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Tim Wingham

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April 28, 2022 at 12:56 pm in reply to: RR Merlin / airframe tie up #761447

Tim Wingham
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A very kind soul has put online an exhaustive(?) visual list of all Lancaster AM Form 1180s. I’ve gone cross-eyed trawling through them all – resulting in the footballing analogy of “hitting the post”.

17 April 43; Lancaster 1s W4279 and W4934 of 61 Sqn in collision and damaged at Syerston.

W4279’s starboard outer was AM serial 395420.

My engine plate is from AM serial 395421.

So close yet so far.

Nevertheless the forms themselves make fascinating and at times very moving reading.

T

April 23, 2022 at 10:35 pm in reply to: RR Merlin / airframe tie up #761486

Tim Wingham
Participant

Thanks Lynx815. Any info RR Heritage do supply will be of interest, although as you say an airframe tie up won’t happen. As mentioned previously, the best chance of a tie up will be from 218 Sqn accident damaged Lancs who’s AM Form 1180s recorded engine numbers. Even then it will be only a very very large slice of luck that the engine in question happens to be on one of those Lancs and was recorded. But an enjoyable search all the same.

T.

April 22, 2022 at 1:57 pm in reply to: RR Merlin / airframe tie up #761495

Tim Wingham
Participant

Thanks Oracal; fascinating. The engine in question at least falls within the numbers of the scanned document. Creaking Door – thanks for the info, I’m pretty certain AM Form 1180 was for accidents only, so I’ll be giving the 218 Sqn ORB a very thorough investigation – any of its Lancs involved in accidents might just have a 1180 with an engine number.

Once again thanks for all the interest and info folks. If nothing else this will be an enjoyable search.

Tim.

April 21, 2022 at 12:18 pm in reply to: RR Merlin / airframe tie up #761502

Tim Wingham
Participant

Thanks P@P and Oracal. Valuable info. Thanks.

RAF Museum’s DORIS advise that some aircraft accident/crash cards hold engine details, so I shall go through the 218 Sqn ORB and establish which airframes are worth following up no matter how slim the chances are. The identity plate itself was found via metal detector near the airfield’s technical site. The area regularly gives up interesting items, the location being a source of wartime Bomber Command “litter”, not crash relics. (Don’t worry…it’s not one of the mythical burial pits containing entire aircraft etc.) Meanwhile, having spoken of the devil RR Heritage have coincidentally responded, and will get their Merlin expert to get back to me asap.

All long shots I know, and I’m fully aware the engine in question was probably married up to several different airframes, but if I can confirm one of those airframes to the engine’s life it’s a worthy (though probably fruitless) search.

Thanks once again for the replies. Greatly appreciated.

Any more thoughts please keep them coming.

Tim.

April 20, 2022 at 7:13 pm in reply to: RR Merlin / airframe tie up #761514

Tim Wingham
Participant

Thanks for the replies folks. Greatly appreciated. The second number was always a mystery. Thanks Oracal. Great info. Gosh I wish that engine plate could talk.

Yep l knew engines (and indeed large bits of airframes) moved around – but presumably when an aircraft was first built, engine identities were recorded? Avro Heritage seemed pretty sure that Lancaster airframe / engine tie up records (at point of manufacture) did still exist and were now with RR Heritage Trust. Anyone know what’s happening with that organisation? It seems to be a dead duck.

Once again thanks for the replies. I used to be on here some years ago as TIMWING but had terrible trouble accessing the forum – but I’m back again now.

Tim
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