Google Satellite photo of Lancaster over UK

Gordon Yeo · #1 29-12-06, 22:15

Here's an email my brother sent me. I think you all will find it interesting.

"When you have a few minutes, and want a bit of a mind-boggle - go to the following URL

<http://www.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF-8&o...2043.20%22%20W>

make sure it's set to satellite (button at top right of the map) and click on to the second or third tick (down from the plus sign on the scale at the top left of the picture) to set height above the ground.

It's a Google Map segment where the satellite picture caught the Lancaster bomber in flight (at 52 20' 10.95" N 0 11'43.20"W) over England. Now it's preserved in the photo. Since Google updates the satellite maps at irregular intervals, it's impossible to say how long that image will be present - but it's kind of neat that the plane was caught in the air at all :-))"

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #2 29-12-06, 22:20

Jeez... how the hell did you find THAT??!!

Gordon Yeo · #3 29-12-06, 23:40

I didn't find the site my brother sent it to me and my youngest son is home from Queens University and he did the post. My brother and a partner had a computer software business so his computer skills are above average. So that is how the info got here, how anyone would ever find that shot of the Lancaster does stretch the imagination.

#4 30-12-06, 10:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Jeez... how the hell did you find THAT??!!

Well, like winning the National Lottery. (That English game where 20 million of the poorest people give money away to send 250 of the richest to the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden)

The chances of Lancaster PA474 being just there at that time is slim but perhaps not that unusual. . . . . . . . . This BBMF aircraft is one of two flying, as you have the other in Canada, and if you draw a straight line to extrapolate the flight path from where it is over Huntingdon you will find its base at RAF Conningsby just some 50 miles ahead.

Of course there's the other Lanc privately owned by a couple of chicken farmers who bought it when no one was interested and keep it on the ex WWII airfield they have as the farm, this does fast taxi runs but isn't flight cleared, however, I'm told its in excellent condition and certification could be quite "simple" although in this context and facing the CAA (Campaign Against Aviation - AKA Civil Aviation Authority) the term "simple" takes on a very different meaning.

R.

Mike Kelly · #5 30-12-06, 12:24

Here is the chicken farm Lanc doing it's stuff . Wouldn't it be tempting to just open the throttles up and let her go .....

Mike

Mike Kelly · #6 30-12-06, 12:26

2

Mike Kelly · #7 30-12-06, 12:28

3

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #8 30-12-06, 13:50

If I were in that cockpit, I know damned well I wouldn't be able to resist just pulling back on the control column at that point...

Alex Blair (RIP) · #9 30-12-06, 14:54

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
If I were in that cockpit, I know damned well I wouldn't be able to resist just pulling back on the control column at that point...

Maybe your daddy could have done that but you get your feet back on the ground where they belong..
Ya might have got her off the ground but then what..??

But I know the feeling...

What a beautiful sight..

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #10 30-12-06, 15:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex Blair
Maybe your daddy could have done that but you get your feet back on the ground where they belong..
Ya might have got her off the ground but then what..??

But I know the feeling...

What a beautiful sight..

Oh bugger off... FYI, I've had a little stick-time, so there!

Alex Blair (RIP) · #11 30-12-06, 15:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Oh bugger off... FYI, I've had a little stick-time, so there!

Ya....But flying through the air at the mess on Friday night dosen't count....

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #12 30-12-06, 15:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex Blair
Ya....But flying through the air at the mess on Friday night dosen't count....

Damn, I just shat m'self....

Jordan Baker · #13 30-12-06, 16:56

I tried the same Lat/Long on Google Earth and the picture came up. Here it is

Excellent find.

#14 30-12-06, 19:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Kelly
Here is the chicken farm Lanc doing it's stuff . Wouldn't it be tempting to just open the throttles up and let her go .....

Mike

Yes it would. . . . . . . . . . . .
Here's a bit about it:
http://freespace.virgin.net/nick.tasker/lancs1b.htm

And a night run piccy I've lifted from elsewhere; I reckon from the colour of the exhaust flame they have the carbs just about spot-on.

