So if it’s possible that the aircraft was hijacked and flew (under RADAR?) to a runway within “2,200 nautical miles [from the point it was last tracked], reaching points as far as the Indian Ocean, the border of Pakistan or even the Arabian Sea” – according to the WSJ link above – it strikes me that it’s odd that we haven’t heard anything from anyone on board. Surely if it did land then *someone* would have been able to make a call and alert someone.

I’m still amazed that there is no RADAR data anywhere to plot the aircraft’s progress, and nobody has reported a suspiciously low-flying 777. For any experts here – (I am certainly not one) is it even possible to fly an aircraft like this one for four hours and not appear anywhere on a RADAR?

But if we can trust Rolls Royce’s telemetry and the engines were running for four hours after it went missing, and we accept that at least one of the people on board would have made contact somehow if it had landed, the it’s looking likely that for what ever reason, the aircraft flew on for an unknown distance in an unknown direction for 4 hours and then hit the ground/sea.

In the absence of any data as to where it flew it’s looking like it may never be found, or if it is then it’ll be found be accident by someone stumbling upon it.

EDIT: Oops, Matt-100’s post was made while I was typing – so looks like it was possibly tracked after all.

Quilters probably feel the same about aeroplanes………..

Indeed – Maybe there’s a Quilt Museum somewhere, into which we could wheel, perhaps, a Lancaster or something…?

I forgot to mention that our Chairman recently visited the old SEBRO repair facility at Bourne airfield… they kindly donated over 100′ of steel purlings from the demolished factory buildings.. We’re steadily progressing towards the day when construction of the fuselage proper will begin in earnest 😎

Thanks for the updates and congratulations on the progress so far!

I’m following this thread with interest because I work on the site of the SEBRO workshops on Madingley Road, Cambridge which is now part of the High Cross site where there’s lots of development currently going on. Up until about 3 months ago some of the SEBRO concrete pads were still in existence. Sadly not any more.

Here are a few images of the workshops at Madingley road (where the fuselages were made) and those on Bourn Airfield, where the rest of the aircraft was assembled before being mated to the fuselage. I’ve wondered for some time what route the fuselages took – I’m assuming that before the M11 was built there may have been a road through the village Coton adjoining SEBRO sites in Cambridge and Bourn.

Anyway, hope you like the pics – including one of the throttle box being maneuvered into the aircraft – Looks heavy as it takes three people to lift it!

Just stumbled across this one (on http://www.controltowers.co.uk)- Lancasters over Bottisham airfield / Control Tower in March 1944

(© USAAF via Mark Brotherton)

Cheers – the answer to the question: “What sounds better than a Rolls Royce Merlin?”

Great video.

Great fun and great photos. Thanks for sharing!

Very sad to hear it – thanks Flapjack for those memorable displays.

I was standing on Beechy Head earlier this year and got the life scared out of me by Miss Demeanour as Jonathan crept up on us and buzzed the cliffs. An experience I’ll never forget.

Beautiful aircraft!

This was the second pass:

IMG_6305_tonemappede by sboreeves, on Flickr

IMG_6321 by sboreeves, on Flickr

Aside from those two photographs, when I shut my eyes I can still see that silver tailpipe and the fire deep inside it as she flew away from the cliff, towards the display line at Eastbourne. And Christ, the noise!

Wing Commander Ken Wallace was remembered today on BBC Radio 4 as part of their obituaries programme Last Word. It was very interesting to hear his daughter reminiscing about some of the scrapes he got into during his years at the controls of aircraft and it was a really good light-hearted look back at some of his achievements and experiences.

UK-based people can find it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b039rwcy, Ken’s bit starts about 7 minutes in but actually the first bit is very interesting as well – about Ray Dolby: he of noise reduction and cinema sound fame.