BBMF Lancaster location
Thread Starter
Well, I have been retired a long time so that modern research on cows' tails and the like has not registered.
On my last mass briefing at RAF Guetersloh [Lightnings 19 and 92, Hunters 2 and 4] the Staish thanked me, wished me well [posted Finningley] and then added "now we can stop adding 5000 feet to your contrail forecasts!"
On my last mass briefing at RAF Guetersloh [Lightnings 19 and 92, Hunters 2 and 4] the Staish thanked me, wished me well [posted Finningley] and then added "now we can stop adding 5000 feet to your contrail forecasts!"
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As for the ghost dog, is this the one reputed to have turned up for the unveiling ceremony for the Woodhall Spa memorial? I suppose one cannot tell with ghost dogs.
One of the local pubs has a ghost dog - it died after having its tail severed in an accident with the heavy pub door. The dog was buried but without its tail which was kept behind the bar as a grizzly souvenir for the visitors. Then, at midnight on the anniversary of the dogs death, an apparition appeared before the pub landlord who was locking up:
"Give me back my tail," said the Ghost, " I can't go to doggy heaven until I am whole again".
"Sorry," said the Landlord. "I'm not allowed to re-tail spirits after eleven o'clock"!
Avoid imitations
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(Sorry, this has nothing to do with Lancasters, but ghost dogs?)
As a very young, pre-school child I remembered often seeing a brown and black haired dog which always lay under my maternal grandfather's chair when he sat in it. It was an Airedale Terrier. I always thought it strange that it never seemed to come out from under that chair but never asked about it at the time or wanted to go near it because I was scared of dogs.
Many years later, as an adult, I mentioned it in passing to my mother, who told me I couldn't have seen it because the dog (which was devoted to my grandfather and always lay under his chair) had died a long time before I was born. She was shocked and amazed that I knew it was an Airedale because it was never talked about.
As a very young, pre-school child I remembered often seeing a brown and black haired dog which always lay under my maternal grandfather's chair when he sat in it. It was an Airedale Terrier. I always thought it strange that it never seemed to come out from under that chair but never asked about it at the time or wanted to go near it because I was scared of dogs.
Many years later, as an adult, I mentioned it in passing to my mother, who told me I couldn't have seen it because the dog (which was devoted to my grandfather and always lay under his chair) had died a long time before I was born. She was shocked and amazed that I knew it was an Airedale because it was never talked about.
Thread Starter
Debrief.
We had a great day on Monday, and spent 3 hours at East Kirkby which is every bit as good as has been said above. Thence to the Petwood for lunch [excellent and reasonably priced], granddaughter finished her meal with a chocolate brownie and cream ................ on to the Dam Buster Memorial, told her about the ghost dog, and then was talked into buying a chocolate brownie pastry "for later".
I took a load of photos and printed them for her to take home.
Just one question please: which variant of 0.5" gun tail turret is installed? It appears to be lacking some lower part, might that be Village Inn?
Once again, thank you.
We had a great day on Monday, and spent 3 hours at East Kirkby which is every bit as good as has been said above. Thence to the Petwood for lunch [excellent and reasonably priced], granddaughter finished her meal with a chocolate brownie and cream ................ on to the Dam Buster Memorial, told her about the ghost dog, and then was talked into buying a chocolate brownie pastry "for later".
I took a load of photos and printed them for her to take home.
Just one question please: which variant of 0.5" gun tail turret is installed? It appears to be lacking some lower part, might that be Village Inn?
Once again, thank you.
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Was the .50 a massive improvement on the .303 arrangement ??, it didn't last long as postwar the RAF quickly went to 20mm cannon in their turrets.
Which generates a second question - was the .50 a slower rate of fire than the .303 and were both of them faster than the 20mm ??
And gun sights - was the turret gun sight standard 'iron sight' arrangement, or a reflector sight or a gyro gun sight of some type ??
Any expert on here know ??
Arc
Which generates a second question - was the .50 a slower rate of fire than the .303 and were both of them faster than the 20mm ??
And gun sights - was the turret gun sight standard 'iron sight' arrangement, or a reflector sight or a gyro gun sight of some type ??
