Avro Lancastrian Tales
 

I know the Avro Lancastrians' years of service were relatively short-lived and a very long time ago but I have always had a soft spot for the type.
Are there any former Avro Lancastrian guys or girls still out there who can (politely!) tell us what they were like to operate or maintain?
Ed

You might try Keith Hayward at British Airways Museum/Archive. He is ex BSAA who operated Lancastrians.

Thanks Planemike,
I have thought about visiting the museum many, many times but never actually done it.
Must get round to it!
Ed

This mention of Lancastrian reminds me of the intriguing story of how one of them disappeared over the Andes in 1947, albeit the incident did NOT happen because of the aircraft type -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1947_B..._Dust_accident

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/sep/06/owenbowcott1

BBC News | UK | Lost plane found in Andes

Ed, Do make the effort to go, well worth it. Fascinating archive. PM

Thank you Phoenix.
I do remember reading about the Stardust crash and seeing a TV documentary about it once. Hadn't realized I had coincidentally started the thread on its anniversary.

Thank you Mike; I will sort it out!
Ed

Avro Lancastrian Tales
 

Have you come across the book 'Stardust Falling' by Jay Rayner (Doubleday)? Its about the loss of Lancastrian Stardust and is a good read. Recommend it:

I have now - thanks. Just ordered a copy on Amazon!

BTW, did anyone ever get to the bottom of why they transmitted that 'STENDEC' message, or is that covered in the book?

Hello Tiny,
No, I hadn't heard of it, that's a welcome surprise to me.
I will get a copy.
Thanks,
Ed.

Was not the reported 'STENDEC' message a mishearing of the morse message sent by the a/c which was 'Star Tiger Descending' ?

STENDEC?????

Many theories as to its meaning explored here..

There are some tales about day-to-day life on the BSAA Lancastrian in the book "Comets and Concordes (and those I flew before)" by Peter Duffey.

Thanks Tu144,
Another book I hadn't heard of.
Stardust Falling should drop through my letterbox in a day or so.
I will chase up a copy of Comets and Concordes!
Ed

Wander,
as you will know the morse for E is a single dit and the morse for A is dah dit. The thought was that in fact it should have been read as a single morse letter dit dah dit. Which is R. So the message would be 'STRDEC and not STENDEC. As morse is one of the 'modern' shorthand texting systems this theory (not mine) seems to make as much sense as any other. As a Radio Amateur I have more than once misread a transmission in a similar manner especially when conditions were difficult. We will never know for certain of course.

Sometimes you wish you had not asked..........but thanks anyway!"

My copy of 'Star Dust Falling' arrived today!

Many thanks to tiny fireburn for making me aware of it. Nice writing style, too. Really flows.

A good excerpt from the book, that Ppruners may relate to, is a joke concerning the slogans of the competing airlines in those days:

BOAC will take good care of you.
BEA will get you there and back again.
BSAA will inform your next of kin.

Not surprised you misread if you think dah dit is A :) Try N.

No .. . 'A' is a short and a long.

cue for - three dits…four dits . . . two dits . . . dah

My copy of Star Dust Falling also arrived today (but haven't had chance to read it yet).
So it's thanks from me too Tiny!