Picture of the day

diopter said:


The discarding of Lancasters and other Canadian Military airplanes after VE day.

On September 24 the squadron took off for the final leg of its trip. Destination was Pearce, Alberta, from where the Lancasters were to be sold off or destroyed. This leg has been described by one participant as 'how World War II came to the Prairies.' Once out of Winnipeg, the gaggle of Lancasters set about terrorizing the countryside between there and Pearce. Aircraft, even as big as they were, flew under telegraph wires; one, flew so low it over a farm, it collided with a barnyard duck. Another pilot buzzed a train and recalls his last impression as seeing the startled look of disbelief on the engineer's face as he pulled down his blind!"

On arrival at their final destination, the planes were sold for scrap, although some were also burned on site. Trainers were offered in flyable condition. $800 would buy you a Cornell or a Crane. For $900 you could walk away with a Harvard. Anson V's sold for $5000, and a Canso (PBY Catalina to Americans) commanded $25,000.

'Barnyard bombers' were well worth the fifty dollars asking price. To begin with, a farmer could count on recouping his investment by simply draining gas and antifreeze from his plane. Tires were just fine for a farm wagon. A tailwheel fit the wheelbarrow.

For years to come the carcass would be a veritable hardware store of nuts and bolts, piping and wiring. In the meantime it made a suitable chicken coop for storage shed. One farmer converted the nose of his Anson into a snowmobile. Bit Waco gliders were hauled away just for their packing cases.

found on http://progress-is-fine.########.com.

http://justacarguy.########.com/2013/12/the-discarding-of-lancasters-and-other.html
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Still a few bits and pieces around here. Farmers bought the Anson trainers, sawed the wings off and towed them home. What a travesty in hind sight.

Grizz
 
Sharps '74 said:
This travesty happened on an even larger scale in the US after the war. No thought given to the preservation of history.
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At least most of the metal from those ol' warbirds was recycled into - believe it or not - aluminum kitchen appliances of the '50s. I remember reading an article on recycling metals that said if you had an aluminum kitchen appliance in those days, the odds were 90% in favour that some of the aluminum came from a warbird.
 
diopter said:
1e92d992adea1edbb74a1017ec2bfd23.jpg


the discarding of Lancasters and other Canadian Military airplanes after VE day

On September 24 the squadron took off for the final leg of its trip. Destination was Pearce, Alberta, from where the Lancasters were to be sold off or destroyed. This leg has been described by one participant as 'how World War II came to the Prairies.' Once out of Winnipeg, the gaggle of Lancasters set about terrorizing the countryside between there and Pearce. Aircraft, even as big as they were, flew under telegraph wires; one, flew so low it over a farm, it collided with a barnyard duck. Another pilot buzzed a train and recalls his last impression as seeing the startled look of disbelief on the engineer's face as he pulled down his blind!"

On arrival at their final destination, the planes were sold for scrap, although some were also burned on site. Trainers were offered in flyable condition. $800 would buy you a Cornell or a Crane. For $900 you could walk away with a Harvard. Anson V's sold for $5000, and a Canso (PBY Catalina to Americans) commanded $25,000.

'Barnyard bombers' were well worth the fifty dollars asking price. To begin with, a farmer could count on recouping his investment by simply draining gas and antifreeze from his plane. Tires were just fine for a farm wagon. A tailwheel fit the wheelbarrow.

For years to come the carcass would be a veritable hardware store of nuts and bolts, piping and wiring. In the meantime it made a suitable chicken coop for storage shed. One farmer converted the nose of his Anson into a snowmobile. Bit Waco gliders were hauled away just for their packing cases.


found on http://progress-is-fine.########.com.

http://justacarguy.########.com/2013/12/the-discarding-of-lancasters-and-other.html
Click to expand...

Oh man, it is hard to look at that pic and not feel ill.
 
Who said anything about keeping "everything"?

Just a few flyable examples of each type would be wonderful. Instead, the price of such flyable relics is sky high due to scarcity.

How would you like to have a couple of flyable Lancs or P-51s in your backyard? How about a Spit or two? Maybe a Canadair Sabre?
 
mcah55.jpg

I took this the other day while up. Kirkcaldy field, south of Vulcan. I know lancs went to Pearce but I’m sure Kirkcaldy had tons of surplus hanging around for years afterward. I heard stories of B25s, Ansons ,C45s and cranes being there until the 1970s. I fly there often. The planes are gone but it’s definately the most original unrestored BCATP base left in Canada. The strip is a little rough but it’s always quiet and no one ever flies there anymore. Worth noting that 4 of the hangers are in various stages of restoration, two being very nice. Which is good to see. My dream is to one day have a Harvard there.
 
GarandStanding said:
mcah55.jpg

I took this the other day while up. Kirkcaldy field, south of Vulcan. I know lancs went to Pearce but I’m sure Kirkcaldy had tons of surplus hanging around for years afterward. I heard stories of B25s, Ansons ,C45s and cranes being there until the 1970s. I fly there often. The planes are gone but it’s definately the most original unrestored BCATP base left in Canada. The strip is a little rough but it’s always quiet and no one ever flies there anymore. Worth noting that 4 of the hangers are in various stages of restoration, two being very nice. Which is good to see. My dream is to one day have a Harvard there.
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Wow, great pic and bit of history, thank you for the post.
 
