Thanks for posting those photo’s, Ian. They bring back some good memories and poignant thoughts.

I got to know Dafydd Roberts of the Snowdonia Aviation Heritage Group and it is he who took me to the many (I seem to recall there are around a hundred), various crash sites in Snowdonia culminating in the partial excavation of the Dolwen Hill Lancaster R7295, when we extracted two of the Merlin engines.

Many of the sites were cleared of major items in the 1980’s by the Snowdonia National Park management and Dafydd and I ended up with a few of the engines including, for myself, one of the R-2800’s from the Ventura. That engine is now owned by another Forumite who posts here on crash sites from time to time.

It’s a wild and rugged wilderness where many of these crash sites are located, which mitigates somewhat in their favour though they are mostly now stripped bare. There is a variety of types, too. From ferried US aircraft, RAF medium and heavy bombers, many Ansons (ten, if I recall correctly) and lots of varied smaller types. Quite a selection of routes, mountains and aircraft.

Must try and get up there myself again, I hope the legs are up to it! I wouldn’t mind but I can see the Snowdon from the hill in front of my house so it’s not that far away.

Anon.