These relics were recovered over many years from a secluded little WW2 aircraft dump in Elgin, Scotland.
A relic still working for a living – a Merlin starter on my Harley-Davidson…
Lancaster perspex window…
Not recovered from a dump – an 8 Sqn Shack AEW2 piston and conrod from a blown engine!
The nose was shortened as part of a civilian transport development programme.
The aircraft in the photo is G-33-2 (ex PB972) refuelling Meteor F Mk3 EE397. PB972 was one of three ex-RAF B Mk3’s used by Cobham to test the probe/drogue method of refuelling in flight, and the company also bought another four Lancasters.
A world record for jet endurance was made:-
“On 7 August 1949, the Meteor III, EE397, on-loan from the RAF and flown by Flight Refuelling Ltd (FRL) test pilot Patrick Hornidge, took-off from Tarrant Rushton and, refulled ten times by the Lancaster tanker, remained airborne for 12 hours and 3 minutes, receiving 2,352 gallons of fuel from the tanker in ten tanker contacts and flying an overall distance of 3,600 miles (5,800 km), achieving a new jet endurance record.”
Can’t imagine the crews being delighted to fly over the sea for hours with only two engines…
Interesting that the original aircraft was called the ‘Atlantic’ – even the French ones had the English spelling on the tail, but they started calling it the ‘Atlantique’ when the Mk2 was designed, and foreign nations failed to order it…
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