Avro Lancastrian Tales
This is 10 minutes of what LHR looked like in 1946, including a range of the interesting types around at the time.
The opening, and departure of the first BSAA Lancastrian flight, with Bennett at the controls, on 1 Jan 46, is at 4.45 in the film.
London Airport | The National Archives
The opening, and departure of the first BSAA Lancastrian flight, with Bennett at the controls, on 1 Jan 46, is at 4.45 in the film.
London Airport | The National Archives
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Fascinating. All those construction workers, and not a hard hat or hi-vis vest in sight. The removal of people from their homes though, hasn't changed.
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LAP Film
Excellent piece of film WHBM - many thanks for the link.
Having seen Herod's comment before watching it, I couldn't help but wonder if the guys with the pneumatic drills were wearing ear plugs or not...but perhaps they were already stone deaf after doing that job for years!
Having seen Herod's comment before watching it, I couldn't help but wonder if the guys with the pneumatic drills were wearing ear plugs or not...but perhaps they were already stone deaf after doing that job for years!
Phoenix. I agree with you. Reading "Star Dust Falling", the fatality figures are horrendous.
For every 100 million passenger miles flown by BOAC, 2.3 passengers had died in crashes, all North American carriers averaged 3.78. BSAA's figure was 61.6.
Or put another way, with BOAC, one passenger had died for every 18,900 flown. BSAA was killing one passenger for every 385 that they flew.
I think Don Bennett had a lot to answer for.
For every 100 million passenger miles flown by BOAC, 2.3 passengers had died in crashes, all North American carriers averaged 3.78. BSAA's figure was 61.6.
Or put another way, with BOAC, one passenger had died for every 18,900 flown. BSAA was killing one passenger for every 385 that they flew.
I think Don Bennett had a lot to answer for.
As for the accident figures, yes they are unquestionably very serious for BSAA, but the figures in the book are not accurate. From official sources the true figures are - for every 100 million miles flown by BOAC, 4 passengers had died (not 2.3), the figure was 11 for BEA and 48 for BSAA (not 61.6). Similarly, with BOAC one passenger had died for every 9,733 flown (not 18,900) and for BSAA the figure was 762 (not 385).
Not sure of the airfield I'm afraid, although it's quite possibly Waddington as that's where this particular Lancaster was modified in early 1946. However it's a very nice photo of Lancaster 'Star Gold' and one I don't remember seeing before. Interesting.
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Hello BSAA1947,
Thanks. It is interesting that you say that aircraft was converted at Waddington.
I have long wondered if that kind of work was actually done at Waddington or nearby Bracebridge Heath and Waddington was merely the runway used to position the aircraft in and out. I know numerous aircraft were towed between the two sites via the A15 but I have never seen a picture of a Lancastrian making that particular journey.
Ed
Thanks. It is interesting that you say that aircraft was converted at Waddington.
I have long wondered if that kind of work was actually done at Waddington or nearby Bracebridge Heath and Waddington was merely the runway used to position the aircraft in and out. I know numerous aircraft were towed between the two sites via the A15 but I have never seen a picture of a Lancastrian making that particular journey.
Ed
Your information may be more reliable than mine as I can't find my sources at the moment but I had noted in the BSAA fleet list on my website that the aircraft (a Lancaster remember, not a Lancastrian in this case) had been fitted with a Lancastrian style nose by A.V. Roe at Waddington. It had originally been loaned to BSAA and was only bought by them at the end of March 1947 when it was dismantled to be used for spares.
"Early in 1946 the British South American Airways Company took delivery of six Lancaster Is from the Ministry of Supply. Four of these were commissioned as freighters, the conversions being carried out at the works of A. V. Roe and Co. Limited at Bracebridge Heath".
G-AGUK was one of the four.
G-AGUJ "Star Pilot", ex PP689
G-AGUK "Star Gold", ex PP688
G-AGUL "Star Watch", ex PP690
G-AGUM "Star Ward", ex PP751
The other two of the six purchased that weren't converted to freighters were:
G-AGUN, ex PP744, later to BOAC as G-AHVN, then to Flight Refuelling
G-AGUO, ex PP746, subsequently returned to the RAF
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Thanks Dave.
I had had no idea that any Lancasters were converted at Bracebridge Heath, my Waddington guess re the photo is purely based upon the buildings you can see in the background.
Ed
I had had no idea that any Lancasters were converted at Bracebridge Heath, my Waddington guess re the photo is purely based upon the buildings you can see in the background.
Ed
Last edited by AirportsEd; 8th Oct 2016 at 11:05. Reason: Typo
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Off The Beam
Hello Mike6567,
Regarding the Off The Beam book by Robert Chandler you mentioned a while back, do you have a copy, if so, would you recommend it?
I wondered if it had much Lancastrian or indeed flying content.
Regards,
Ed
Regarding the Off The Beam book by Robert Chandler you mentioned a while back, do you have a copy, if so, would you recommend it?
I wondered if it had much Lancastrian or indeed flying content.
Regards,
Ed
The batch converted at Bracebridge Heath were
Just as an aside, if you take look at the ARB paper record sheets for G-AGUJ, K, L & M all are shown as "seventeen seater monoplanes". There seems little doubt they were only ever used as freighters.
Ed Re "Off The Beam" by Robert Chandler
The book has a few chapters on his time with BSAA and BOAC. Some interesting and amusing anecdotes. He was on the first flight from Heathrow January 1st 1946 in "Star Light" and there are several pages on this.
Not a lot of specific Lancastrian content.
Mike
The book has a few chapters on his time with BSAA and BOAC. Some interesting and amusing anecdotes. He was on the first flight from Heathrow January 1st 1946 in "Star Light" and there are several pages on this.
Not a lot of specific Lancastrian content.
Mike