Rumour of Lanc airframe query

Rochford

Margate is miles away – maybe it was Ramsgate? I have seen a picture of a heli crewman embracing a prop blade sticking up out of the mud but that in itself doesn’t prove it is the Lanc.

Be nice to see the fin picture you mention.

in the mid 1960’s the fin of a Lancaster was visible sticking up out of the sand said to be near Margate. Photo’s appeared in Daily Mirror with RAF Whirlwind from Manston resting on sand alongside it.

I know the flats well but never saw any Lanc remains. I still think that the B-17 remains were confused with the Lanc.

I would be very happy to go out there and take a look if someone can give an accurate location.

Found this link Alison

http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=2894

Peter,

Salt + shallow depth = 🙁

But it would be nice to see what’s left. Same goes for the wreck of Stirling
EF311 in the Channel.

Cheers

Cees

Sounds like an interesting project

I take it the arcraft was never recovered then? What kind of shape would it be in though being salt water or with it being under the silt would it be protected?

What I could really do with is the current tidal patterns for Pegwell Bay – any ideas?

I’d try a ‘yotty’ forum.

Moggy

I pick up from an abattoir on the old Raf Carnaby now carnaby Industrial estate and can confirm there is little of the old airfield that is used as vehicle storage for Van Monster and a couple of caravan places.

Lancaster In Pegwell Bay

Thanks to all those who replied to my earlier posting ref my Grandfathers Lanc III ditched in Pegwell Bay.

I have a trip scheduled to the area in the next couple of weeks, so will pay a visit to Manston museum. I also have a pic of the propeller which can be seen at a very low tide, taken a couple of years back. Plus I have the co-ordinates. What I could really do with is the current tidal patterns for Pegwell Bay – any ideas?

Thanks again,

Alison

I believe it’s out there Alison – a friend of mine visited it some years ago, sadly I have lost contact with him.

You need to get yourself a hovercraft – there are a few clubs out there that might help.

If you want a hand looking let me know – I know the flats quite well :p

Hello, I’m researching a book of my Grandfathers WWII RAF history and came across this thread from 2005….. the Lancaster in Pegwell Bay is no wild goose chase at all – I believe it to be my Grandfather’s ditched MkIII. I have a lot of info in my possession that points to this. All I need to verify this is a single part serial number, as I know the date, time and place of manufacture, serial number etc. I’m particularly interested in any old photos of the Lanc before she was deep in sand, and any record of parts salvaged from her over the years eg dials etc. I’m not after having them (although that would be nice obviously) just retrieving any serial numbers.

If anyone knows of anything, please let me know. Any information however seemingly trivial would be most welcome. Even rumours – the more the merrier. No smoke without fire and all that.

Many thanks,

Alison

Hello, I’m researching a book of my Grandfathers WWII RAF history and came across this thread from 2005….. the Lancaster in Pegwell Bay is no wild goose chase at all – I believe it to be my Grandfather’s ditched MkIII. I have a lot of info in my possession that points to this. All I need to verify this is a single part serial number, as I know the date, time and place of manufacture, serial number etc. I’m particularly interested in any old photos of the Lanc before she was deep in sand, and any record of parts salvaged from her over the years eg dials etc. I’m not after having them (although that would be nice obviously) just retrieving any serial numbers.

If anyone knows of anything, please let me know. Any information however seemingly trivial would be most welcome. Even rumours – the more the merrier. No smoke without fire and all that.

Many thanks,

Alison

The Spitfire and Hurricane memorial museum at Manston have a propeller tip on display that is said to be from this aircraft. You might speak to the people there regarding an ID for the Lanc

Hi Alison,

If it is details on JB278 then the lifeboat crew gave the following report:

APRIL 25TH. – WALMER, KENT.
At 11.39 in the morning the naval authorities at Dover asked, through the coastguard, that the life-boat should be launched to an aeroplane
north-east of the South Foreland. A moderate north-west wind was blowing, with broken water near the Goodwin Sands. The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched within a quarter of an hour, and while on her way was directed to the exact position, six miles east of the life-boat station, by a Walrus amphibious aeroplane. She found the entire crew of seven of a Lancaster bombing aeroplane in their dinghy, took them, and the dinghy, on board and landed them at 2.5 that afternoon. As the rescued men were not only wet through but only partly clad they were taken to the house of the life-boat honorary secretary. Here they were looked after until an ambulance came for them. A letter of appreciation was sent to the station by the Chief Inspector of Coastguard. – Rewards, £9 19s.
(Source: RNLI Records of Service 1939-46)

Regards
Ross

No smoke without fire and all that.

Welcome Alison, and good luck with your researches. I hope the forum can turn something up for you.

In the interim can I just warn you that this forum, along with most of the rest of the interweb, is capable of generating vast pillars of smoke without any sign whatsoever of meaningful combustion.

Moggy

Ditched Lancaster in Pegwell Bay sands….

Hello, I’m researching a book of my Grandfathers WWII RAF history and came across this thread from 2005….. the Lancaster in Pegwell Bay is no wild goose chase at all – I believe it to be my Grandfather’s ditched MkIII. I have a lot of info in my possession that points to this. All I need to verify this is a single part serial number, as I know the date, time and place of manufacture, serial number etc. I’m particularly interested in any old photos of the Lanc before she was deep in sand, and any record of parts salvaged from her over the years eg dials etc. I’m not after having them (although that would be nice obviously) just retrieving any serial numbers.

If anyone knows of anything, please let me know. Any information however seemingly trivial would be most welcome. Even rumours – the more the merrier. No smoke without fire and all that.

Many thanks,

Alison

The word on the street was that it was a 120 Sqn machine and is located at the mouth of the river stour and visible at EXTREME low tides.

Good luck – there’s quicksand territory! 😉

Thanks again to all who posted to my earlier query. the last time i was home (originally from Ramsgate,Kent) in 1994 i heard rumors of another Lancaster airframe this one doesnt seem to be on any lists at present there was a rumor that a Lancaster crash landed (sorry can’t tell you when this suposedly happened) out in Pegwell Bay and is said to be buried out in the silt of the bay and like the U-Boat out on Goodwind sands ocassionaly parts of it can be seen protruding from the silt can anyone tell me if there is any truth to this rumor as i seem to have exhausted all of my resources over here trying to find out or am i just chasing another wild story

Carnaby. Still a fair bit of the runway last time I passed (some years ago) but not much in the way of buildings that I can recall.

Would have loved to have seen the FIDO all lit up!

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=europe&x=513000&y=464000&scale=25000&width=700&height=410

One of 3 emergency airfields, IIRC, with three times the width of a standard WW2 runway and a fair bit longer. Manston, Woodbridge and I think the third was one I can never remember the name of roughly SW of Scarborough. I must go and see if there’s anything left there one day.

Manston’s runway was about twice the width of a modern one like LHR.
Undercarriage failures on one side leaving room for ‘normal’ landings. The end of the runway is less than a mile from the sea…..
mmitch.

Apparently many years ago, 4 tails could be seen almost in a direct line with the runway.

Probably the last thing you wanted to see if you were coming in with the sort of problem where you could end up in the briney with them…;) – Nermal

There were several aircraft wrecks visible at certain low tides in that area. The runway approach to Manston is over the sea and those that did not make the final mile or two ended up there. I was told that one tail was a Sterling and there was talk of a dive and possible recovery several years ago but it all went quiet. Apparently many years ago, 4 tails could be seen almost in a direct line with the runway.
mmitch.