[QUOTE=mike currill;1152355]
Autoland systems – first installed on the Trident I believe.
QUOTE]

Slightly sore point that one, in fact the French carried out the first automatic landing in a Caravelle under test conditions. They were also the first to get CAT.III certification for thier system. For whatever reason, they don’t seem to have used it much and the first automatic landing in commercial service was by a Trident1, G-ARPP (from memory) in 1967.

I’ve just done a Google search based on Kiteflyer’s info and found this site which states that both machines were from the 587th squadron of the 394th Bomb Group. There are even some profile illustrations which show how the group’s aircraft were marked.

http://www.markstyling.com/b26_research.13.htm

As far as I’m aware, the USAAF never operated B25’s from the UK during the war years. If they were B25’s then they would have to be RAF, and if they were USAAF I’d suggest they were perhaps B26 Marauders.

I hope this is of some help.

Hi Digby,

It’s not my intention to open old wounds, in fact my intention is to close a wound of sorts. I remember seeing reports of this accident in the papers when I was 8 years old, and after all these years I’ve only heard anecdotal accounts of the accident. Now I know it sounds like I’m just being ‘nosey’, but I genuinely feel that it is useful and proper to have a definitive, official version of events in cases like this. Without it, the varying, anecdotal versions tend to start being aired and get out of hand. I firmly believe that this isn’t helpful to anyone (eg the bereaved and the current operators of the same type of aircraft) or respectful to the person who lost thier life.

I’ve heard three different accounts of this same accident, all of which vary considerably. I have nothing with which to confirm or deny any of these accounts when the incident gets mentioned on forums or in conversation, and I’m simply asking for some clarification so the facts can be straightened out.

I apologise for any offence caused.

Kev,

What a great post, and what a remarkable amount of information you’ve managed to bring to light. Thanks for sharing it with us, it’s a wonderful tribute to Brittain and his crew-mates. Very well done mate, I hope you’re justly proud of yourself.

It’s also wonderful to see the way the Dutch maintain their war graves, a shining example of care and respect. Long may it continue…

I read James Cracknall’s article about the Red Bull Air Race in the sports section of the Telegraph yesterday. In it he talked about how the practise and qualifying sessions were nearly cancelled after the discovery of the ‘bomb’ in docklands, but that apparently it was a concrete dud planted as part of an exercise back in the 60’s.

Hi Bex,
The regularly-flown Mossie was BAe’s T.Mk.III RR299, which was very sadly lost in a fatal accident at the Barton Airshow in 1996. The other officially airworthy Mossie was Kermit Weeks’ Mk.35 RS712, which hasn’t flown for a number of years and is currently on loan and on display at the EAA Museum.

Thankfully,there are currently two Mossies under airworthy restoration, one being Bob Jens’ B.35 VR796, a former aerial survey platform with Spartan Air Services, and the second is Jerry Yagen’s FB.26 (Canadian-built FB.6) KA114, which will be practically a brand new airframe when completed. All the woodwork on Jerry’s aircraft will be new built, and the project is already in its advanced stages.

Judging by this photo, it seems that G-AGLS didn’t have any stripes beneath the registration, atleast on the fuselage sides. I can’t find any shots clearly showing the reg on the wings.

http://www.bamuseum.com/images/large/40-50/40-50s9.jpg

On the subject of Lancastrians, does anyone know if there have been any more expeditions sent out to the crash site of “Stardust” since the one featured on TV a few years ago? Are there likely to be any more?