Aircraft pics

[1967 Impala]

Here is some history on the Lancaster from Hamilton

The Lancaster, C-GVRA, owned and operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWH), was one of the 422 Mk X models built at Victory Aircraft in Canada between 1943 and 1945. It saw service with the No. 107 Rescue Unit at Torbay, Newfoundland, as a maritime patrol/search and rescue aircraft until retired by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1964.

Lancasters are powered by four Rolls-Royce or Packard-built Merlin engines and was the only aircraft capable of carrying the 22,000-pound Grand Slam bomb.

Between 1942 and VE Day (May 8, 1945), Lancasters participated in 156,000 sorties and delivered two-thirds of Bomber Command’s total bomb weight. The Lancaster won a place for itself in history with the daring and precise bombing raids on the Mohne and Eder dams in May 1943 and with the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz, in a well-defended Norwegian fjord. Of the 7,366 Lancasters built during World War II, only two are still flying today.

The CWH Lancaster was acquired from the Goderich Legion in 1977, with assistance from the Sully Foundation. Following a lengthy restoration, it flew again on September 24, 1988. The aircraft is painted in the wartime RCAF markings of the 419 Squadron, unit code VR-A aircraft in which P/O Andrew Mynarski of Winnipeg was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for attempting to rescue the trapped rear gunner from his blazing turret.

[1967 Impala]

Some B24's at Willow Run

[Xplantdad]

That is a really cool pic Robert!

[PeteLeathersac]

Great pics and that B24 shot is sure an a amazing part of Willow Run history before Novas were rolling out the door!.
Cool too how the B24's are already numbered in the pic...it'd be interesting to run a few and see what history they took part in next?.


Wasn't Willow Run where Tuckers were built too?.
Also anyone note what that Tucker sold for at the August RM Monterey auction...$1,017,500?!


~ Pete

[ANDY M]

Tuckers were built in Chicago, at an old bomber plant.
Mr. Tucker was from Ypsilanti, where the Willow Run plant is.

[1967 Impala]

I dont think that Novas ever rolled out the door at Willow Run .............it was a Ford plant. Anyway more pictures.. [image][/image] [image][/image]

[nuch_ss396]

[ QUOTE ]


Some B24's at Willow Run

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That's an interesting paint scheme on these B-24's. Is this a work-in-progress paint scheme, or some attempt at
camoflague? Notice the row to the far right is all olive drab.

Nuch

[ANDY M]

Willow Run is the name of the area just east of Ypsi. You're correct about the Ford plant building bombers, but not only did GM build Novas in Willow Run, they had a Hydromatic plant just accross the street. Willow Run airfield was adjacent to the palnt, and was the precursor to DTW, or Detroit Metro as it was called back in the 60's.

[SS427]

[ QUOTE ]

That's an interesting paint scheme on these B-24's. Is this a work-in-progress paint scheme, or some attempt at
camoflague? Notice the row to the far right is all olive drab.

Nuch

[/ QUOTE ]

These are B24E's built by Ford at the then Ford owned Willow Run plant. The paint scheme is not a work in progress but rather an attempt at camouflaging. I cannot tell by the B/W photo but these are likely Marine or Desert destined planes based on the camouflage so as to make it harder to see them from below against the bright sun or grey clouds.

[1967 Impala]

US built aircobras for the Russian airforce A total of 4719 P-39s were sent to the Soviet Union [image][/image]