I was reading a magazine article today on the history of Glasgow’s George Square, and in one of the accompanying pictures there is a picture of what appears to be a Lancaster surrounded by people in 1943.
Unfortunately the text makes no reference to the pictures, so I was wondering if anybody knew what it was doing there? I seem to remember stories of wartime fighters being placed in the square to boost morale and encourage subscription to the forces. Could this be a similar “PR” excercise ?
The sign beside the plane (where it says 1943) reads something like “engines plant” Perhaps a reference to the nearby Rolls Royce factory at Hillington?
If anyone knows I’d be delighted to hear?
By: Mark12 - 11th December 2004 at 20:11
Underground Spitfire
Here is a shot I picked up on ebay a couple of years ago.
The caption on the reverse indicates Charing Cross Underground station. Although the date is partially obscured the roundel would confirm the date as 30 June 1939.
Unfortunately, as was specified at that time, no serial applied
Hands up all those who remember those ticket machines. 🙂
The five grand for the Spitfire did not include the ’embodiment loan’ items. That is certainly radios and armament and may include engine. Can anybody confirm?
Mark
By: Guzzineil - 11th December 2004 at 19:49
In the book Spitfire At War vol 2 (Alfred Price) theres a reproduction of a statement of accounts from 1936 for the Spitfire project that shows approx £15000 spent to get the prototype in to the air.. the same document shows a ‘contract price’ (presumably for the production versions) of approx £11930..
a fair amount of money at the time if you consider that Jeffrey Quill as assistant chief test pilot, which mustve been a reasonably paid job, was being paid £500 per annum.. dont belive that this price included weapons, radios etc.. 😮 bit like a BMW today then ! 😀
.. a Lancaster is listed in another book (Lancaster Story Peter Jacobs) as ‘costing’ (again unclear if this is cost rather than sale price) £60,000 again plus the cost of weapons, radar and any other specialist equip…
Neil
By: coanda - 11th December 2004 at 19:47
they had more queen mary trailers to i expect!
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 11th December 2004 at 18:58
I forget the exact figures, but wasn’t it something like £5,000 for a Spitfire? If only you could buy one for that price now! :rolleyes:
That was the nominal sum set for the dedication of the Spitfire. The actual cost of them was higher. Of course it was not as high as it may be now but it was not as low as £5K.
MH
By: HP57 - 11th December 2004 at 18:24
In those days they had more experience in moving large aircraft around on Queen Mary Trailers I think.
Cheers
Cees
By: DocStirling - 11th December 2004 at 18:21
Stirling H-Harry was displayed in front of St Pauls for London’s Wings for Victory week in February1943.
By: HP57 - 11th December 2004 at 18:09
The Halifax was “Friday The Thirteenth” LV907, after the exhibition she was unfortunately scrapped.
Sniff 🙁
Cees
By: Guzzineil - 11th December 2004 at 18:04
.. what made me wonder was that i’d read recently that it had taken 6 Queen Mary loads to move ‘Just Jane’ to Scampton from Blackpool, so its not a 5 minute job.. so presume the one above was there for a little while..?
Neil.
By: Denis - 11th December 2004 at 17:14
at a guess as its still on the books as an RAF ‘asset’ (current MOD-speak for aeroplane!) its just covered by the MOD blanket 3rd party liability insurance? I could be wrong of course..
Thanks for that!
My Mother told me of a Lancaster in Trafalgar Square at the end of the war, I have seen a pic of a Halifax in central London, and I should imagine this was it, As you say, they must have been transportable to be at these events.
By: Guzzineil - 11th December 2004 at 16:25
That neatly brings me to ask what the BBMF Lancaster is worth in todays money, priceless to our Country I know, but what sort of figure would it be insured for?.
at a guess as its still on the books as an RAF ‘asset’ (current MOD-speak for aeroplane!) its just covered by the MOD blanket 3rd party liability insurance? I could be wrong of course..
ref the aeroplane at the top of the thread, wonder how it got there? did they dismantle a servicable a/c and move it, was it a ‘broken’ one? interested to know what the story was..
Neil.
By: Denis - 11th December 2004 at 16:16
That neatly brings me to ask what the BBMF Lancaster is worth in todays money, priceless to our Country I know, but what sort of figure would it be insured for?.
By: RadarArchive - 11th December 2004 at 13:00
I forget the exact figures, but wasn’t it something like £5,000 for a Spitfire? If only you could buy one for that price now! :rolleyes:
By: Ren Frew - 11th December 2004 at 12:41
Off hand, wasn’t Wings for Victory Week held in 1943? This was a one-week event (there were similar events for the other services such as Salute the Soldier) to raise money to pay for aircraft, etc. I suspect this is what is going on here.
I think you may be correct, there’s another sign in the picture saying “pay here” ?
That’s an interesting picture you’ve posted, half a million quid for all those bombers and fighters ! How times and inflation have changed.
By: RadarArchive - 11th December 2004 at 12:22
Although not Glasgow, this shows what I was meaning, and confirms that it was 1943.
By: RadarArchive - 11th December 2004 at 12:19
Off hand, wasn’t Wings for Victory Week held in 1943? This was a one-week event (there were similar events for the other services such as Salute the Soldier) to raise money to pay for aircraft, etc. I suspect this is what is going on here.
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December 11, 2004 at 12:03 pm