R.

Jon Skagfeld · #15 30-12-06, 19:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex Blair
Ya....But flying through the air at the mess on Friday night dosen't count....

Sunray's "flying through the air at the mess on Friday night" involved the game of "Grease the Gun".

Anyone remember that one?

More particularly suited to Highland units, though.

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #16 30-12-06, 20:07

I sure as hell don't remember THAT one, Jon...

Oblige us, please...

BTW, might be getting together with Dentay, Bundy and Edwards next weekend for a spot of getting up to no-good, ie shooting things and blowing stuff up. It could get interesting...

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #17 30-12-06, 20:11

That night piccy is GORGEOUS...

Col Tigwell · #18 30-12-06, 23:41

The problem with the "Chicken Farmers" Lanc, is the main spar.

The replacement as such is no little job. Even a bigger problem will be the replacement spar. BA were lucky with the other UK Lanc, they found a main spar off another later type airplane, that was basically a blank, and were able to machine to the Lanc's specs.

One has dip ones lid to the "Chicken Farmers" have spent a lot of time and money, to get her to taxi stage.

Much help from ex RAF types, who just never seem to loose their skills.

The advantage the RAF has, it that it does not have the help and advice of the CAA, to keep theirs in the air.

Big money, I suspect much time and many frustrations to get this ex French naval aircraft back into the air.

Regards

Col

Tony Smith · #19 27-01-07, 14:39

You could find many interesting things using Google Earth, but some will be just a little harder to find:

Quote:

Google blots out British bases
Jan. 20, 2007 at 12:41PM

British military bases in Iraq are no longer visible using the Google
Earth Web site.

Google "blotted" out the bases at the request of the British
government, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The newspaper said a search of Google Earth also showed that
other sensitive military installations, including Trident nuclear
submarine pens in Scotland and an eavesdropping facility in
Cheltenham had also been obscured.
British military personnel had been shocked by the detail
visible on the Web site, with pictures showing vulnerable base
locations, The Daily Telegraph said.

A Google spokesman told The Daily Telegraph the company had
spoken to the British government, "but we will not go into the
details of those conversations. "
"Google gets information from third-party providers so all the
pictures are publicly available," he said.
An Iraqi insurgent arrested by British troops was found with a
Google Earth map of the Shatt Al Arab base, The Daily Telegraph
reported earlier this month.
"This is evidence as far as we are concerned for planning
terrorist attacks," an intelligence officer told the newspaper. "Who
would otherwise have Google Earth imagery of one of our bases?"

Copyright 2007 United Press International

Kuno · #20 07-02-07, 15:37

Ok; the flying Lancaster is something else - but here is another one:

Boeing B-17 "Sally B"

52°05'32,22''/E0°07'44,52''

Kuno · #21 07-02-07, 15:45

Super-Constellations ?

N32°24'43.27"/W111°13'26,6''

Kuno · #22 07-02-07, 15:58

These are newer models - but some "strange" ones are there as well...

N32°10'00,38''/W110°50'20,07''

Jon Skagfeld · #23 08-02-07, 02:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
I sure as hell don't remember THAT one, Jon... Oblige us, please...

BTW, might be getting together with Dentay, Bundy and Edwards next weekend for a spot of getting up to no-good, ie shooting things and blowing stuff up. It could get interesting...

Howinhell did I miss this one?

What date is this?

How did it go?

Phil Waterman · #24 09-02-07, 00:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Tony Smith
You could find many interesting things using Google Earth, but some will be just a little harder to find:

I grew up in Washington, DC and knew many of the military bases in that area, some of them rather sensitive it is interesting to note which ones are blurred and which ones have lots of empty tarmac or lots of empty docks, like someone knew when the picture was going to be taken. It is also clear that in some of them certain section were taken at a different time than what surrounds them.