Avion Ancien, I checked through both of our Anson manuals and although the have info on the Trailing Antenna they do not mention the amount of antenna line carried. The radios in use were the usual T1154/R1155.

I checked with a couple of our wireless guys and they said the amount of antenna lowered was a function of the frequency they intended to use. As to the amount of antenna on the drum – they guessed at around 300feet.

The amount of trailing antenna let out depended upon the frequency. If I had to guess I would think around 150 feet max for an Anson.

As a kid I used to stand at the end of the runway and watch the B-17s of the 306th BG landing after their mission and one forgot to wind in the antenna, the wicked 5 pound, or so, pear shaped, lead weight wrapped around the perimeter fence and it hauled out a long length of antenna cable, I should have measured it!

Later a ball turret door hit a fence post and I decided to stand off to one side!

I have read through the comments on drawing sources and I did not see any reference to the Avro Heritage Centre at Woodford.

We have, for the past several years, been restoring a Canadian built Avro Anson Mk II and we have ordered and received several dozen copies of Avro Anson Mk I drawings from the Avro Heritage Centre at Woodford.

When in England some years back I visited with the guys at the Heritage Centre and personally sorted through the drawers of Anson drawings with them, looking for various details, as the drawings had not at that stage been fully catalogued.

While my interests were Avro Anson they indicated that they were also supporting the Vulcan.

I have no idea what other drawings they have in their archives, but they can probably be contacted through their web site, which used to be http://www.avroheritage.com

I remember the 306th BG holding the postwar open house. According to the book “First over Germany” it was held on August 1st 1945.

They had a band playing in one of the hangars, not Glenn Miller, and they sent trucks to the surrounding villages to pick the folks up. They had flown several other aircraft in for the event. I remember that some nut case opened a parachute in the B-26 Marauder. The various aircraft were opened up for the public to walk through.

The 306th had a collection of aircraft, P-51s, P-47s, UC-78s (Cessna Crane) and an Oxford, sometimes they had an L-4 on strength. I remember a pilot taking up a P-47 and performing some aerobatics to celebrate his completion of his Missions, prior to his return to the US, unfortunately he hit the ground between the parked B-17’s and killed himself. Unfortunately the aircraft, other than the B-17’s, were parked too far away to be able to read their markings.

This was not the only case of them opening the base up, they held dances in the hangars and they sent trucks to the villages to pick up the girls but they did not object to the guys getting on board also.

The Americans were very good to the kids at Xmas they had parties at most of the surrounding bases and many times we were invited in to watch baseball games. They usually had a 45/55gal barrel filled with ice and bottles of Coke!