RAF Lincolns in Oz, Accidents inclusion in 2A73

Per:

During the late 1940s and early 1950s a number of RAF Lincolns came to Australia, Stewart Wilson has quoted the following serial numbers, RA638, RA640, RA644, RE258, RE259, RE339, RE418, RE423 and RF403.

Most of these were B2s and although technically attached to the ARDU at Laverton were in fact mostly operated by No1 Air Trials Unit at Woomera and No 2 Air trials unit at Edinburgh under the direction of the then Weapons Research Establishment, most of the air and ground crews were RAF.
They were used for a number of trials including engine trials and weapons release trials, Woomera being the predominant location.
The weapons trials involved dropping conventional bombs, including the WWII 22,000 pound Tallboy, from very high altitudes, the RAF B2 Lincolns were used because their Packard Merlin engines gave them a higher service ceiling than the RAAF Mk30s.

RAF Lincolns RA640 and RA644 seem to have had a accident at Woomera 19/10/53. Is there any known details?

RA640 again had another incident at Woomera on 15/12/53 with W/O W Middlemiss A51083 in charge. It was part of the ARDU TLS (Imagine this is trials!) Flight. He was RAAF.

RA640 again had a third incident 30th July 1954 at Woomera.

Another? yeap,...RA640 (though IDed as RF640)05/11/54 at Salisbury SA per W/C F R Schaaf.

Finished? Nope, another accident, RA640 now with ATU at Woomera on the 18/05/55. Pilot was F/Sgt M T Richardson (A41094) RAAF.

By this time the RAF Lincolns must have been tired and/or withdrawn, as A73-14 and A73-20 took over.

Python Lincoln RE339 ARDU trials Flight had an incident at Woomera 30/06/53 : piloted by F/Lt P G Knudsen

Again, Python Lincoln RE339 ARDU trials Flight also had an incident at Woomera 26/02/54 : F/Lt M M Heinrich (031491)

RA638 as part of ARDU Det "A" Flight Woomera had a accident there on the 17/05/1950 . Pilot was F Crawford Serv#4256** RAAF

RE259 as part of ARDU Det "A" Flight Woomera had a accident there on 27/07/50 with Sqn Ldr S J Brasier at controls. Another 01/12/50 at Woomera with F/Lt P B Wilson ,..then finally again 19/02/51 when RE259 was damaged at Woomera during a ground run of engines, a stone being thrown up. Part of ARDU Det A Trials Flight.

RA644 had a incident at Woomera 13/11/51 when flown by F/Lt T A Berry
RE418 had a incident 28/11/52 at Woomera , piloted by F/Lt P G Knudsen
RF423 had a incident 20 miles west of Woomera on the 12/03/53. W/O L A Rowlands ARDU

So why the thread?,.......should these be part of the 2A73 listing considering their link and length of service "down under" ?

Oh,...one accident I was impressed with per Aussie Lincolns: A73-46 incident between 17/07/50 to 12/08/50 in Habbany?? in Iraq!!!!! What's the story on that one Rod???? RAF pilot was F/O J E Horsfall

Interesting stuff Eh!

That should round the Lincoln accidents in Oz,......... and Iraq? :blink:

Best
Gordy

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Hey Gordy... I have a report in one of the Slipstream safety magazines, somewhere here at home, about an Aussie Lincoln prang. When I find it I'll send it through to you. Maybe it can be included in the next adf serials telegraph. :D

Gordy,

Couldn't agree more - I would like to see these airframes recorded on the site.

Now, I have a listing that I compiled in the early eighties somewhere........ :blink:


BC

Gordy
Re A73-46
In early 1950 (April?) this aircraft travelled to Farnborough for "Operation Showboat" and returned to 82 Wing in Sept/Oct that year, whilst overseas it required three engine changes, one in UK, one in Habbinaya Iraq, and one in Negombo Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
No dates given for the changes so correct order not known.

I will update the page ASAP.

Re the RAF Lincolns
I have copies of the history cards raised by the RAAF for these aircraft during their time here, whether we include them in detail along with our A73 page or just make mention of them as I have already done is open for discussion.

Cheers all

Rod

Good stuff Rod,

Re adding them to the page - for several types like the Daks, Lancs, etc, we have included a section at the end about "Airframes with Signifigant Australian Connections" to record their history of operation in relation to Australia or Australians.

Sing out if you need a hand.

Cheers

BC

Okay,..cool, Good stuff Rod

Maybe another page for loaned RAAF Aircraft for other Airforces perhaps? Only found one in recent times, but a lot of Wirraways , Tigers, Ansons, Oxfords and other types can be added per 5th AAF and RAF Oz Loaners

Up to A65-76 per Dakotas , with a few good detailed updates such as A65-72 being loaned to RAF Singapore FEAF for 6 months in the early 50's for Speaker Broadcasting over the jungles of Malaya, until replaced by three such RAF equipped C-47s.

Though under No 1 Sqn location ownership, operated by RAF HQ FEAF by RAF Crews and maintenance irks.

Also got the serial and details of that F-51D that decapitated our A65-74 at K-13 06/12/50. (Pictured below)

Meanwhile, back to the dakdrudge

Hi Ho Hi Ho,.its off to work we go

Best
Gordy

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OK so we will add a section at the end of our A73 page to cover the RAF ones, I have cards for 12.
I will start deciphering the entries and try and piece it all together, will take a little time though.
Rod

I am well advanced on this project but have one slight problem.

On 5-12-52 Python Lincoln RE 418 suffered an incedent at Woomera which resulted in major damage to all the forward section of the aircraft, to such an extent that it was recommended to be scrapped.

