August 21, 2010 at 11:12 am
I am looking for a photograph of the Lodestar G-AGDD in WWII camouflage, as operated by BOAC on the Scotland – Sweden route. Is anyone able to help?
By: ianwoodward9 - 22nd December 2017 at 00:24
It is some years since I started this thread and since it ended but I’m tidying up a few ‘strands’ that were left hanging.
Having got the AJJ photo and the BLOCKADE RUNNERS book, I proceeded to write up a bit of the story of this particular Lodestar. I also got THE STOCKHOLM RUN book by Nils Mathisrud, which I would recommend. It contains more photographs of this Lodestar which made 83 flights to Stockholm, more than any other aircraft in WWII except three of the Mosquitos; then the Mossies could fit in more than one return service per day, if required. One of the Daks (G-AGFX) got to 82 trips to Stockholm.
Interestingly, not one of the photos of G-AGDD in its wartime colours shows a BOAC ‘Speedbird’ or its name (“Loch Losna”) painted on its nose. Admittedly, some photos don’t show its nose at all but those that do, don’t – as it were. The photos of its sister, G-AGDE, do show both the “Speedbird” logo and its name. If anyone comes across a photo of G-AGDD in camouflage bearing the BOAC logo and/or the aircraft name, please do let us know.
I have also tried to find photographs of this aircraft at the time when it was owned by either Trio Concerts or Ashes & Sand but failed. I did, however, locate some home movie footage showing this aircraft at that period in its life. I think I posted a link to this in another thread. Anyway, by combining two separate frames of 8mm footage, I was able to produce the image below. As one might expect from mid-1960s home movie film stock and cine equipment, the quality is poor but it is something, I suppose:
By: ianwoodward9 - 8th September 2010 at 16:06
I’ve been away for a few days and, on my return, had received a photograph of G-AGDD that I had ordered from “AJJ” pictures and also one of the same aircraft in Norwegian (Purchasing Commission?) colours from around the same period. Thanks everyone for the help provided.