Which method did you use to donate ?

I filled the form in and sent off a donation using a credit card. No problems flagged up, but I got an email back saying there
was a problem, and they have cancelled it. Have tried Paypal, and still get to a page where they ask for card details.
Am waiting to hear from their web guru.

Hi Alan,
It seems to be some sort of customer membership. I joined that then payed in donation using the normal Pay-Pal set-up. No problems at all and I’m quite happy to be registered with these folks as they have really put themselves out to send “VERA” over here and my hat goes off to them for achieving that and more. Lovely to see the inter-cooperation working so fast between the 3 Lancaster organizations, the WW2 spirit shines through very brightly indeed. Salute guys !!!!

Bill T.

Hi again Howard,
As mentioned, the Ashton Fuselage in its latest positioning looks bigger and better than before. Great idea to move it and great news about the Museum starting into the restoration. Just been reading through the Global Air Ashton write up (taken from Flight circa 1950) very interesting idea’s brought in on systems use and there are quite a few clues on what used to live inside WB 941’s Cockpit too, but what amazed me is that a crews parachute escape tube/hole/hatch, positioned at rear starboard side of Cockpit measured 24″ Dia. How on earth did they get a large chap (with parachute ,etc ) down that escape tube ????? I checked me out with a 24″ rule across the shoulders and being small, I might get down there,—– so !!! —Is there one still fitted to WB 941 ?

To save on re-designing the main Landing gear, a Hastings/ Hermes set were used on Ashtons and the Nene jet Engines were fitted in pairs and coupled together on the accessories drives. The engines themselves were fitted with in-tilt and up-tilt wheras the long (17 ft ) jet pipes were straight along axis and parallel. So a hefty flexible engine/Jet pipe sealing /expansion ring was fitted which must have worked OK. The designers set a cabin pressure differential of 8lbs per sq “, so crew would be experiencing 8000ft when flying at 40,000 ft. And the designers were very aware of the expansions and contractions of control runs that would occur at -55Degrees F, so lots of thought went into that and so on and so on. So these Ashtons were setting the standards required for the dawning Passenger jet age. Which makes WB 941 a unique piece of kit.

Anyhow !!!! Just in case some turn up on that infamous Internet Auction site, Dunlop Mainwheels for the Hastings are:- AH 50159 and AH 9596 Tyre sizes:- 64″x22.5″x26″ and of course you have a great example of the “Haystack” right there to check out U/C on. Looking forward to further developments on WB 941’s restoration and “Finds”. Time now to “Poke” Terry P. with a big stick to see what he can un-earth on Ashton Inst./elect systems–lol !! :very_drunk:

Bill T.

Many thanks WV903 and Peter.

Interesting what you say about the ‘bomblet’ in 69, WV903. I came across a picture of a photoflash flare where the casing looked similar, but not identical. So perhaps it is something of that nature?

At first sight, I thought the hole in the big piece (76) might be the aperture for an inspection panel, but there are no rivet holes around it, so it can’t be that. The reverse side is smooth, bar the rivets. Laurent tells me that he didn’t find this (I have to say I thought it was a bit large for him not to have found it earlier), but it was recovered by one of the local residents after the war and I am wondering what he has been using it for and whether he might have made the hole??? The edges have a relatively freshly scoured look about them. I have asked Laurent for the dimensions.

Peter, many thanks for the ID on the right hand piece in 73 – I have found a picture – spot on! Is the item you refer to in 74 the one at the top left? Do you have a picture or a diagram to help me with this?

If you have a drawing of the underside wing panel, it could be very helpful. We may find a match without the hole!!

Hi BobKat and Peter,
Certainly good idents on these latest engine parts fella’s. What else might Laurent stumble across in this latest area search ?

But that panel or structural piece in pic:-76 could be from anywhere off ED-908 (now knowing its subsequent recovery and history ) and is of course not necessarily part of latest finds. It seems to small and flimsy to be a lower fuel tank access item, plus as you say no fasteners flanges or what ever around edges, the riveting across top edge indicates it was attached to something else and the 7 rivets /or fastener holes on right side edge indicate to me that this had a strengthening strip on for abutment to another part of aircraft structure, but not necessarily attached to that. Cannot tell if left hand side edge has rivet holes or not, (maybe you guys will know).

The big hole in this item isn’t a lightening hole , as these would be “belled” out to provide panel integrity and (as you say BK ) certainly not for component fitments, so suggests to me that it was a hole for a control cable or pipe to pass thru, but not to touch hole edges. Interesting indeed.

That “Bomblet” steel part in pic:-69 looks like it has been “blown ” out flatter, from an internal explosion.

Bill T

Hi Andy,
Send Forumite:- Terry P. a pm, he could well have. I’ll prime him for you.

Bill T.

Brilliant !! Thanks for saving her Neil, (pm sent)

Bill T.

OK Beachcomber !!
Here’s my 3 pennies worth of a recovery strategy.

Depending on how long that channel that its in, stays that way and guessing that the water depth in there is 10 to 15 ft, guys in diving gear operating from shore could get flotation bags strapped all around close in to wreck, with an alumium or Carbon Fibre “Girder” underneath the Wing/fus to keep it in one piece. Then (no doubt with a lot of unseen problems too ) inflate bags and (hopefully ) float her up to just under surface. It looks like the tail/empennage has come adrift, so that would be a separate search and rescue task.
Then a large wide-ish flat boarded trailer could be pushed into sea and wreck floated over top of her and dropped on, then the “Dragging her out with chains and tractors would apply. With a gang of “Cosford treatment” specialists waiting on shore to take over and transport/Crane or hiab, to whisk her away to the designated treatment poly tunnel.

OK !! again, that’s my simplified version, easy to say, difficult to apply, but I’m sure that wouldn’t cost £1 million.

Bill T.

You got it Mark !!! AH 2061 it is. My Dunlop Lists say this wheel is for:- Spitfire Mk’s 1 and 2. And Hurricane Mk 1. And 10″ wheel size as you said. (Across Tyre Bead seats or Int drum Dia.) Well that has nailed the I.D. Nice ending Foray, great find and rescue,well done m8. Whats the plans for them ? Definitely worth restoring to static.

Bill T.