Edmundston needs a home for it's Lancaster

[charlie fitton]

I walked through this aircraft about 20 years ago and though that it looked like it was just parked. the shocking bit is thaat it wasn't vandalized - instruments, radios,etc were all just there....


Often wondered why it was not "gathered" with the Lanc inHamilton as a future project, or spares.

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi

I've heard stories that the town or someone went through a lot of trouble to get it there and wouldn't let it go. Maybe that's changed.

...Lancaster KB882 was honourably retired at Dunnville, Ontario. On May 1st, 1964, the Crown Assets Disposal Corporation accepted a monetary offer from the City of Edmundston, NB for the purchase of the aircraft. Shortly after it was flown from DND 6 Repair Depot, Trenton, Ontario to Fredericton, N.B. where it waited for the Edmundston site to be completed. On July 14, 1964, Captain Joseph (Pepi) DiGiacinto, pilot; Flight Sgt Derek Miller, co-pilot; Gerry Flemming, radio operator; Captain Keith Wyatt, navigator and flight Engineer, Jim Cochrane brought KB882 in from her final flight. The crew touched down at the Edmundston Municipal Airport where she was mounted on a pedestal at St Jacques Airport in its last operational colours, (for a short while had been seen in wartime camouflage as 'NA-R' (Rabbit Stew)...

http://www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc_surv_kb882.htm

I've stopped and looked her over many times over my almost 50 years. Dad looooved to tow a Family and a Camping Trailer around the entire country when we were growing up....apparently this built our character!!

I agree that $500K is a bit much to move it.

regards
Darrell

[Brian Gough]

It will be a shame to see it go but KB882 (like any historic aircraft) deserves a better fate than sitting outside for 50 years.

The March/April 2003 Newsletter of the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum has an extensive article on Canadian Lancasters.

http://atlanticcanadaaviationmuseum....01/mar2003.pdf

See pages 10-16 for the interesting story and pictures of the delivery of KB882 to Edmundston in July of 1964.


Brian

[charlie fitton]

Modification to Mk.,10P inlcuded 40 inch extension to the nose section to accommodate the AN/APS-42 navigation/weather radar, a can containing the UPD-501 passive intercept radar in the rear fuselage, an extensive array of antennas for radio.


"The bomb bay was fitted with two long-range fuel tanks and a pannier for baggage and spares."