Avro Lancastrian Tales

[one11]

More Lancastrians on old postcards

While checking out Star Ward at Le Bourget, I identified some more Lancastrians on old postcards which I thought worth sharing.
1) BSAAC G-AGWL Star Guide at Santa Maria, Azores

2) Unidentified BOAC at Nairobi Eastleigh Airport

3) Flight Refuelling G-AKDP at Gander Newfoundland. The first civil Lancaster conversions were made in Canada and entered service with TCA transatlantic mail services in 1943. On displacement by Canadair DC-4M s they were sold to Flight Refuelling for use as tankers on the Berlin airlift. I guess the photographer just happened to capture this one on its delivery flight.

4) Alitalia I-DALR - location unknown but, like on the Le bourget BSAAC, this airport was also using PSP perforated steel matting. This card was issued later by Alitalia in a fleet history set.


Too bad that although some of these are posted, none mention any Lancastrian flight experiences.

[Lee Howard]

Air-Britain are about to publish a book entitled 'From Lancaster to York' which covers, inter alia, the Lancastrian.

[A30yoyo]

Edit:I believe the forthcoming book is about the post-war development of the Lancaster, Lancastrian and York...not sure of the civil/ military split

[Mike6567]

Once again not so good quality - I think it is a copy of an official photo early 1946.
Star Light G-AGWG.

[AirportsEd]

Excellent photos again - thanks for sharing.
That BOAC one at Nairobi is glorious!
Who is the author of the forthcoming Air Britain book?
Ed

[Phoenix1969]

Who is the author of the forthcoming Air Britain book?

A Derek A King, apparently

Warbird Information Exchange ? View topic - Book Project "From Lancaster to York"

I love this thread - it just keeps on going!

[A30yoyo]

The last photo of G-AGWG shows it climbing from 28R at Heathrow with the old Heathrow School on the Bath Rd visible .
The forthcoming book doesn't appear on Air Britain publicity yet and should not be confused with a book by Martin Derry on RAF Lancasters, Lincolns and Yorks.

[A30yoyo]

Good place to X-post this from the Key forum...a new STENDEC theory
An explanation of STENDEC .....
.....(EDIT )this suggests the phrase read as STENDEC was transmitted as SCTI AR (SCTI being the new code for Santiago)

[Thomas Woodrooffe RN]

A30yoyo,


That link gives food for thought on the last message from Star Dust,


But,


The CW prosign A_R (._._.) is the morse code equivalent of the voice proword Out (end of my message, I do not expect a reply).


The CW prosign K (_._) is the morse code equivalent of the voice proword over (end of my message, I expect a reply).


As Star Dust's Radio Op was in a protracted exchange with Santiago; the ground station requesting a repeat twice (not understanding the last word "STENDEC"). Star Dust's Radio Op would be unlikely to end his message on 3 separate occasions with Out.


TW

[BSAA1947]

Originally Posted by A30yoyo

Good place to X-post this from the Key forum...a new STENDEC theory
An explanation of STENDEC .....
.....reckoned to mean SCTI AR or ' Santiago....Over'

Thanks for linking to this. I was excited when I first received the email about this theory as I've seen so many theories about the "STENDEC" message over the years and at least 90% of them have bordered on the ridiculous! When I first read the email from Martin Colwell I thought "that's it" and was amazed at how simple it seems.

Ian

[Phoenix1969]

Am surprised the link to this book doesn't (acc to Google) appear to have been posted on this thread yet - Fly With The Stars - A History of BSAA

Anyone read it?

[WHBM]

Anyone read it?

It's sort of OK, but a bit lightweight.

[A30yoyo]

I think Ian in post#149 might have read it :-)

[Mike6567]

I did mention "Fly with the Stars" in post#40.
I think it excellent and a must for anyone interested in BSAA. It also has detailed information on all the aircraft operated by them.
Mike

[Props]

Lancastrian GAJWN expp741 used by BEA for Alitalia crew training
4/6/47 transfered to Alitalia 11/4/48
I flew on a BSAA aircraft on a local flight from Heathrow in48
We sat sideways all 9 seats on the Port side

[BSAA1947]

Originally Posted by A30yoyo

I think Ian in post#149 might have read it :-)

Many, many times .... :-)

[BSAA1947]

Originally Posted by Mike6567

I did mention "Fly with the Stars" in post#40.
I think it excellent and a must for anyone interested in BSAA. It also has detailed information on all the aircraft operated by them.
Mike

Thanks Mike!

[AirportsEd]

Thanks for the author info Phoenix - I look forward to seeing it published.
I enjoyed reading Fly With the Stars too.

[India Four Two]

While looking at these very nostalgic photos, a thought just occurred to me.

Did the nose and tail fairings, and lack of a mid-upper turret, significantly improve the Lancastrian's performance, compared to the Lancaster?

[WHBM]

Did the nose and tail fairings, and lack of a mid-upper turret, significantly improve the Lancastrian's performance, compared to the Lancaster?

Seemingly so. The fast freighters run by BOAC in the late 1940s from London to Johannesburg and Sydney with just a handful of stops (tables 30 and 31 here), albeit lengthy overnight stops (probably the same crew throughout) were done with legs of around 2,000 nm, which I guess is well beyond a standard Lanc.

http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...49/ba49-09.jpg