Any expert on here know ??
Arc
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Arclite
I'm no expert, but I believe the .303's rate of fire was higher than the .5, which in turn was faster than the 20mm. Turrets were fitted with reflector sights, and possibly gyro by the end of the war.
I'm no expert, but I believe the .303's rate of fire was higher than the .5, which in turn was faster than the 20mm. Turrets were fitted with reflector sights, and possibly gyro by the end of the war.
The problem with the .303 cal machine guns was the limited kinetic effect they had on impact with the target. .5 cal rounds were more effective and 20mm rounds even more destructive.
A good discussion on weapons effectiveness is at:
http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/cann...ntroversy.html
A good discussion on weapons effectiveness is at:
http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/cann...ntroversy.html
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The "Village Inn" referred to by Langleybaston in post 24 above was an automatic gunlaying system....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automa...-Laying_Turret
There was a lot of electronics in Lancasters by the end of the war.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automa...-Laying_Turret
There was a lot of electronics in Lancasters by the end of the war.
Thread Starter
Thanks for the above. The turret appears to be missing some structure low-down, as if a part or parts had been removed. That is what made me wonder about Village Inn, which had a substantial radar dome.
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I think that I may be in a minority of one, but is it a good idea to get Just Jane back into the air at the moment? We already have a flying Lancaster in the Country, and surely it would make sense to keep Jane for future upgrade should anything happen to the BBMF Lanc.
Secondly, Jane makes a great deal of money for the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby...if she is airworthy again, then will she stay at East Kirkby, or will she have to move to another airfield? ...I don't see the sense in flying a valuable Lancaster off a short grass airstrip. She currently has treaded tyres which would throw much rubbish into the undercarriage bay during take-off and landing, and the smooth early tyres are no longer available. Even if she does fly from East Kirkby, then public access to her must be affected. Taxi rides must surely be followed by full FOD checks for loose articles that may have been dropped by the paying public? Its one thing to ask customers to remove all loose items from pockets etc, but like the use of mobile phones in the Cinema, there's always some bright spark who knows better. The result must surely be a very limited public access on the ground when compared to current access. Perhaps the plan is to fly paying members of the public to help funding? Well good look with the CAA if that is tried.
My bottom line - as much as my heart says that getting a second Lancaster into flying condition is a good thing, my head says that perhaps now is not the best time to do it.
Secondly, Jane makes a great deal of money for the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby...if she is airworthy again, then will she stay at East Kirkby, or will she have to move to another airfield? ...I don't see the sense in flying a valuable Lancaster off a short grass airstrip. She currently has treaded tyres which would throw much rubbish into the undercarriage bay during take-off and landing, and the smooth early tyres are no longer available. Even if she does fly from East Kirkby, then public access to her must be affected. Taxi rides must surely be followed by full FOD checks for loose articles that may have been dropped by the paying public? Its one thing to ask customers to remove all loose items from pockets etc, but like the use of mobile phones in the Cinema, there's always some bright spark who knows better. The result must surely be a very limited public access on the ground when compared to current access. Perhaps the plan is to fly paying members of the public to help funding? Well good look with the CAA if that is tried.
My bottom line - as much as my heart says that getting a second Lancaster into flying condition is a good thing, my head says that perhaps now is not the best time to do it.
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There is room for a runway at the museum
Waddington's new concrete runway has cost in the region of £35M. I still don't think that it is worth risking a Lancaster on grass!
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Actually I find taildraggers easier off the grass................
I don't think they would operate her regularly from EK anyway. I do have a lot of sympathy with the earlier post from Wensleydale.
Arc
I don't think they would operate her regularly from EK anyway. I do have a lot of sympathy with the earlier post from Wensleydale.
Arc
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Apparently the maintenance to flight requires many parts to be remanufactured so it will not be a quick job.
Shame about the runway, it was resurfaced around 1964, was 6,500 feet, and one of two emergency landing grounds, I think Ha'penny Green was the other.
Shame about the runway, it was resurfaced around 1964, was 6,500 feet, and one of two emergency landing grounds, I think Ha'penny Green was the other.
