Lancaster Fuselage Delivered to Scampton

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There was more than one Canadian Lancaster on the move in Lincolnshire on Monday!
What a great exhibit for Scampton's Heritage Centre...
http://www.lancasterassociation.co.uk/blog

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I must post a picture of the Thorpe Camp fuselage that is the main bulk of this machine as it makes an interesting contrast.

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I believe the tail section is at Doncaster and at least part of its wings are with Kermit Weeks in Florida.

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All of KB976's wings are with Kermit. He also has the fuselage of KB976 with the damaged rear fuselage section replaced by that of KB994. The section aft of the centre section of KB976 is in Australia with the tail section sans flying surfaces at Doncaster.

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Quick THANK YOU for posting this link - Whilst some knew it was happening - I did not TKU

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A fitting place for Jeremy's beautiful Lanc

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All of KB976's wings are with Kermit. He also has the fuselage of KB976 with the damaged rear fuselage section replaced by that of KB994. The section aft of the centre section of KB976 is in Australia with the tail section sans flying surfaces at Doncaster.

And the nose section of the 'KB976' now at Scampton is the ORIGINAL nose section that was replaced in the late 60s, rather than the one she had whilst at Strathallan etc. That also came from KB994

http://www.timefadesaway.co.uk/strathallan/kb976/kb_976_9.html

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Jeremy has two Lancaster fuselage projects IIRC - This is the one formerly at Brooklands?

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I must post a picture of the Thorpe Camp fuselage that is the main bulk of this machine as it makes an interesting contrast.

Please do David, as I admire Jeremy's efforts and only know of the provenance of the Canadian nose section forward of the windscreen?

I would be very keen to know more about the "Thorpe Camp" Fuselage that you refer to?

It had been my assumption that this fuselage from windscreen back was actually a mockup built by Jeremy?

KB976 Scampton 18AUG2014 Tom Allett.JPGRAF

Scampton's Heritage Centre received a terrific boost on August 18 when the nose and reconstructed fuselage of Lancaster 10AR, KB976, arrived by road from Brooklands.

Owned by Jeremy Hall, KB976 has a notable history. It is one of only three so-called long nose Lancasters (designed to carry an early warning radar) ever built and it was also the world's last operational Lancaster; retiring from service with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1964.

Its certainly not KB976 other than having the original Canadian long nose from KB976, which for a period sat on the front of the derelict fuselage of KB994.

The Majority of KB976 sits with Kermit Weeks, other than its damaged centre fuselage which is down under and its rear fuselage which is in the UK.

Of course the mortal remains of KB994 sit in a few places.

Its (KB994's) cockpit is downunder along with I believe its cut off Covered Wagon centre section portion. (one is here and I assume it is KB994)

Its (KB994's)centre fuselage is with Kermit for a future KB976 restoration, in swap for the damaged centre fuselage of KB976 which is also down under.

Its (KB994's) rear fuselage is also with Kermit in swap for the damaged rear fuselage from KB976 which remains in the UK, which would be a fitting addition to this Lincolnshire display to complete the end to end fuselage.

I understood Jeremy acquired the Canadian long nose, then build a Lancaster Mk X Reproduction fuselage to sit behind it, and if so, that's a magnificent effort on top of his mark I cockpit reproduction.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

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The Thorpe Camp fuselage was built for 'Night Flight' from memory. I published a picture in FlyPast at the time. The fuselage went from just in front of the windscreen rearwards for a twenty five feet if I recall.

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Many interior pieces within one of Jeremy's Lancs are actually off of FM213 / VeRA .
When she was being dismantled by CWH years ago, much of the interior which at that time was deemed non useful, ended up in a dumpster behind the old
Museum location.
I asked for and was given permission to take all of it and spent 3 hrs loading up my truck
We stored the parts for many years . Eventually Jeremy sought me out and over approx a five year period, he purchased most of the what I had
but not all . We still some parts

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Its certainly not KB976 other than having the original Canadian long nose from KB976,

Not sure if I misunderstand your point Mark but the original does say: "the nose and reconstructed fuselage of Lancaster 10AR, KB976."
I don't think anyone claims it's KB976 beyond the nose.
Very pleased to see it at Scampton anyway.
Regards,
Ed

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Reconstructed usually means :build or form (something) again after it has been damaged or destroyed

Clearly the Lancaster from picture two at Brooklands is the Thorpe Camp example - its not reconstructed its new.

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I am getting very confused

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No ! The Seven Dwarfs nose is still that . The machine at Scampton is the extreme nose section of KB976 and the fuselage from Thorpe Camp that was built for 'Night Flight'.

