flight) about 3 or 4 years ago.

And you are quite right, the main wing spars thru the fuselage didn't help moving about one bit, I came a cropper trying to get over it a couple of times.

Bogs

Small world. I was there 76 - 78 I left to go to Germany to work for the American Army airforce.

I came out of the RAF and worked for Marshalls as a Radar and Computer engineer on the air traffic control side. Short addition to the Lancaster story:

We were servicing the radar on a Foggy Sunday Morning when the controller rang and asked if we could put the radar back on - after we said yes he said go and stand out side and watch the runway.

We stood looking towards the very foggy runway seeing little except the tarmac in front of us a a LOT of fog. After a while we heard the sound of heavy engines, expressing some doubts as to how right or wrong this could be we then saw the Lancaster appear out of the fog with only 3 engines running. It touched down almost in front of us - about half way down the runway.

I understood it was standard procedure to make a precautionary landing if anything went wrong as the aircraft was a) old and b) valuable. we just happened to be the closest runway at the time. exciting day though. At least Radar is much better then FIDO. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog_Investigation_and_Dispersal_Operation_%28FIDO%29

I took a bunch of school kids over to see the BB flight a couple of years ago, we were treated to seeing a spitfire go out for a flight test whilst we were there.

 

[doubletop]

This thread is turning out to be a bit of an RAF reunion. However, I wasn't at Shawbury in 76-80 but I wasn't far away at Cosford from 78-82.

I did spend time at Conningsby but way back in 69-71. I can't remember if the BB flight was around then.

Pete

 

[Lakc]

As far as I know there are only 3 regularly flying Lancaster bombers left - The UK Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Conningsby, one in New Zealand and one in Canada. There is also one under restoration at East Kirkby Lincolnshire although not at present in a flyable condition.

I would bet that its the one out of Canada then. Big beautiful bird, pure music out of the Merlins. She looked like she could use some work, however, as her skin was quite a bit wrinkled. I wondered if there was a metalurgical reason behind not smoothing her out.

 

[Blogwitch]

Jeff,

Wrinkling is normal for these old warbirds. In fact it is normal for almost all unpressurised aircraft to have wrinkles here and there, and come to think of it, most metal ships are the same.


Bogs

 

[Tin Falcon]

Wrinkling is normal for these old warbirds.

I know the feeling :big:
Tin

 

[HS93]

Jeff,

Wrinkling is normal for these old warbirds. In fact it is normal for almost all unpressurised aircraft to have wrinkles here and there, and come to think of it, most metal ships are the same.


Bogs

John you must be an old war bird then

 

[rickharris]

This thread is turning out to be a bit of an RAF reunion. However, I wasn't at Shawbury in 76-80 but I wasn't far away at Cosford from 78-82.

I did spend time at Conningsby but way back in 69-71. I can't remember if the BB flight was around then.

Pete

BBMF moved to Conningsby in 1976 just after I left. It was apparently formed at Biggenhill in 1957 after the Queen suggested it would be a good idea if a few of the WW2 aircraft could perform a flypast over London - Important people began to search for flyable spitfires and hurricanes to find the RAF had scrapped them all a few years earlier. PANIC the queen mustn't be disappointed so they were able to raise 4 aircraft from the dead to fly past and the BBMF was born.

 

[rickharris]

I would bet that its the one out of Canada then. Big beautiful bird, pure music out of the Merlins. She looked like she could use some work, however, as her skin was quite a bit wrinkled. I wondered if there was a metalurgical reason behind not smoothing her out.

City of Lincoln is quite smooth although she never flew in battle. The skin is very heavy on the rivets though!.

 

[doubletop]

BBMF moved to Conningsby in 1976 just after I left. It was apparently formed at Biggenhill in 1957 after the Queen suggested it would be a good idea if a few of the WW2 aircraft could perform a flypast over London - Important people began to search for flyable spitfires and hurricanes to find the RAF had scrapped them all a few years earlier. PANIC the queen mustn't be disappointed so they were able to raise 4 aircraft from the dead to fly past and the BBMF was born.

Most of the good examples of Spitfires etc were stuck on poles as gate guards. Once they realised how valuable they were they all got taken down and Airfix had the contract to replace them with full size replicas. So any WWII veteran now at a camp gate is in fact an Airfix kit.

Spent a bit of time at Stanmore Park and lived in Bushey Heath we'd get regular Spitfire and Hurricane fly pasts over the house as part of functions going on at Bentley Priory, HQ Fighter Command during WWII

 

[johnthomp]

wow sorry for being a little off topic here but my mates all call me a skip rat and your twice my age you must be the grand facilitator
i am not worthy o great master
john

 

[chillybilly]

i do like the sound of the Lanc the occasional times it flys over Notts ,its those Merlins dont you know !!!!!

Will never forget being on a walking holiday as a kid ,sat out the back of some pub with a coke and a bag of salt and vin ,when 3 lightnings banked round the pub in formation and really shifting ...oh the noise ......made my holiday that ,still have an airfix model in the shop as a reminder of that fab few seconds ...that and the flying scotsman at Hawes in the early 80 's the fireman offering me a stand on the footplate ,and me clinging onto dads leg refusing to be drawn ......missed opertunities eh :'(

 

[rickharris]

i do like the sound of the Lanc the occasional times it flys over Notts ,its those Merlins dont you know !!!!!

Will never forget being on a walking holiday as a kid ,sat out the back of some pub with a coke and a bag of salt and vin ,when 3 lightnings banked round the pub in formation and really shifting ...oh the noise ......made my holiday that ,still have an airfix model in the shop as a reminder of that fab few seconds ...that and the flying scotsman at Hawes in the early 80 's the fireman offering me a stand on the footplate ,and me clinging onto dads leg refusing to be drawn ......missed opertunities eh :'(

We had English Electric Lightings in Germany - Very Impressive to see flying - A man strapped across 2 powerful jet engines. Somewhat akin to a cowboy astride a good horse!

Only 15 or 20 mins on full reheat though.