Here’s something I came across on a website a few years ago. I’ve since searched for it again and can not find it, but it was probably a local interest story on thisisgrimsby.co.uk, so blame them for any historical inaccuracies – an interesting piece though. Thanks to cdp206 for letting me use his pic.
A bomber that ran on rails
Bomber Command once ran one of its aircraft on Grimsby’s tram rails.
In January 1945 the first trials were beginning with the new Lincoln bomber, a bigger and better version of the Lancaster.
Several prototypes had been built and it was intended to begin production later in the year with the first Lincolns issued to squadrons during the summer.
But the sheer size of the aircraft could pose problems if it was to be used from Bomber Command airfields. Most were wartime fields with standard T2 hangars, which were a tight fit for Lancasters, let alone Lincolns, which had a considerably greater wingspan.
So the problem was, how to get a Lincoln into a Lancaster’s hangar?
The answer, said the experts, was to move the Lincoln in sideways. In that way it would fit. They came up with some ingenious trolleys which should do the trick, provided they could be guided correctly.
Kelstern was selected as the test-bed for the new system. Tram rails which had been taken up in Grimsby for scrap earlier in the war were acquired and these were set into the concrete apron.
The trials were duly carried out in the presence of Air Vice Marshal Saunders when the Lincoln arrived at Kelstern from Boscombe Down and he and the officials from Avro, the plane’s builders, were happy that it would work.
As so often happens, all this work proved to be in vain. By the time the Lincoln came into service, the war was over and the remaining Bomber Command squadrons were operating from the pre-war airfields with their big, brick-built hangars, each of which could swallow several Lincolns.
What other weird and wonderful solutions have been devised over the years?
Dean.
By: super sioux - 24th October 2006 at 19:37
The Beverley “skate” also jacked the nose up in order to bring the tail down to enable the fins to fit under the lintel of hangar doors!
Except at RAF Akrotiri where the hangar had a cutout for the tail!
By: mike currill - 24th October 2006 at 18:17
Obviously a little lateral thinking went into that problem
By: cdp206 - 24th October 2006 at 15:48
Dean – Interesting thread this.
There’s also an account of the experiment at Kesltern in Patrick Otter’s “Lincolnshire Airfields in the Second World War”
Chris
By: JonathanF - 24th October 2006 at 10:04
Pretty sure the Concorde went into AirSpace sideways using skates as well.
By: WebPilot - 24th October 2006 at 10:04
Same with Blackburn Beverly’s.
Cees
The Beverley “skate” also jacked the nose up in order to bring the tail down to enable the fins to fit under the lintel of hangar doors!
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 24th October 2006 at 09:52
Thanks Dean – enjoyed that post…
TTFN
TT
By: NiallC - 24th October 2006 at 09:31
This technique goes back even further. In the mid 1930s the Fairey Hendon was also moved into hangars sideways on a purpose designed skate.
NiallC
By: DeanK - 23rd October 2006 at 19:40
Dean, you know where to find the piccy of the ramp at Beaumaris!
Beaumaris, Isle of Anglesey – yes, it was a good one that! – http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1015218&postcount=63
I wondered if you’d post that one on here ;).
Dean.
By: TwinOtter23 - 23rd October 2006 at 19:30
Another member of the Avro lineage, the Avro Shackleton was also ‘hangared’ on a similar rail system. I have seen photographs of the rail systems in situ at RAF Ballykelly, Northern Ireland and that RAF station even had its own railway line & train I believe.
By: adrian_gray - 23rd October 2006 at 18:51
As far as I am aware at Beaumaris they ran the aircraft in and out of the hangar forwards, but out of the side of the hangar rather than the end to get them down to the sea.
Dean, you know where to find the piccy of the ramp at Beaumaris!
Adrian
By: Rlangham - 23rd October 2006 at 18:51
we do something similar in work with C-130’s. if they have to go in a tight space in the hangar we have things called ‘skates’. they are basically two joined platforms on castors.
we jack the aircraft up, slide in the skates, lower the aircraft, disconnect the nose gear scissor links, and then the aircraft can be moved sideways with a tug.
It’s the same way the RAFM are putting (or have put) the Belfast into it’s final position in the new building
By: Cees Broere - 23rd October 2006 at 18:49
Same with Blackburn Beverly’s.
Cees
By: bloodnok - 23rd October 2006 at 18:43
we do something similar in work with C-130’s. if they have to go in a tight space in the hangar we have things called ‘skates’. they are basically two joined platforms on castors.
we jack the aircraft up, slide in the skates, lower the aircraft, disconnect the nose gear scissor links, and then the aircraft can be moved sideways with a tug.
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October 23, 2006 at 6:28 pm