PPRuNe Forums - Lancastrian Info

PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/)

- Aviation History and Nostalgia (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia-86/)

- - Lancastrian Info (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/208090-lancastrian-info.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Footless Halls

I THINK Aries I was originally built as a Lancaster and then demilitarised and fitted with streamlined nose and tail fairings similar to those of a Lancastrian. The Lancastrian was not a converted Lancaster but was a new aircraft designed and built as an airliner. Subtle difference.

I've got another feeling - that Aries II was a Lincoln similarly demilitarised and fitted with nose and tail fairings. There never was a an airliner version of the Lincoln although I believe ones was designed - to have been called the Lincolnian.

AV Roe ditched the Lincolnian concept and went straight on to the Tudor (oh dear).

I can check up 'cos my Dad was an Apprentice at AV Roe at one stage
and I think will know these things - at least about Aries I and II. He told me that while he was there he heard rumours of the top secret bomber design they were working on. Turned out to be the Shack...

Hello Footless Halls - could you ask your Dad, about the astro compass that was fitted in the Aries 1 for the 1945 Polar flight. I would like to see pictures of this astro compass, or even (wishful thinking ) sight of the actual instrument. Many thanks - friends.

I'll ask. But sorry to betray my ignorance. I know what a twin stack of Garmin 430's looks like, but I've no dea what an astro-compass is. What is it, what does /did it look like and where might it have been fitted?

An Astro Compass is an instrument that first appeared about 1941. It is used to obtain bearings from the sun and / or stars. It is used where magnectic compass's are unreliable, such as near the poles, or in WW2 when they got damaged. There are I understand, certain situtations when GPS are unreliable too, so the astro compass is used as a double check on magnectic compass's and GPS.

Do a Google - Images - Astro Compass - will show several astro compass's.
The one used on the Aries was an unusual special inverted model of the astro compass, presumably because it was mounted near the ceiling of the cockpit, to take readings thro' the upper windscreen.

They are still in use today in Airlines that operate in higher latitudes, I know for certain that Canadian North use then, also Polly Vacher used one too on her solo World flight in a single engined Piper.

I am researching the history and development of the Astro Compass, so would be most grateful for any model numbers, cockpit pictures of installed astro compass's etc., etc.,

Footless Halls - As far as I can find the Lancastrians were put together at Waddington (south of Lincoln). Would your Dad be able to confirm, and also what else might have been built there, if indeed Avro or a contractor had a factory there.
Many Thanks,
Brian

The Avro Factory at Waddington is still (I believe) to be seen on the other side of the A15 from Waddington. It is now an industrial estate but some of the old hangars are still there. One of the last aircraft to be assembled there was one of the Avro 707s.

Aries I was, indeed a Lancaster, modified for Arctic flights with the nose and tail fairings and all turrets removed. THe Lincolns were similarly modified. I am not certain but I believe Aries II (RE364) was in use at Shawbury and Aries III was flown from Manby, after Specialist Navigation training moved there from May 1952. Aries III certainly bore the title "Royal Air Force Flying College" on its nose.

Well I think Footless snr. was at Chadderton. I should add that he didn't finish his apprenticeship at AV Roe.
I asked about the Astro-Compass and his reaction was the same as mine: "what is an Astro-Compass?" Although at least I know what a Garmin 430 is. But I don't think they were fitted to Lancastrians either.
Another source of interesting info is a book my wife got me called 'Challenging Horizons, QUANTAS 1939-1954' by John Gunn. Not suprisingly, this is QUANTAS' postwar company history and has a lot of information about the problems they had trying to run an airline using British aircraft. At one stage they were running a 'two speed' service with Hythe flying-boats for luxury and Lancastrians for speed (but discomfort). London to Sydney by Lancastrian took 67 hours, with the Hythe taking 5 1/2 days.

Astrocompasser,

Sorry, my photographs do not help.

Cheers

Southender

Well, you've got me looking in my archives now!

Some questions I'm quite keen to know the answer to on the Lancastrian, and Brian Abraham you may be able to help here.

Colin Cruddas at Flight Refuelling passed on some info and pics about their Lancastrians about 8 or 9 years ago, most of the pics can now also be found by Googling for pics of Lancastrians. At the time of the Berlin airlift, two things stand out in pictures, namely:
a) the aerial fit on the side of the nose - navaids presumably, but what?
b) Some aircraft have a window let into the port side of the nose with what appears to be a circular device behind it. Any suggestions as to what that device might be?

Yours in blissful ignorance

GM

Green Meat - check PM