Dumped Barracudas found in the Caribbean ?

Barracudas….in particular

Hello again to all who were interested in my query posted earlier in this thread on the mystery Barracuda inlets, and contributed replies; this to advise that the solution may well have turned up in a reply I received today from an ex-Royal Navy pilot, a gallant gentleman, whom I won’t embarrass by naming, suffice to say that he flew Barracudas plus many other types, and herewith an excerpt from his reply…

“you posed a problem that had me delve deep into the recesses of my memory. However the mystery inlets are, I believe, access panels to the wing locking lever of the wing fold mechanism. Ground crew would reach these by ladder or via the extended undercarriage once the engine was stopped. All marks of Barracuda had these panels, because the aircraft never had power folding of the wings, which had to be manually folded- no easy task on an aircraft carrier flight deck.”

So there we have it, the solution, from, in my humble opinion, an impeccable source beyond reproach ( and such a straightforward , logical answer too!) 😉

NI Corsairs and South Pacif Dumps

Hi All,

On the subgect of the NI Corsairs, I visit both of these wrecks in the late 90s. Both are complete basket cases I talk with the NI Gov about salavge rights its alot easier to rights in the UK then it is here in the States. The proplem with Corsairs are the Main Spar since both of these a/c were involved with a hard landing and have been sitting in salt water the main spar is all but junk. The cost to have a new one build is 2 million US and up. That is why their are a # of Corsair projects that have’nt been brought back to Air Worthy status.

As for the Far East Dumps 3 quaters of the Corsairs that Trained here in the States went to ther Pacific for Air Ground support all but two of these Squadrons dump their load of Corsairs and TBMs before they came back to the UK. Their is the big dump site off Aussie land plus their is another off of India Jagan could give us some more info on this.

Cheers CrazyMainer

Yes, Papa Lima, I’d seen these drawings before, my son had found them, being more skilled than I at web surfing , and I’d enrolled his help in my quest too! The drawings accentuate the raised surrounds on these inlets, seem to be a profusion of pop rivets or screw fasteners securing them. I had wondered whether access might have been needed to the undercarriage hinge jacks as going up through the wheel wells might not have been the safest of options for maintenance personnel, but then again it’s still conjecture on my part… not a definitive answer.
Hope we find the answer before you go to Oshkosh, sure as eggs is eggs you won’t see one there!

🙁 ..or anywhere else for that matter…(an entire specimen, that is!)

I’d better put in appearance next door now ; my better half has been absorbed with the ‘Master and Commander ‘ DVD released today.(…don’t think I’ve been missed yet . I’ll look in again later! Cheers 😉

This is the most I can blow up the Russian site detail, but it looks very much like an opening to me. . .
By the way, the photo is not of my model, it was taken from another foreign language Web site!
I’m more into photos of the real thing! (Off to Oshkosh again this year)

The search continues . . .
Found quite a lot of detail on this Russian site:
http://www.aerotechnics.ru/avia/aircraft/uk/barracuda.asp
but although tantalisingly close, not quite what you need!
However the other drawings on this site might give other useful information.

Right on the button Papa Lima, these are the inlets in question, and although your Barra’s more advanced than mine you’re going to be wondering like me! Do I glaze them over, do I blank them off a little way in, do I wait until we know the correct answer?

(Sorry to read that your father’s no longer with you : in a similar vein, I’d corresponded with a former Barracuda pilot and author two years ago (on another matter) but a recent letter I’d sent was returned as undeliverable. Hopefully he has moved, but as a gentleman of advanced years even then, I fear the worst and didn’t pursue it. We’re all poorer for the loss of these gallant gentlemen with their knowledge, skills and stories)

I’m encouraged though Papa Lima, we may have set the ball rolling again on this one 😉

So these are the ones you mean! One each side.
My late father (who served as an RAF aircraft rigger in the Fleet Air Arm during the war) could probably have told you immediately! I’ll keep digging, however, one attribute technical authors need is perseverance, although there is a distinct lack of sources over here in Sweden!

..nearly, Papa Lima, thank you ; the ‘window’ arrowed is a downview panel of which there is one either side of the pilot’s cockpit, presumably to eliminate blind spots as the aircraft stood fairly high above the deck, and if you swing your arrow vertically there were two additional smaller round windows let in to the fuselage top decking, also either side, the port one being just faintly visible as a dark ellipse below the side triangle (reflecting the light) from the side canopy glazing. Hovever if you swing your arrow some 20 degrees clockwise from the downview window you indicate, the port inlet I meant is in the wing undersurface. In this view it appears wider at the top, narrower at the bottom and follows the curved contour of the wing.
Glazed? Not glazed? Access panel?…for what? Cooling intake?…..for what purpose ? Lights?…don’t think so…camera?…doubt it . And why do they appear only on the marks I andII ? … these are the ‘inlets’ that have been puzzling me (and others ) for quite some time.
Help! kind regards, bms44

. . . and part of a photo from the same page; is this the “window” you mean?
(I hope the severely mangled scan shows up here!)

bms44, here is an attempt to show the relevant part of the 3-view drawing of the TBR Mk III Barracuda from page 341 of “The British Bomber since 1914” . . .

