Edmundston needs a home for it's Lancaster

[Brian Gough]

Hi Chris,

KB882 is at the Edmundston, NB airport, located right on the Quebec / New Brunswick border. This is where Quebec Route 185 becomes Route 2 in NB.

Last year the new highway was realigned to the west a bit but you can easily find your way over to the airport.

Check it out before it leaves.

Brian

[Marc Montgomery]

Probably not going anwhere immediately..for one thing the maritimes are experiencing a blizzard right now after a year of record snowfall..about the 17th blizzard this season.. I think it will be late spring/summer before anything happens.
I am personally very glad it's going to the Alberta Aviation Museum..where it will be indoors and get a good restoration...especially since in just a few more years it would have collapsed -according to the expert..and the nose section broken off
Sad thing is, this was flying when parked..with the right money and care over the years it could have been the third flying example left...but even in the 1960s I guess not that many people were thinking that these war relics should -or were worthy- of restoration/preservation.

[David Dunlop]

Hopefully, Marc, if the corrosion can at least be stopped now, it becomes a future possible candidate for full restoration. Sadly, too many people do not realize that aluminium does indeed corrode over time. If I recall correctly, the Lancaster that used to sit on a pylon on the Toronto water front for many years suffered a similar fate. Unnatural stresses from the pylon mount and salt from the nearby roads pretty much broke its back over time.

I suspect the Nanton Alberta Lancaster or one in England, both of which are currently under restoration for full powered taxi capability, could be the next flyers. When you get an airframe to that level of restoration, it is a lot smaller leap to full flight, though probably the more expensive part of the journey.

Be interesting to find out how many of the survivors in Canada have actual combat records from the war. If this one is the only one, I have a bit of difficulty with the Albeta group wanting to use it as a post war representative.

David

[Marc Montgomery]

Whatever happened to the TO exhibition Lanc??
I tend to agree with you...as this has an actual war record I personally would prefer to see it restored in its war colours.... but you know..this is Canada and wars are such nasty things...most Canadians dont want to be reminded..
(standing on soap box) Very little of our history of course is even taught in schools, history is only mandatory in four provinces...and in Quebec..its Quebec history and rather nuanced propaganda so Im not sure that even counts...(ive seen the grade school history books and homework !!!!)

Also a great many Canadians came from somewhere else so yours and my Canadian history,,isn't really theirs in the same sense...

On the practical side.. it's probably easier and less costly (???) simply to restore it in its last role..

I also agree that if you get the Nanton Lanc to taxiing restoration..could it not get to airworthy shape?..but as you suggest THAT may be even more costly..have to inspect all struts spars joints rivets etc etc etc for microscopic cracks.... even at taxiing.. it may be an impossible task to make the step to airworthy....perhaps someone with more air experience knows more about that process.

[Ed Storey]

I think the Lancaster in Toronto was used for parts, perhaps in Hamilton or out to Alberta. The Sherman ended up in Beachwood Cemetery in Ottawa.

There used to be a Lancaster in Windsor, I am not sure were that one went. Great intentions when these old warbirds were first put on pedestals and on outdoor display, thankfully we are starting to realize this is not the best way to preserve aircraft for future generations to enjoy.

[meduffer]

The last time I saw the Toronto Lancaster it was still in the museum at Downsview Airport. They were using the hangers where they built Mosquitoes, Chipmunks and Beavers but due to some skulduggery they were evicted and the Ww2 hangers were torn down to make room for a hockey arena. The volunteers had made really good progress over the years but (don't quote me) I think their collection ended up in storage somewhere around Toronto (Pearson) International Airport. It also looks like the Windsor Lancaster is undercover too. On a sidenote, it was very cool that last summer the Lancaster in Hamilton flew all the way across the pond to the UK and back to tour with the British Lancaster.

http://www.casmuseum.org/gallery/view.php?gallery_id=13

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/sa...labour-of-love

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-...tour-1.2028602

Mike

[Ed Storey]

Here is an image of Lancaster 882 when it was being used as a platform for aerial photography.