I cannot decipher the first couple of words on the history card which might hold the clue to what happened, can anyone shed any light on this incident.

Cheers all

Rod

Hi Rod,

You may have to get the NAA to open these for clarity of the cards

Aircraft status cards - Lincoln RE258, RE259, RE339, RE418
Contents date range 1951 - 1952
Series number A10297
Control symbol BLOCK 410
Item barcode 3047466

Usual cost involved,...but they've gone up this year from $16.50 to $23.50 Bucks ($7.00plus) certainly not a CPI rise!

There's also a pic dated 1953 (release date perhaps)

TITLE: The Aero Lincoln [RE418] CATEGORY: photograph FORMAT: b&w negative TYPE: cellulose actetate STATUS: preservation material
Contents date range 27 Nov 1953 - 27 Nov 1953

Series number D879
Control symbol DF561
Item barcode 7498463

Location Sydney Access status Not yet examined


Sorry I can't do more for you Matie

Best
Gordy :(

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I suspect that this may be the aircraft "written off" by Frank Wilson.

Can you scan the history card to allow the undeciphered words to be reviewed?


Wing Commander Frank Wilson DFC RAAF (retd) service number 404368, was a veteran Lancaster pilot of RAAF 463 Squadron, who passed away in 2010.

Frank was awarded his DFC in 1944 as a then Flight Lieutenant with 463 Squadron in Bomber Command.

Frank flew Australian and British Lincolns post war at the Weapons Research Establishment at Woomera in the Python trials and the Blue Steel trials, taking Lincolns up to 32,000 feet and later 43,000 feet, these flights requiring oxygen and later pressure weightcoats.

A particularly notable event in Franks flying career is recorded on page 99 of the "Lincoln at War" by Garbett and Golding - 1979 Ian Allen Ltd.

Australian built GAF Lincolns had a 27,000' ceiling due to the fitting of Merlin 85's and later 66's, (they were later fitted with the CAC built Merlin 102) as compared with the UK built Avro Lincoln B2 fitted with the Merlin 68 with its higher service ceiling, which allowed the first test flights to 32,000 feet.

Frank flew the first ever such Lincoln flight at Woomera to 32,000', as pilot in a 3 man crew, the navigator F/L Norm Rogers moved aft to check the recording camera, disconnecting his oxygen to move from supply point to supply point but after reporting he was moving back, failed to report again, so Frank sent the Wireless Operator to check, who also failed to report in, Frank realised both had suffered loss of oxygen and immediately cut the throttles and "stuffed the nose right down" dropping like a brick to 10,000 feet where he levelled out, engaged the "George" (auto pilot) and went back to find both crew members still out cold, he put them back on oxygen and landed at Woomera, the descent from 32,000 feet took less than 10 minutes with the Lincoln "popping rivets like shotgun pellets, and all four motors suffering warped heads, there is no doubt however, that the pilots prompt action saved the lives of his two crewman" I understand the Lincoln was a write off.

The passage doesn't identify the aircraft, but Frank confirmed to me that the aircraft was a write-off, which would fit with the outcome of RE-418 above, and doesn't appear consistent with the situation of RE259 below, and I'm not sure that P B Wilson is a typo referring to Frank, or another pilot altogether.

However the passage does suggest it was a standard RAF B2 Lincoln, not one of the Python Lincolns, given the reference to it being the first 32,000' flight, however I'm not sure the extract above is correct that this occurred on the first 32,000' flight, and interestingly the book lists the Python flights going up to 43,000'.

Below a quote from wiki for the Python engine suggests early flights of the python was only to 35,000'.

Franks Log Books may well survive with his family in Melbourne and might resolve the identity of the aircraft involved in the incident.

The Garbett and Goulding book also lists on page 99 the following nine RAF Lincolns operating at Woomera, with RE418 (Theseus test bed) being the only one to return to the UK, and RA638, RA640, RA644, RE258, RE259, RE339, RF403 and RE423 all ending their days in Australia.

Separately RA648 visited Australia for tropical trials, as well as SX974, both being unrelated to Woomera, along with RE367 "Aries III" on it various record and round the world flights.

I believe 1 (RF403?) was scrapped at Tocumwal and the remaining 7 scrapped in South Australia, although there has always been suggestion of a Lincoln wreck surviving at Woomera - this seems to be an urban myth?


Regards

Mark Pilkington

This post has been edited by mark_pilkington on Oct 3 2013, 09:19 PM

Hi Mark
Not sure if this is going to work, if it does it is the first half of the report the rest is over the page.
Note that this was a Python Lincoln so the reference to all four engines having warped heads is not acurate.

Sorry it is a pdf and I can't figure out how to get it on here.

Rod

Hi Mark, back again.

Having had time to think overnight I have come to the conclusion that the damage listed on the history card for RE418 is consistent with a severe overstress which would have been caused by the incident you have described, given the lack of any evidence of other aircraft suffering such damage I think we can safely assume that it was indeed RE418.
I will amend the page ASAP.

Thank you for your most usefull information.

Rod

Rod,

That is my view too.

Although the book implies it was the first flight to 32,000 and in a Lincoln with 4 merlins, that information may not be reliable.

I spoke to Frank about this incident many years later, and he did not mention the Python engine to resolve it, but did confirm it was an RAF Lincoln and it was written off after the incident due to the damage sustained in the dive.

That aspect should rule out it being RE259.

As I said, his log books may still survive somewhere in Melbourne to confirm.

regards

Mark Pilkington

This post has been edited by mark_pilkington on Oct 4 2013, 03:33 PM