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Hi All,
With other Lancaster restorations on going what would the feasibility of trying to recreate a (Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning) ?
Being as Mr Hall has two Lancaster project's on the go I would think the IIC that Bruce mentioned (Rather than the MkX of KB976) would be an Ideal candidate ?
To my mind Mr Hall has the perfect opportunity to recreate this modification as all other Lancaster restorations are true to the aircraft identity restorations are they not ? Or do all aircraft restorations need to be true to the aircrafts actual identity ? After all they did a similar alteration to Lancaster's for the film so the drawings must still be available from when they altered the Lancaster's for the film, except this alteration would be a complete replica of the changes made to the design before the raid.. Here is a link to the KB976 with all it's history if interested:- http://www.timefadesaway.co.uk/strathallan/kb976/kb_976_intro.html

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGwDChxHn2nmva8j4RstZBoAfyhDWpYKlYri_bIoqMuK0R2Y3h

Geoff

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Not sure if I misunderstand your point Mark but the original does say: "the nose and reconstructed fuselage of Lancaster 10AR, KB976."
I don't think anyone claims it's KB976 beyond the nose.
Very pleased to see it at Scampton anyway.
Regards,
Ed

Ed I was treading carefully in regards to two issues, particularly as I have never seen it close up and rely on information from sources, including Jeremy etc, hence I was simply seeking to clarify my understandings.

The first was to clarify what it is being claimed as? (the reconstructed fuselage of KB976)

As David mentions, the words "reconstructed" is usually applied to an outcome using original parts, even if from different airframes, ie a wing from here, a tail from there etc, this in my mind (and my long term understanding) is largely a full scale mockup, reproduction or replica fuselage with an original Canadian long nose from KB976 on the front.

The reference to its being the fuselage of KB976 is therefore confusing since the notional fuselage of KB976 is with Kermit Weeks along with the rest of the aircraft (as a composite of original parts from both KB976 and KB994), with all of the remaining parts accounted for, hence this fuselage is displayed as KB976 but its not the restored/reconstructed fuselage of KB976 in my view.

The second was to clarify what it is based on? - again the word "reconstructed" confused me.

David mentioned it being based on the "Thorpe Camp" Fuselage, and I wondered "if" a very derelict or crash remains fuselage had been "reconstructed" and that then was different to my understanding that it was an all new replica / reproduction - hence my request to David to post his photos and elaborate.

It has turned out I already had photos from Jeremy of it in early condition which clearly shows it is a mockup, I was just never aware it was a TV/Film prop and from a show called "Night Flight" and had been located somewhere called "Thorpe Camp" long enough to adopt that as its identity?

I think its great that the Lincolnshire Association have it on display, and even better that its displayed as the very unique Canadian Mk X RCAF long nose version rather than a wartime RAF Mk1, ensuring that this element of the real nose from KB976 is emphasised.

I also think its then quite appropriate to present it in KB976's markings on the same basis, and tell the story of this unique model of Lancaster.

Full Scale Mockups, Reproductions and Replicas all have their place in museums (as do large scale models) when the original / full size is not available and the type is an essential element of the museums story.

I just prefer to ensure that provenance is clear, and that confusing or misleading information doesn't jumble the "colour scheme" up with whats "underneath" it.

This is a major problem in Warbirding where non-descript aircraft are repainted in famous airframes markings and then focus so much on telling the story of the more famous aircraft that it gets blurred as to which is the "real" one, ie confusing or misleading information jumbles the "colour scheme" up with whats "underneath" it.

We had the ridiculous situation recently where two restored flying airframes on either side of the Atlantic were legally claiming to be the same identity, and that identity had some rich operational provenance, "luckily" the imposter was then "discovered" to be another airframe of "rich operational provenance" and the various sellers and purchasers and airworthiness authorities didn't have to worry about any law suits etc.

Another case has a reconstructed RAAF P40 recovered from PNG restored and resprayed in an RAF desert camouflage and flown in Canada presented as that second aircrafts provenance, (to promote a Canadian pilots story), and then associated with the recently discovered Desert Crash P40 in Egypt because they have such similar "histories" - (where as one is the real McCoy, and one is an imposter, although to be fair that is admitted in the fine print).

I guess I would describe it as a Reproduction Lancaster Fuselage displayed to represent Canadian Mk 10 KB976 of the RCAF, with the original long nose from that aircraft fitted to it.

Its an excellent display, and again congrats to the Associations for displaying it as KB976.

I wasn't wishing to "have a go" at any one, just clarify my understandings.

Regards

Mark Pilkington

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No problem Mark; thanks for the explanation.
I understand a huge number (12,000?) of Canadian wartime rivets were used during its construction.
Is the cockpit section a replica, or is it from a particular aircraft?
Regards,
Ed

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Hang on a minute, pic 2 above is the Night Flight mockup photographed at Brooklands as I remember seeing it with the long nose. Not very representative from the outside in daylight.

What is the origin of the Scampton fuselage as it doesn 't seem to derive from the Night Flight version?

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Smirky -the picture (no.2) certainly appears to show the Scampton machine being reworked . From memory the 'Night Flight' fuselage was more faithful internally hence how it was constructed . Reworking it to the standard it arrived at Scampton is time -effort and a lot of money!