Last night, the Lancaster was rolled out of her hangar for another attempt at starting the rebuilt Number 4 merlin engine. Two nights ago, the attempts to start the engine failed due to a small snag. This was quickly rectified and last night I am pleased to say that the Number4 engine coughed into life for the first time since the February 12 1959 wgen she was flown into retirement! After a short engine runup to check pressure and temperatures, it was shut down. A start up of the Number 3 engine was alaso undertaken while the Lancaster was outside. Sadly an apportunity to run both engine together didn’t happen but is scheduled for next week! I have attached a photo of the runup of Number 4 engine kindly sent to me by Bob Evans. Please ask permission before using it.
By: Peter - 22nd January 2009 at 22:13
Latest on the project is some well deserved rest for the crew over the winter holidays then some much needed maintenence on number three engine which has been running now for 3 years. They are also going to start rebuilding the number 2 with a time frame of 2 years to complete.
By: avro - 22nd January 2009 at 18:57
Any further news on FM159?
By: Pure Lightning - 11th November 2008 at 18:18
Thanks for putting me right ……. learn something every day;)
By: Peter - 11th November 2008 at 14:31
Actually it is the number 3 and 2 engines that have the main Dowty hydraulic pumps. The hydraulic system is intact as far as pipework goes but the pump is in sorage for the number 3 engine and the main hydraulic system needs new pipework for the accumulator and we are missing the pressure indicator as well. The system still has hydraulic fluid in it because when I connected the pipework on number three engine, the hydraulic fluid ran out of the end of the pipes.
By: Pure Lightning - 11th November 2008 at 07:31
Well done chaps this is great news!!!! someone may correct me but does no4 engine run the hydraulic systems, if so what sort of condition is she in on the hydraulic circuit?
All the best Matt;)
By: contrailjj - 11th November 2008 at 04:52
Peter,
Just rec’d my advanced/complementary copy of Air Force magazine (Air Force Association of Canada) – what a wonderful article Jacqueline has written – and a great précis of the post-war use of the Mk.X Lancs. The rest of the issue is great too!! Make sure you check our my(clients) material… nudge, nudge, wink, wink (CANAV books and the Red Knight book) nudge, nudge 😉
Cheers to the great work the crew has undertaken out west!!
James
By: Peter - 18th August 2008 at 18:51
News and Events
Nanton Lancaster Society
AUGUST, 2008 SUMMER EVENT
——————————————————————————–
“LANCS in the FIFTIES”
Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum
August 22 and 23rd, 2008
Event Schedule and Activities
A tribute to the Aircrew, Ground crew, and the Lancaster Mk. X’s
that served with the post-war Royal Canadian Air Force.
Post-War RCAF Lancasters
Following their wartime service, over 100 Canadian-built Lancaster Bombers were converted to post-war configurations and served in a variety of roles with the RCAF including anti-submarine and other reconnaissance patrols during the Cold War, search and rescue, photography and mapping, and ice patrols in the Arctic.
Our museum’s aircraft, “Lanc159,” served with No. 103 Search and Rescue Unit at Greenwood, Nova Scotia and with No. 407 Squadron at Comox, British Columbia. 2008 will mark the Fiftieth Anniversary of its last flight with the RCAF.
We hope that ‘Lancs in the Fifties’ on August 22-24, 2008 will become a reunion of air and ground crew who served on post-war Lancasters.
Our plans include a pancake breakfast, registration, and an evening reception on Friday followed by a full day of activities on Saturday that will include a pancake breakfast, a Luncheon for “Lanc’s in the Fifties” veterans, ceremonies in the hangar, and a hangar dance in the evening with a twenty piece “Big Band.”
Our special guest will be the current commanding officer of No. 407 Squadron, Lt. Col. Mario LeBlanc. Lt. Col LeBlanc will be attending the Friday Reception, the Satuday Luncheon, and will be our guest speaker during the program on Saturday afternoon.
The day will also feature various special events including engine run-ups on the Lancaster (both starboard engines are now operational) and our Fleet Fawn, demonstrations, flypasts, and the participation of “Living Historians.” In addition we will be honouring Bomber Command ground crew.
The event will conclude with a flypast by a No. 407 Squadron Aurora aircraft on Sunday morning.
By: Peter - 18th August 2008 at 18:48
If I can get permission I will upload a video of it.
By: avro - 18th August 2008 at 17:23
I’m just suprised that there isn’t a link to youtube yet with a video of it !
well done to all!
By: Peter - 18th August 2008 at 16:20
Just a taster!
What a sight!:eek:
By: mike currill - 18th August 2008 at 16:10
Hope the event is well attended. You deserve it for all the work that’s been put in.
By: bolyman - 18th August 2008 at 16:05
Should be a great event, I hope all goes well, enjoy yourself Peter, take lots of pictures, will the 2 engines be run up at the event? Darrell
By: Peter - 18th August 2008 at 13:36
Just a small update. For those that can make it to Alberta for this wekend:
Title: Nanton Lancaster Society Summer Event
Date: Friday August 22, 2008
Time: All Day
Location: Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum
Street: Highway #2 south and 17th Avenue
City Province Postal Code: Nanton, Alberta
Phone: 403-646-2270
Notes: LANCS IN THE FIFTIES
A tribute to the Aircrew, Ground crew, and the Lancaster Mk. X’s
that served with the post-war Royal Canadian Air Force.
By: Frazer Nash - 18th August 2008 at 09:33
Just lovely! Not enough of it! Well done folks, 2 to go!
By: Smith - 18th August 2008 at 07:39
and then there were 3 Merlins
Well I got to hear it live over a cell phone over 200 miles away and it sounded pretty good!
In the early 80’s I lived in the Auckland suburb of Westmere, about a kilometre as the crow flies from MOTAT. I remember one day mowing the lawn with my crappy old 2-stroke mower and thought the damn thing was running rough. I turned it off and the sound persisted. Huh? It didn’t take long to figure out what was up and I high-tailed it down to MOTAT.
They had the Lanc running on three engines, fed off hoses into 40 gallon drums of fuel! It was one of the the most amazing sights and sounds I’ve ever encountered.
This was sometime in the first half of the 80’s I should think.
Well done to all concerned with FM159.
By: Peter - 18th August 2008 at 03:48
The two port engines are much in the same way as these two were but minus some more key parts. Nothing that time, effort and funding would not be able to sort out oh yes and spares!.
By: peppermint_jam - 17th August 2008 at 16:15
Congratulations to all involved! How Glorious to see another Lanc getting some life breathed back into her!!
What state are the remaining two engines in Peter?
By: Denis - 16th August 2008 at 17:20
Well done to all, congrats!
By: Peter - 16th August 2008 at 17:07
Well I got to hear it live over a cell phone over 200 miles away and it sounded pretty good! Apparently the number 4 which is the newest rebuild started first time! They were going to do another run again shortly.
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August 8, 2008 at 3:08 pm