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Hastings Arctic Crash

by | Sep 16, 2024 | Aviation History, Spotting, Wrecks and Relics

16th September 1952

An RAF Hastings operating out of Thule crashed today 72 years ago. The crash happened during a supply mission to the British North Greenland Expedition, during which the aircraft had to make a forced landing.

The aircraft a Handley Page Hastings C.2 was dropping supplies from 50ft when it entered white out conditions. During the run a wing stuck the ground at 125 Kts IAS, compelling the crew to make a forced landing. The aircraft remained mostly intact and all 12 crew survived but were standed some 500 miles from Thule. The members of the crew with injuries were medivaced on a specially adapted Grumman Albatross fitted with snow ski’s and RATO.

The aircrew of the Hastings had sufficient supplies for 10 day, the aircraft was assigned to 47 Squadron,

The extraction would be effected by the American 6th Air Rescue Squadron, based at Thule in Greenland.

 

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Prestwick Brabazon Visit

by | Aug 30, 2024 | Airport History, Spotting, Spotting News, Wrecks and Relics

The good old days.

Seventy three years ago this week, there was a real feeling of optimism in the aviation industry – which was at its zenith. The British aviation industry employed more people than the NHS does today, there were new aircraft at all stages of the development cycle. One of those was the Bristol Brabazon, considered in some respects to be the first “wide body” airliner, to give some context the Brabazon fuselage had a diameter which was nearly six feet more than that of a Boeing 747 and was over a foot wider than that of an Airbus A380.

Big as it was, the Brabazon was planned to carry no more than 100 passengers – with the flagship companies of the day in some cases planning a layout accommodating less than 40 people. This would give each passenger the equivalent of a small room of space, using modern spacing methods – it would have carried around 300 passengers, at the time it was to have become the new queen of the skies – replacing the Imperial flying boats.

On August the 28th 1951 the Brabazon arrived at Prestwick, it was to have made a number of flights – but due to adverse weather made only one on Wednesday the 29th carrying The Seretary of State for Scotland.

At that same time the British aviation industry was engaged in the production or development of over 60 different types of civilian, military and research fixed wing airfrom the Auster to the Wyvern.

But there are spotters who are regulars at Prestwick who were there on the day the Brabazon was there, still talking about it – ah nostalgia for the good old days.

 

Support this site.

It does take some time and effort to create these downloads, also there are a number of costs associated with running the site. So if you can consider supporting this site with a donation it would be helpful, if you find the site useful then why not treat me to a doughnut – or even a doughnut and a coffee if you’re feeling really flush.

But regardless of whether you donate or not, I hope that the contents of the files are of some use, also bear in mind that the files are as dated in the bar graph on the down load page – I will try and produce a new data set every month or more frequently if time allows.

Please note these files are provided for personal use, if you want to use them for any other purpose or if you want to make them available through your own site – get in touch first.

 

 

US Registered Warbirds

by | Aug 9, 2024 | Aviation News, Database, Online Logging, Spotting, Wrecks and Relics

US Registered Warbirds

Most people reading this will have heard the term “Warbird”, but for clarity I’ll add the current definition as it has changed somewhat over the years. Originally a warbird was a Second World War aircraft, demilitarised and operated by civilians or a preservation entity like The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Now it is considered as any “vintage” military aircraft with a civilian or a presevation society like the BBMF or the Comemorative Air Force as the operator.

Seeing an aircraft like a Mustang, Hurricane, Spitfire or something else from the war years is something quite special. Visiting Duxford in the UK or some of the other locations around the world and seeing these aircraft still flying is memorable, appreciating how much care and attention is lavished on these machines – some approaching 100 years old evokes something akin to awe.

Take a photograph in Black and White and to the average person it could just as easily have been taken 60, 70 or 80 years ago, there is a certain nostalgia that makes itself felt in that moment. It’s not just the fighters with the catchy names that are evocative, the trainers, transports, bombers and utility aircraft of the era also have an undeniable cachet.

Currently there are thousands of these aircraft on the US Civil Register, for example there are 206 “North American F/P-51” Mustangs active (with a CofA) in the August file available from our download page. There are 56 “North American B-25” Mitchell’s and around 180 “Douglas DC-3 & variants”, although these are still effectively being refurbished and re-engined by Basler Turbo Conversions. The aircraft listed above are some of the better known warbirds, but what about the lesser known ones like the Piper Cub.

When you look at aircraft like the Piper Cub (the first US aircraft shot down immediately before the attack on Pearl Harbour), which started life as the Taylor E-2 in 1930 with production ending in 1947 – almost twenty thousand being built between 1938 and 1947 – at peak production an aircraft rolling off the line every 20 minutes. There are still over 3,800 of these currently active on the US Civil Register, the youngest of these is 76 years old. Should they be classified as a warbird, personally I’d say yes.

They maybe didn’t have the zingy Spitfire, Mustang, Thunderbolt, Warhawk name and except for a few examples they weren’t armed – but they fit the original and new criteria in equal measure. There are many others that fit the bill, the Harvard under several designations such as the AT-6 or SNJ(pick a number) with at least 700 still current.

In all there may be more than ten thousand warbirds currently active on the US Civil Register, quite a respectable 3% or more of all aitcraft on the register.

 

Support this site.

It does take some time and effort to create these downloads, also there are a number of costs associated with running the site. So if you can consider supporting this site with a donation it would be helpful, if you find the site useful then why not treat me to a doughnut – or even a doughnut and a coffee if you’re feeling really flush.

But regardless of whether you donate or not, I hope that the contents of the files are of some use, also bear in mind that the files are as dated in the bar graph on the down load page – I will try and produce a new data set every month or more frequently if time allows.

Please note these files are provided for personal use, if you want to use them for any other purpose or if you want to make them available through your own site – get in touch first.

 

 

On this Day – Prestwick 17/07/1962

by | Jul 17, 2024 | Airport History, Spotting, Wrecks and Relics

Prestwick 17th July 1962

I’m in possesion of some old logs from Prestwick, these date back some 60 plus years – so i thought that I’d share a log that matches the day and the month. It’s great fun looking back over these logs, there was a bit more variety and traffic at Prestwick then.

Below is the log for the day, it probably doesn’t cover the time before the first train and possibly after the last train – spotters used to be dependent on such things. But all in all I’m sure that you’ll agree that it was a not bad day, I’d certainly have liked to be there – it was a further four years before I managed a days spotting at Prestwick.

G-GBIE Beech Travelair Travelair Gmbh. (Ferry)
G-ARUO Comanche 250 Henry & Fawcett.
CCCP-75789 Il-18 Aeroflot.
G-ARHV Tri-Pacer Duncan Logan (Contrs.) Ltd.
PH-DSM DC-7C KLM
PH-DCA DC-8 KLM
G-AOVT Brittania 312 BOAC
CF-CZW Brittania 314 Canadian Pacific A/L
18360 CF-100 RCAF
12437 R4D8 USN
17166 R4D8 USN
00377 C-135A USAF
20940 C-124C USAF
30049 C-124C USAF
21014 C-124C USAF
0-50940 C-47 USAF
0-17428 T-33A USAF

All in all, that would have been considered a not bad day for a spotter at Prestwick. If it was a first visit there would have been the CF-100’s and the Sabres all over the back at the Monkton side, there were too many to list here in the short time that I have.

Support this site.

It does take some time and effort to create these downloads, also there are a number of costs associated with running the site. So if you can consider supporting this site with a donation it would be helpful, if you find the site useful then why not treat me to a doughnut – or even a doughnut and a coffee if you’re feeling really flush.

But regardless of whether you donate or not, I hope that the contents of the files are of some use, also bear in mind that the files are all from the 24th of June 2024 – I will try and produce a new data set every month or more frequently if time allows.

 

 

MH370 – Will it be found?

by | Mar 16, 2023 | Airport History, Airport News, Aviation News, Book Reviews, Spotting, Spotting News, Wrecks and Relics

On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The disappearance of the Boeing 777-200ER remains one of the most puzzling aviation mysteries of all time. Despite extensive search efforts, the wreckage of the plane has never been found, and the fate of the 239 people on board remains unknown.

The initial search for the plane focused on the South China Sea, where it was believed to have crashed. However, subsequent investigations suggested that the plane had flown off course and may have ended up in the southern Indian Ocean. This led to a massive search effort involving more than two dozen countries, but no trace of the plane was found.

The disappearance of MH370 raised many questions about the safety of air travel and the ability of modern technology to track planes. The plane’s communication systems were deliberately turned off, suggesting that someone on board had hijacked the aircraft. This has led to theories that the plane was intentionally diverted and may have been flown to a remote location.

The search for MH370 was one of the most expensive and extensive in aviation history, costing an estimated $150 million. The search involved advanced underwater search technology, including autonomous underwater vehicles and towed sonar systems. Despite these efforts, the wreckage of the plane has never been found, leading some to speculate that the search was not thorough enough or that the plane may have been deliberately hidden.

The disappearance of MH370 has had a profound impact on the aviation industry. It has led to increased scrutiny of airline safety procedures, including the use of satellite tracking systems and cockpit security measures. It has also raised concerns about the need for improved communication and coordination between airlines and aviation authorities.

In addition to the technical and operational questions raised by the disappearance of MH370, there have also been emotional and psychological impacts on the families of the passengers and crew. For many, the lack of closure and the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their loved ones has been devastating.

In conclusion, the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 remains one of the most baffling aviation mysteries of all time. The extensive search efforts have failed to locate the wreckage of the plane, leaving many questions unanswered. The incident has had far-reaching implications for the aviation industry and has led to increased scrutiny of safety procedures and technology. Despite the passage of time, the search for answers continues, and the families of the passengers and crew remain in search of closure.

RAF Coronation Review 1953

by | Jan 18, 2023 | Aviation News, Spotting, Website Review, Wrecks and Relics

The RAF Coronation Review at RAF Odiham on the 15th of July 1953, this was a spectacle that will probably never be repeated – almost one thousand static and flying aircraft. This was purely an Air Forces event, with contributions from Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The other services were all involved in their own Coronation Year reviews. The Royal Navy including the Fleet Air Arm had it’s own review on the 15th June 1953 with over 300 participating aircraft, the aircaft from Canada and Australia the Fleet Air Arm.

Below is a video of the event, somewhat condensed but it is pretty spectacular nonetheless. I’m pretty sure that the next Coronation Review will probably have fewer participants, so watch the video and feel the nostalgia.

I found the video purely by accident, but found it to be realy interesting. The whole flypast is there, representing all the RAF types in service at the time – some of which were in service for a number of years.

As a plane spotter I’d love to see an actual log, both the static and the flying aircraft. The sheer number of aircraft must have made for a real spectacle, they did allow paying members of the public in.

Obviously there will be an other Coronation later this year, at this time I’m unaware of any mention of a review of the armed forces – I found the above video while I was searching for anything about one. So I guess I’ll just have to keep looking, I’m sure that there will at least be a flypast on the day, or possibly soon after.

But in the mean time, enjoy the video!