Lockheed Lodestar recovery in Canada

What’s the latest on this? Last update seems to be from 2009.

She is indeed R-1820 powered. Good luck to them….

As there is no news since 2009, it might be safe to suggest that the project has become moribund.

Indeed, but the pictures clearly show single-row Wright R-1820s removed from the aircraft, rather than twin-row P&W R-1830s.

Indeed a great project.

Suspect they have the correct engines. Depends which model, Lodestars were powered by either engine.

Back in the 1950s East African Airways converted a number of their 18-08s (P&W) to 18-56s (Wright).

Planemike

Nice project.

I hope they don’t ship out a couple of serviceable Pratt & Whitney engines to the site, though. They might find they don’t fit as the original has Wright Cyclones.

Why is every large air-cooled radial engine a Pratt & Whitney? I’m surprised to read these (presumed) experts making such a fundamental error.

Good luck anyhow. Indeed, the aircraft will look superb back in its CPA scheme.

Anon.

http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/216/language/en-CA/Bush-baby–recovering-a-classic-from-the-muskeg.aspx

Could anyone please confirm if this Lodestar was eventually recovered. With no news on the internet since the above page I imagine the CF-CPA project foundered and the Lodestar remains out there?

Sorry, no, I am not about to go and have a look for myself.

Many thanks,

Phil

Fascinating recovery but is there any info more recent than 2009?

Fascinating recovery but is there any info more recent than 2009?

This is awesome, good luck to them! Makes you hope against hope that there are still WW2 era aircraft in remote areas in similar condition awaiting discovery! I was going to give the Chinese Stirling as an example but then remembered it’s kept in a hangar somewhere so that doesn’t count….

This is awesome, good luck to them! Makes you hope against hope that there are still WW2 era aircraft in remote areas in similar condition awaiting discovery! I was going to give the Chinese Stirling as an example but then remembered it’s kept in a hangar somewhere so that doesn’t count….

I did read the link with great interest. Don’t get me wrong, my first thought was that the whole enterprise is wholly laudable, and I have great admiration for the people actually able and prepared to go and do this sort of thing. A finished Lodestar in CPA livery will look superb, and a testament to a lot of hard work and a pretty epic recovery.

I was merely pointing out (quite realistically, I thought) that this method of recovery (repairing, then flying out) is pretty risky, and hasn’t always worked in the past even with better-preserved aircraft (like the infamous B-29). I’m no airframe mechanic, but I’d like to think even the layman like me can appreciate how difficult it is to completely assess the structural condition of the aircraft (spars, etc) in situ in a bog. An aircraft like this that belly-landed could have recieved a lot of serious, but outwardly invisible damage: aircraft are not designed to withstand slithering along on their bellies! Making absolutely sure you’ve done enough of a repair to render your Lodestar acceptably safe to fly is surely going to be difficult?

I’m not saying they’re stupid to attempt it, or that any of the other alternatives look any easier, or indeed that they’re not likely to take the due care and attention! I was merely pointing out that flying out a crashed machine in this way is risky, and hoping that despite this it works, and in the future we can see a beautifully restored Lodestar !

I did read the link with great interest. Don’t get me wrong, my first thought was that the whole enterprise is wholly laudable, and I have great admiration for the people actually able and prepared to go and do this sort of thing. A finished Lodestar in CPA livery will look superb, and a testament to a lot of hard work and a pretty epic recovery.

I was merely pointing out (quite realistically, I thought) that this method of recovery (repairing, then flying out) is pretty risky, and hasn’t always worked in the past even with better-preserved aircraft (like the infamous B-29). I’m no airframe mechanic, but I’d like to think even the layman like me can appreciate how difficult it is to completely assess the structural condition of the aircraft (spars, etc) in situ in a bog. An aircraft like this that belly-landed could have recieved a lot of serious, but outwardly invisible damage: aircraft are not designed to withstand slithering along on their bellies! Making absolutely sure you’ve done enough of a repair to render your Lodestar acceptably safe to fly is surely going to be difficult?

I’m not saying they’re stupid to attempt it, or that any of the other alternatives look any easier, or indeed that they’re not likely to take the due care and attention! I was merely pointing out that flying out a crashed machine in this way is risky, and hoping that despite this it works, and in the future we can see a beautifully restored Lodestar !

Option 3:
Using a heavy lift helicopter to bring all of the dismantled parts to Schefferville, Quebec, where it will be loaded onto a train bound for St.-Hyacinthe. Our big concern is the risk involving helicopters. Should something go wrong during the flight, the pilot would have to drop its load and the project would be lost. All would be sold to a scrap yard. This is the least attractive option due the risk but most attractive due to the short travel time. Total travel time: Five days

Awesome effort hats off to them all what a huge ammount of work to achieve in a workshop let alone the middle of no where. Good luck 🙂

Option 3:
Using a heavy lift helicopter to bring all of the dismantled parts to Schefferville, Quebec, where it will be loaded onto a train bound for St.-Hyacinthe. Our big concern is the risk involving helicopters. Should something go wrong during the flight, the pilot would have to drop its load and the project would be lost. All would be sold to a scrap yard. This is the least attractive option due the risk but most attractive due to the short travel time. Total travel time: Five days

Awesome effort hats off to them all what a huge ammount of work to achieve in a workshop let alone the middle of no where. Good luck 🙂

It’s their money, their project, done their way – good luck to them!!!!

It’s their money, their project, done their way – good luck to them!!!!

Surely it makes sense to break it up and trasport ot. I always remeber what happened to the B-29 Kee Bird in Greenland = (

The distances invovled are often too great or too expensive. Theres dozens of ditched and belly-landed wrecks sat up there in the tundra (including Yorks and Lancasters) but all are far too remote to get them out at anything like an affordable price.

Surely it makes sense to break it up and trasport ot. I always remeber what happened to the B-29 Kee Bird in Greenland = (

The distances invovled are often too great or too expensive. Theres dozens of ditched and belly-landed wrecks sat up there in the tundra (including Yorks and Lancasters) but all are far too remote to get them out at anything like an affordable price.

If some of the pessimists would read the frikkin’ LINK, they’d get a bigger picture, perhaps? :rolleyes: