Lancaster KB999

My basis for this:

The strength of the Lancaster is in the cruciform stucture of the bomb bay floor and the main spar. The rest of the structure is heavily over-engineered as when it was the Manchester, it was designed to have to withstand a catapult launch. A Manchester was tested successfully off a catapult at Farnborough, I believe.

Regards

Richard

I refuse to believe the B17 was built stronger than a Lancaster!

Good question!
In this context of surviving weight, I would think it comes down to a “square oval” (or it it more of a rectangle?) vs circular cross section…

Any engineers out there?

Your right Richard, I think you would need scuba gear now. Not sure how deep te lake is but I was told that the ice moved her off the sandbar at one point.

In an interview one of the crew, Frank De Baie states

“I made my way to the port wing, stripped my clothing and dipped my toe into the water. It was ice cold so I remained on the wing, while other crewmembers remained in the water for 30 minutes, then the fuselage fire went out. The crew now joined me on the main wing where we spent a wet and cold night with little sleep.”

Looking at the crash pictures, it looks as if by the time the crew were rescued it had already settled a bit in the lake… as only the wingtips, tail fins and fuselage spine is above the water.

Give it another 50 years to settle, ice crushing the fuselage, and algae growing on it, I bet it would be very difficult to spot.

Regards

Rich

It still might be worth having a look. I bet there’s something in there of use… an aircraft in similar condidtions would be something like the B17 recovered recently from Labrador. That was in a river that froze regularly, and I refuse to believe the B17 was built stronger than a Lancaster!

Regards

Rich

Remains

I was told by an eyewitness that had flown over the sight a couple of years ago. He said that there was now nothing visible above the water. A shame really as I bet it could have been easily recovered shortly after her acident. R.I.P Malton Mike!

Just a daft thought (it’s monday morning so bear with me…)

For something to get crushed by ice, the pressure of the ice has to be greater than the pressure the structure can stand… that’s why the lost squadron B17’s had their fuselages crushed, but the wings etc were okay and Glacier Girl was a bit wrinkled but intact.

Now an aircraft that has ditched, like KB999 would fill with water. The water inside would freeze too, right? That would make an equal pressure inside and outside and stop it getting destroyed….

I’d love to know how it sank as it supposedly came down on a sand bar?

Regards

Ric

Or go for the arctic York instead.;)

Cheers

Cees

The last I heard was that she was crushed to death in the ice on the lake and then rolled into a ball of scrap and sank..

That would certainly make sense. Although I’ve seen her mentioned variously as ‘preserved’ and ‘derelict’ in Manitoba. Anyone want to go for a look in the lake? (61:14 North – 95:29 West)

Not sure if it has been covered before so you might want to do a search on here. The last I heard was that she was crushed to death in the ice on the lake and then rolled into a ball of scrap and sank.. Nothing work recovering. There was a mainwhell that had washed ashore years ago but thats about it.