RifleDude said:
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I've often wondered how many of those planes could be restored to flight status in the event of a long-term war (WW 3). I know that planes like the F-16A and B models are converted to QF-16's for use as target drones (that's what happened to most of the Phantoms that were there) but what about the Hercs, the Hueys, the Nightingales, the C-5 Galaxies?
 
shredder said:
I've often wondered how many of those planes could be restored to flight status in the event of a long-term war (WW 3). I know that planes like the F-16A and B models are converted to QF-16's for use as target drones (that's what happened to most of the Phantoms that were there) but what about the Hercs, the Hueys, the Nightingales, the C-5 Galaxies?
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All of them, unless they are being scrapped. The idea is long term storage, so with the exception of those being scrapped or the line of display planes they can all be made ready. Its a must tour if you are in the area, Pima is a pretty good site, the tour is worth every penny, and watching A10s coming and going from the base is pretty sweet too.
 
I’ve been to Davis a couple times, the last I was lucky enough to get a behind the scenes guided tour of the museum by a employee. Spent a full 8 hours looking at everything we could manage in that time. For an aviation enthusiast it’s like being in heaven. As far as the boneyard goes most of the aircraft I was told could be brought back to airworthy status relatively easy. A B52 was reactivated just a couple of years ago when one was lost in a ground fire. With a little bit of maintenance aircraft in Arizona can survive indefinitely. It boggles my mind that the yard is 5000 acres and is full of planes from the past 50 years. The oldest plane I saw on the chop block were Grumman Trackers. An anti submarine bomber from the 1950s with radial engines. Was sad yet amazing at the same time. I recommend the trip for anyone who is in Phoenix. Spend 2 days there because it’s not possible to see everything in one.
 
shredder said:
At least most of the metal from those ol' warbirds was recycled into - believe it or not - aluminum kitchen appliances of the '50s. I remember reading an article on recycling metals that said if you had an aluminum kitchen appliance in those days, the odds were 90% in favour that some of the aluminum came from a warbird.
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a very large % of the roads we now travel on in Ab. were made (all thru the 50's-60's and early 70's) with heavy machinery wearing "surplus WW11 aircraft tires". Even new scrapers from dealers had the cheaper tires installed on them.

Some of the tires were "unused" but some of the cheaper offerings came complete with skid scuff marks from landings, the flat spots didn't matter to a machine that only got up to 4 or 5 mph occasionally.
 
ipscgraz said:
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Six de Havilland DH.98 Mosquitos of 105 Squadron at RAF Marham, Norfolk, UK. December 11, 1942.
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Considering all those fans are running and the turnout in the foreground , this may have been the debut of the 'Mossie' at the station. Or the sendoff and publicity shot for their first op.
 
Not Canadian but still worth respect

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Francis Sherman “Frank” Currey (born in 1925), one of four living Medal of Honor recipients of the WW II. During the war he was a technical seargant, and he earned his Medal of Honor for his action in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge, 1944. Citation:
He was an automatic rifleman with the 3rd Platoon defending a strong point near Malmedy, Belgium, on 21 December 1944, when the enemy launched a powerful attack. Overrunning tank destroyers and antitank guns located near the strong point, German tanks advanced to the 3rd Platoon’s position, and, after prolonged fighting, forced the withdrawal of this group to a nearby factory. Sgt. Currey found a bazooka in the building and crossed the street to secure rockets meanwhile enduring intense fire from enemy tanks and hostile infantrymen who had taken up a position at a house a short distance away. In the face of small-arms, machinegun, and artillery fire, he, with a companion, knocked out a tank with 1 shot. Moving to another position, he observed 3 Germans in the doorway of an enemy-held house. He killed or wounded all 3 with his automatic rifle. He emerged from cover and advanced alone to within 50 yards of the house, intent on wrecking it with rockets. Covered by friendly fire, he stood erect, and fired a shot which knocked down half of 1 wall. While in this forward position, he observed 5 Americans who had been pinned down for hours by fire from the house and 3 tanks. Realizing that they could not escape until the enemy tank and infantry guns had been silenced, Sgt. Currey crossed the street to a vehicle, where he procured an armful of antitank grenades. These he launched while under heavy enemy fire, driving the tankmen from the vehicles into the house. He then climbed onto a half-track in full view of the Germans and fired a machinegun at the house. Once again changing his position, he manned another machine gun whose crew had been killed; under his covering fire the 5 soldiers were able to retire to safety. Deprived of tanks and with heavy infantry casualties, the enemy was forced to withdraw. Through his extensive knowledge of weapons and by his heroic and repeated braving of murderous enemy fire, Sgt. Currey was greatly responsible for inflicting heavy losses in men and material on the enemy, for rescuing 5 comrades, 2 of whom were wounded, and for stemming an attack which threatened to flank his battalion’s position. http://bit.ly/2ImfyZ6

He knew to shoot and move…
 
^ Jesus Christ !! I just returned from my sons HS graduation and that Sgt and MoH recipient looks no older then the boys getting awarded their diplomas today.
 
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