Griffin & Lancaster

[D200]

A DHFS Griffin helicopter has assisted in the extraction of Avro Lancaster PD259 JO-G [463 Sqn RAAF] from the Scottish Highlands. The aircraft is to be returned to Waddington, the base from which it flew its final flight and should be on display at the upcoming Airshow.
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[TheOriginalMonty]

Where has the Lanc been up until now? On the surface or buried?

First shot is rather good, but your sensor could do with a bit of a clean (Im a filthy hypocrite! )

Ben

[D200]

Your right and not helped by pollen, seeds, dust and debris being blown all over by downwash. No excuses though, my camera needs an MOT, and it deserves one for it has done hot / cold / dry / dusty / humid all without complaint.

[Simba]

Love the second shot. Thanks for sharing. Look forward to getting involved with that sort of work in the not too distant future

[scotthldr]

Is that beside the A9 about 2 miles North of Kingussie? Was travelling down and up there yesterday and noticed that all the laybys were coned off. and that CCTV survey sign looks all too familiar

[Height is Good]

That disc is working hard in Pic 6!! Safe Twin I think not!

[D200]

It was a hot day and there was no wind at all, so yes the helicopter was working hard, especially on that particular load as the mainwheel was inside that one. Scot; yes that was the landing point where transfer to a t-tonner and in turn artic lorry (A9 layby) took place. Without rotary support this simply would never have happened as the terrain has much to do with there still being such visible pieces untouched by souvenir hunters. There is nothing left on the site now but for a memorial prop blade in a private cemetary.

The floor including bomb release mechanism and a bomb bay outer door are the largest parts. There are many smaller items and those that were buried are in good condition, whereas 65 years of scottish damp have taken their toll on the magnesium alloy parts. This is most obvious on the slick mainwheel. One side is badly corroded but the other is remains mostly intact. We believe that this is the only authentic WWII slick (no tread) Lancaster tyre worldwide, unless anyone nows differantly. The tail wheel tyre is in very good condition but the wheel hub is missing. Be that through corrosion or a previous human encounter is unknown. I am quite confident that when presented for display, it will attract much attention, and as already mentioned, its first public outing should be at the Waddington airshow.

[D200]

Tailwheel but no hub

Evidence of a previous life despite being a low hours airframe.

[KarlADrage]

You've got some lovely images there, Chas - 1 & 3 especially so. Lovely colours, great rotor blur and a cracking setting. Sounds like a rather interesting story too!

BTW, it's fairly easy to remove dust spots in Photoshop. Prime Images Guide

[Matt Baker]

I hope you don't mind me adding to your thread Chas (Thanks to you and the rest of your teams help by the way)
Knowing you didn't get a chance to see the crash site its self here are a few of my images I managed to get between humping and dumping











The aircraft safely arrived at Waddington and is current residing within 5 Hangar (Maybe not its first time ?).
It will be on display in 3 Hangar at the airshow, so anyone going please feel free to see us and we will be happy to answer any questions and share our experience of a enjoyable and intensive day.

Oh and i'm the guy with the cap in the last image of your first set.
Thanks again from myself and the rest of the team from Waddo

[StephenEThomas]

Chas and Matt, good work guys

[D200]

Thanks for the additions to the thread, and hopefully this one ties it up nicely. Griffin + mainwheel with the curtain-sidervisible in the background.

A visit to Scotland and a suntan; what a rare day!

[peter]

I seemed to have missed this topic. Excellent pictures and I am very pleased to see the wreckage saved before vandals destoryed it. One correction though. The smooth tire is not the only one in existance. There are several examples worldwide.

[Koen L]

Thanks for bumping this topic up as I missed it as well. Very different and therefor very interesting!

Koen

[AlexC]

Interesting set of photos. The code letter 'G' is still remarkably vivid taking into account that the wreckage has been up there for over 60 years. Any details of the crash available, including the fate of the crew?

[D200]

It was a Lancaster from Waddington on a training trip with an inexperienced crew. The aircraft had flown on Ops the previous night, and it is possible that damage sustained on that mission could have contributed to the crash, although bad weather and the inexperience of the crew are also factors. All perished, and all bar one were austrailians. An RAF crew member survived the accident only to fall to his death over a vertical cliff in the dark. The nature of the terrain and location have kept most souvenir hunters away although I dare say that several households in the Kingussie area of Scotland have the odd momento lying around. Regards exact details, there is lots of assumption and 'probablys' but few facts. It was common place in WWII at such sites to simply collect the bits together and bury them, and I am aware of a Catalina in Northern Ireland which shared a similar fate before and after it crashed. Google Kingussie Lancaster and you will get the media bits.

[AlexC]

Thanks, I read the article. Seems a possibility that the Lanc was not fully airworthy on her last flight.