With today’s news that a company plans to start up floatplane flights to the Lake District (see this thread over on Commercial Aviation) I was left trying to recall other aircraft that have operated into Cumbrian lakes.
I know about the really early stuff (the Lakes Flying School and RNAS Windermere during World War I) and of course Short Brothers had a factory there in WWII.
But what interests me at the moment is the post war activity.
The only two recent flights that I know of both landed on Windermere, and were even available for visitors to see around inside while on the water:
June 1990 G-BHJS/”Islander” Short Sunderland stayed for three weeks.
June 1994 G-BLSC Plane Sailing’s Catalina stayed for two weeks.
But did the Tiger Club’s Sea Tiger G-AIVW ever venture that far north? Are there any others that anybody knows about?
Allan
By: Pondskater - 25th April 2007 at 18:15
What of the rumour that there were still a couple of Sunderlands at the bottom of Windermere? Any substance to it ?
No
Has anyone looked?
Yes.
Difficult area – best not to go there, but you asked nicely and it would be discourteous not to explain.
For many, many years there have been several rumours of a Sunderland or Sunderlands in Windermere – but no evidence. Then a “sonar image” was published in The Times a couple of years ago. It has since been shown to be fake – why? Nobody knows, but it wasn’t real.
I know of at least two attempts to survey the lake to find a Sunderland, both with negative results. Found a few old boats and debris but nothing the size of a Sunderland.
One question remains. Why did the rumour start in the first place? I think I may be getting close to an answer to that one, couple of loose ends to chase but the main story is no, it seems there is not, and has never been, a Sunderland at the bottom of Windermere.
So can we drop this one quickly and go back to discussing aircraft which stayed on the surface? 🙂
This is an interesting site
http://www.aohg.org.uk/twww/industry3.html
Moggy
Thanks Moggy. Ambleside Oral History Group – Oddly I recognise the story about the swan – I think I may have met this gentleman on one of my trips out. If so, he used to work at Short Brothers in Windermere. Nice example of oral history.
Allan
By: Lindy's Lad - 25th April 2007 at 17:33
What of the rumour that there were still a couple of Sunderlands at the bottom of Windermere? Any substance to it – has anyone looked? And while on the subject of Sunderland ‘submarines’ – there are alleged to be a couple at the bottom of the clyde too…. hmm. Anyone got an aqualung?
By: Moggy C - 25th April 2007 at 10:50
This is an interesting site
http://www.aohg.org.uk/twww/industry3.html
Moggy
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April 24, 2007 at 9:10 pm