WIX Archives

Mick, as always mate, cheers!!

Posted by Will Fowler on Tue Oct 23, 2001 01:52:08 AM

In reply top VA718 of 240 Sqn posted by MM on Mon Oct 22, 2001 03:13:25 PM

Hi Mick,

I agree the RAFM need to pull their fingers out and do something before all the projects vanish forever, I had not heard about the bird in the Lough Erne, that would be a good option if its fresh water fed, Tony's birds are great options as well, I did not know there were Cats down there as well, just Sunderlands, heck, I have to live on this forum to keep up with you lads...

Best regards,

Will

: There was a small news story in Flypast November 1985, wit
: h a pic similar to Brads, but showing that the rear fusela
: ge was virtually gone.
:
: There was then a letter from an Ozzy bloke, Sid Finn, who
: was there when it happened, in the May 86 issue.
: He described the story behind it.
:
: The Hurricane hit the island and 29 Advanced Flying Boat B
: ase at about 03.00 hrs in September 44.....he can't rememb
: er the exact date.
:
: There were three Mk IIA Cats moored, with a crew member do
: ing "boat-guard" in each. In case of a storm they were sup
: posed to start the engines to take the strain off the moor
: ing chains. This night the procedure, in one or two cases
: didn't work, and all three were swept up the inner lagoon
: like so many toys.
:
: The startled crews, glad to reach land again in terrific g
: usts of 90+ knot winds which tore the coats off one's back
: , plus the cold, the temp having dropped to what felt like
: zero.
:
: After things had quietened down, the section set to refloa
: t the Cats and launches. Most or all of their gear had bee
: n swept away, but brute strength and ingenuity prevailed a
: nd they soon had Cats back on the buoys. These had come as
: hore hundreds of yards from the one in the photo.
:
: The unit's marine tender was blown away as well, which the
: y eventually found from the air twelve miles away outside
: the lagoon !
:
: Their is also a photo which Sid took at the time.
: It shows the engines already salvaged, but otherwise in qu
: ite good nick.
:
: Solution to Will's idea :-
: The RAFM recover VA718, which is a genuine RAF Catalina, a
: nd then they sell their ex Danish Cat for the required sum
: of money, which I am sure could fly again, and then they
: rebuild VA718 with the proceeds.
:
: Too simple?......
: OK try this one :-
:
: They pull up the RAF Cat from Lough Erne in Northern Irela
: nd instead, or one of those from Lake Windermere that Tony
: is convinced are down there, and then they flog the Danis
: h Cat for rebuild funds.
:
: Still too simple?....
: Hows about this then :-
:
: They swap the Danish Cat for that ex RAF "cutaway" FP216,
: which is being restored in the US right now.
:
: Too simple again?
: Well I'm fresh out of ideas now, and I really don't know h
: ow the RAFM will ever get a genuine RAF Catalina if the ab
: ove didn't work.....but do they REALLY care anyway ?
:
:
: Mick
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