Here’s one of those ‘what could have been stories’.
While searching for something else I stumbled across some photos of this wreck on the Island of Socotra. This picture, lifted from the following site, http://www.johnfarrar.plus.com/ww2_base.html was taken in 1965 but I’ve also seen photos of this aircraft apparently taken in 1967. What the later photos show is what was sitting behind the photographer in 1965…a largely complete fuselage of a Wellington! Also scattered nearby were Wellington main planes, Hercules engines and additional Wellington nacelles.
Sadly these airframes appear to have disappeared. Probably scraped when the area was cleared to make way for a new airport.
Anne
By: Airfixtwin - 23rd June 2013 at 16:04
Would also appear to be some tanks on the island:
By: DaveF68 - 22nd June 2013 at 18:39
Ah yes, tried that before posting but didn’t find anything. The original airfield buildings lie just to the south of the runway but I think the aircraft were in an area of scrub cleared to make way for that very runway.
Here’s a link to the 1967 photos http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/results.do?view=lightbox&page=1
As you can see, if the Wellington was still there it should be quite obvious.
Anne
The link doesn’t work, but if you do a search on Socotra the pics come up.
These appear to be trucks, with some aircraft wreckage
[ATTACH=CONFIG]217904[/ATTACH]
There appears to be two Wellington wrecks
[ATTACH=CONFIG]217903[/ATTACH]
It’s interesting to note how much of the old WW2 buildings still exist to the North of the modern site
By: Mothminor - 22nd June 2013 at 15:37
Is that an area that is prone to sandstorms and shifting dunes? I hate asking this question but is there a chance the airframes are buried?
By: Peter - 22nd June 2013 at 13:56
Well to read it that at first it sounds like he is referring to this as a wellington to me.. no problem.
By: anneorac - 22nd June 2013 at 09:13
I was wondering if the items at the centre of my linked image might be remains (of something!) bulldozed into a ditch.
Ooh…if it is, there’s not much left!
By: D1566 - 22nd June 2013 at 09:06
I was wondering if the items at the centre of my linked image might be remains (of something!) bulldozed into a ditch.
By: anneorac - 22nd June 2013 at 08:43
Hmmm … I wonder …
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=12.620204&lon=53.899748&z=18.7&r=0&src=msl
Ah yes, tried that before posting but didn’t find anything. The original airfield buildings lie just to the south of the runway but I think the aircraft were in an area of scrub cleared to make way for that very runway.
Here’s a link to the 1967 photos http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/results.do?view=lightbox&page=1
As you can see, if the Wellington was still there it should be quite obvious.
Anne
By: D1566 - 22nd June 2013 at 03:04
Hmmm … I wonder …
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=12.620204&lon=53.899748&z=18.7&r=0&src=msl
By: Robbo - 21st June 2013 at 20:56
Not a Wellington but a Blenheim..
Read the post, Peter…. what was sitting behind the photographer…
Blenheim V – Bisley.
By: jeepman - 21st June 2013 at 20:49
Not a Wellington but a Blenheim..
suggest you read the OP again….
The Wellington was behind the photographer when he took the picture of the Blenheim V (aka Bisley)
By: Peter - 21st June 2013 at 20:15
Not a Wellington but a Blenheim..
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June 21, 2013 at 7:30 pm