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View Full Version : Navigating the B.O.B Lancaster


Avitor
20th Sep 2009, 19:08
She had been to Keeble today in the Cotswolds, which is West of peterborough, where I live.

This afternoon she appeared low, approaching from the West and banking to the North over the NW of Peterborough, doubtless on her way to Lincs.

Perhaps she had done a courtesy pass over Wittering?

My question is, how do the crew navigate the beautiful machine? I suspect there is no computer aboard?

FantomZorbin
20th Sep 2009, 20:50
... maybe a Dalton Computer and a Douglas Protractor ;)

norwich
20th Sep 2009, 20:52
.... but very possibly a simple Sat/Nav ? Keith.

Herod
20th Sep 2009, 20:58
Mk1 eyeball? Seriously, probably the way it has always been done; as suggested, a Dalton computer and a chart.

ExSp33db1rd
21st Sep 2009, 06:42
So how did they navigate to the Dams ? Wots so different. The physical World hasn't changed. I

I guess they probably used a handheld Garmin GPS powered by a couple of AA batteries - why not. ( bet they wished they had one during the War )

Blacksheep
21st Sep 2009, 07:26
When we restored PA474 to airworthiness at Waddington in '65-'68 one of the jobs I did was installing an inverter system to provide 115v 400 Hz power for a TACAN installation fitted by the "Fairies". So, as originally returned to flight, she was navigated using the tried and tested paper and pencil methods, baked up by range and bearing fixes on the then standard standard military TACAN beacons. It was still there the last time I had a chance to climb aboard in 1977 during an overnight at Northolt, but I guess she'd have a Garmin these days...