Lancaster Bomber

Lozzer

Member
Messages
2,280
It's immaterial anyways mate, the sacrifice these guys made was ultimate, and we need to as a country remember that.

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BennyD

Sea Urchin Pate
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14,994
That's not a Lanc - I believe it was a Mitchell B-25 trying the Highball (smaller) variant of the Upkeep mine later in the war, as far as I know no crew lost their lives on test runs for the dams raids.

Remember this was the smaller version of the mine, (Highball) that ended up being tested by the Americans for attacks against Japanese warships, no American bomber or indeed any other contemporary bomber could carry the 4 ton mine used for the Dams (Upkeep). Indeed the Lanc later carried the 12 and 22 ton Grand Slam and Tallboy bombs used to sink the Tirpitz and as earthquake bombs to destroy the submarine pens in France and railway viaducts in Germany like Bleifeld.

I'm totally switched on this subject, I could go on Mastermind or even Masermind if it existed!

FYI, the Tallboy was 12,000lbs (not 12 tons) and the Grand Slam was 22,000lbs (not 22 tons). The High Ball was originally envisaged as an anti shipping bomb for use by Mosquitos. The Lancaster in question had its tail damaged by the water plume but landed safely with all its crew. As a result the drop height, perversely, was lowered to, IIRC, 60ft.
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
Even though I'm too young to fully understand, reading that was emotional, hats off to the RAF, I can't imagine what was running through his mind, those memories...

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All of them Raf, Navy, Army, men in carpenters shops building Mosquito parts,women working 12 hour shifts making bullets and building aircraft, they were a different breed back then

Have a read of this

St Nazaire Raid
Operation Chariot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid
 

Lozzer

Member
Messages
2,280
All of them Raf, Navy, Army, men in carpenters shops building Mosquito parts,women working 12 hour shifts making bullets and building aircraft, they were a different breed back then

Have a read of this

St Nazaire Raid
Operation Chariot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid
True, Wack, i fear war is glorified now, it is the reason I have this sitting in one of my garages. Total respect.
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TridentTested

Member
Messages
1,819
Bill Townsend lived in Chepstow and this was a celebration of his life.

Coincidentally I passed Guy Gibson's house in St John's Wood today, there's a blue plaque on the house. I never knew he lived there and it brought home to me that these heroes lived real lives; we are so used to see them immortalised on celluloid we forget they walked the streets we live on now.
 

TridentTested

Member
Messages
1,819
I di however have the privilege of attending a talk and dinner with Johnny Johnson earlier this year at Thornbury Castle and collected a couple of signed photos.

Another of my heroes. His autobiography is on my shelves. Must read it again.
 

Navcorr

Member
Messages
3,839
All of them Raf, Navy, Army, men in carpenters shops building Mosquito parts,women working 12 hour shifts making bullets and building aircraft, they were a different breed back then

Have a read of this

St Nazaire Raid
Operation Chariot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid

+1

Clarkson may not be everyone's cup of tea - this presentation was rather spiffing though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXusKM5uX0s

As was this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGr-iGYSQ7M
 

Silvercat

Member
Messages
1,166
Hi All, II was fortunate enough to work at the place ( Avro Woodford, Cheshire) during the 1990's where they used to build these incredible machines (and the equally awesome Vulcan Bomber) . The Avro museum is still their but sadly the site has now been bulldozed and turned over to a giant housing estate! They used to build 9 Lancaster a week, each one with an operating life of something like 60 hours. So its amazing there are still a couple of these magnificent machines flying today. I used to have a Supplier in the US who had a sales guy from Canadian. His Dad flew the Lancaster in the war and when he came visit, he was awestruck by thd fact that he was walking through the factory where the very same aircraft were built all of those years ago.So on his departure I gave him a book 'The Avro Story' all about the Lancaster; he was so made up he nearly welled up! No doubt he will keep that book forever. Great times......
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Dunno mate
This was dated end of June
Airframe exceeded life on that last Vulcan 2 years ago, hence why none can fly anymore as it will never be given an aviation licence to do so.

Dunno why Spitfires are still aloud to fly mind as they are much older, maybe rules are different for jets.
 

Wanderer

Member
Messages
5,791
Airframe exceeded life on that last Vulcan 2 years ago, hence why none can fly anymore as it will never be given an aviation licence to do so.

Dunno why Spitfires are still aloud to fly mind as they are much older, maybe rules are different for jets.

I was told the answer but I forgot! Something to do with the BAe or whoever not able to give engineers time to keep it airworthy due to the expense as it gets older.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
There was a team who donated their time to keep it running but am pretty sure the airframe has expires so no can fly anymore.

Such a shame.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,543
There was a team who donated their time to keep it running but am pretty sure the airframe has expires so no can fly anymore.

Such a shame.

Isn't it because they are pressurised and the aluminium basically fatigues with the pressure changes? Could be totally wrong. Probably am :D

C
 

Wanderer

Member
Messages
5,791
If this doesn’t make you cream your trousers and shît your pants at the same time, you’re technically dead.

The Vulcan Howl at its best..

 

Doohickey

Velociraptor
Messages
2,496
Isn't it because they are pressurised and the aluminium basically fatigues with the pressure changes? Could be totally wrong. Probably am :D

C
When some of us went to the Vulcan hanger at Finningley a couple of years ago we were told it's the avionics that are the problem. Basically they are massively more complicated than Spitfires etc which are essentially WW1 technology. The guys there are able to maintain it but they can't get the insurance necessary to allow it to fly.