Quote from http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/portland/971/Reviews/raf/barracuda.htm which describes the MPM model Barracuda:

“A small window on each side of the fuselage beside the cockpit is also prominent in pictures of the aircraft but the kit does not have any clear parts. There is an outline on the fuselage halves to cut and fill as appropriate. I carved out the windows and then used some spare clear parts – carefully trimmed to size to slot into the holes.”
I am scrutinizing photos of Barracudas in other (printed) publications but cannot identify the exact location from your description; it’s certainly not “prominent” in these! There appears to be squareish area immediately under the front side of the cockpit glazing . . .

Barracudas….in particular

Hello folks, I’m a new member to this board too, having stumbled across this Forum by happy accident…and I like your style so hopefully will be dipping in from time to time. However, at the risk of appearing to be an anorak, let me get this question out of the way.
The years after I was first rolled out of my hangar, the nearby skies were full of Barracudas Swordfish and the like, and although not a dedicated modeller, I’ve got a 1/48th Barra building at present, which, when finished, will hopefully wear the markings of an aircraft from a squadron then based at that former naval air station.
Those of you of an observant nature, and I can see you don’t miss much! will have noticed, and I think only on the marks I and II Barras, two rectangular cut-outs (inlets) either side of the fuselage in the under-leading-edge wing surface just below the pilot’s cockpit. The kit has glazing panels to fit these ‘inlets’ which appear to be say 8 to 10″ wide by some 18″ long, but I don’t think they were glazed, and more importantly, haven’t found anyone who can tell me what the function of these were. Even enquiries at the FAA Museum drew a blank. Can anyone throw any ideas or answers into the pot? Thanks in anticipation.
bms44

Pick an aircraft carrier that had to come back to Britain from the far east… Most of them had to dump their aircraft in order to carry back former POWs or troops not needed to restore control after the Japanese surrender. Happened with some of the carriers based in the Atlantic too.
Do a search under the names of the respective carriers – I have found (in the past) pix of such events, or mention in the text; unfortunately (for you) I was searching for other things so didn’t take any details.
Try, for a start, looking for HMS’s Vengeance, Venerable, Colossus, Glory, Implacable, Victorious, Illustrious, Indefatigable, Indomitable, or Formidable – these all being a part of the British Pacific Fleet and operated a mixture of designs that were mainl dumped en route.

Flood.

To be able to find eyewitnesses we need to know which Aircraft Carrier(s) were involved. Any ideas?

Originally posted by Wombat
…I think he mentioned that part of the fleet comprised the Illustrious and a number of smaller fleet and escort carriers. The return journey to Britain after VJ day saw a number of perfectly good aircraft given over to Davey Jones.

What a waste…

Regards

Wombat:(

That was the rules behind lend-lease: you wanted it you had to pay for it after the hosilities had ended…

Flood.

My father served with the Royal Navy during WWII, with part of his service spent on the HMS Slinger, an escort carrier. He told me a number of times how aircraft which missed the arrestor wires would end hung up over the side of the deck. Damage was often minimal but recovery was not possible as no suitable equipment was carried to pull the aircraft back onto the deck.

So, over she went, often with very little damage apart from bent props and undercarts.

He finished the war aboard the Anson in the Pacific Fleet. I think he mentioned that part of the fleet comprised the Illustrious and a number of smaller fleet and escort carriers. The return journey to Britain after VJ day saw a number of perfectly good aircraft given over to Davey Jones.

What a waste…

Regards

Wombat:(

A little bit more…

Ok, I have a little bit more info for you. There were lots of aircraft dumped off carriers, as we know. I was told yesterday that these (Barracudas and others) were dumped off of Barbados, brand new and crated. The gent that told me this was an RN Observer during the war and can pinpoint the location(s).

Even when crated and presumably covered in preservative there can’t be much that is left of them.

Originally posted by Robbo
Flood, just so you don’t have to peer into the background of that photo, here are three photos of the Fairey Barracuda remains at the FAAM Yeovilton from last Sunday:

Cheers, Rob

Yep – thats the one! Wish some kind benefactor would finance a rebuild like they did the Albacore behind it…

Flood.

Barra –
For any modellers out there, there’s a couple of new lovely kits just out 1/48 and 1/72 from the Czech produces – inj. plastic…

Sea recovery. Bear in mind aircraft fished out of salt water are categorically the worst to rebuild. It has been done (and will be again) but it’s often overlooked that the corrosion and exfoliation (etc etc) means that the bits you do get are liable to come to pieces in your hands even after treatment, which may take years. When I say piece I mean ‘crumble to dust’!

Cheers

This was rebuilt by Viv Bellamy who also had the centre section but work stopped on that due to economics.

I remember seeing it all down at Longparish one time in about 1990.

Melvyn Hiscock