Stopped by at an attractive half timbered pub in Severn Stoke, Worcestershire, this afternoon. Two interesting photos on the wall. The Lanc has protuberances which look most unusual. The other aircraft looked Electra ish but a bit of googling shows it to be a Boeing 247D at Defford, as is the Lanc, now just over the M5 from the pub. It was a busy lunchtime so didn’t have the chance to enquire further.
By: pogno - 5th October 2015 at 09:24
On the DAHG site the caption, readable when you click on the small image,says its Lancaster JB558. Googling brings up sites stating that it was used on H2s trials http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/album/black-26-white-photos/p6005-avro-lancaster-bmkiii.html
Richard
By: DC Page - 5th October 2015 at 03:18
Thanks for the interesting pictures Ian.
So is the Lancaster PB532, fitted with the AN/APN-2 “Rebecca” ground beacon homing system?
And according to Richard’s link, that Boeing 247D (DZ203) made world’s first automatic landing with an ILS coupled Honeywell autopilot. That looks like an AN/ARN-5 ILS antenna mounted up top. And I’m guessing that’s probably the pilot Sqn Ldr J. Stewart seated front row, center.
The B-17 hiding behind the 247D is one of the few main types not listed, just a visitor I suppose?
By: DaveF68 - 4th October 2015 at 22:58
There is a very good book on the 247D
By: ian_ - 4th October 2015 at 20:25
Thanks Richard, the Lanc photo is there on the site.
By: pogno - 4th October 2015 at 20:04
Ian
A list of Defford resident research aircraft can be found on the Defford Airfield Heritage Groups site, it includes numerous Lancasters and the Boeing 247. https://deffordairfieldheritagegroup.wordpress.com/aircraft-at-defford/aircraft-at-defford/ and a picture of a similarly equiped Lanc appears in the Images.
Richard
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October 4, 2015 at 7:27 pm