# Greetings



## Don13 (Oct 4, 2009)

Just a quick note to introduce myself and also to put in a rather unusal request.

While I have an interest in aircraft in general (I am a former General Aviation pilot), my main areas of interest are WWII RAF Bomber Command and mysteries of the air (I do paranormal investigations on the side). My uncle was navigator on 617 Sqd. Lancaster AJ-B ED864 on the Dams Raid - unfortunately, they were lost on the way in with all 7 crew members killed.

My request has to do with an incident which apparently took place in Nova Scotia during WWII. The story goes as follows:

In March, 1943, a Lockheed Hudson on a U-Boat patrol off Nova Scotia encountered engine trouble on the way home and was forced to make a wheels-down landing on the ice of Gaspereau Lake, about 50 miles NW of Halifax. No one was injured, but after repairs were made to the engine, vibration from the engine test run caused the ice to crack, and the aircraft began to sink. There is no recorded fuselage number, but a radio operator noted in his log book that a Hudson had force-landed on a Nova Scotia lake. 
Now, this is where things get a little wierd. 
Gaspereau Lake is bog fed, and as such, the waters are brown and murky. The incident apparently vanished from memory until 1998, when an extended dry period lowered the waters sufficiently for a passing search and rescue crew to observe the image of an aircraft in the dark and murky waters. The location was recorded by Sgt. Jean Roy and M/Cpl Darrell Cronin who reported seeing two vertical stabilizers and a gun turret on the upper fuselage. Unfortunately, before they could record their sighting on a map, Sgt. Roy, M/Cpl Cronin and four other crew members were killed in the crash of their Labrador helicopter in Quebec soon after.
Apparently, in 2000, underwater video footage was taken of an aircraft identified as either a Hudson or a Ventura, but since then, any and all follow-up investigations have been plagued with both technical and natural obsticles i.e high water, equipment malfunctions, unstable boulders falling amongst the divers, etc.
The divers that did manage to get down found nothing that resembled a Hudson, although two civilian Cessnas and a tractor were eventually recovered from the lake.
This has led investigators to question as to whether the Hudson rests in a deep hole that side-scan sonar has been unable to penetrate, are large rocks blocking or reflecting signals, or has the aircraft been covered with silt.
I have been attempting to locate the 2000 video footage, but so far have drawn a blank. 
If anyone here on the forum has heard about this, or has anything to add to it or any theories, I surely would appreciate hearing from them.

Don


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 4, 2009)

Hi Don, welcome aboard. I've never heard the story, but if you can find the video, please post.


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## Gnomey (Oct 4, 2009)

Welcome Don.


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## Don13 (Oct 4, 2009)

Thanks for the welcome, guys. If I can ever come up with a copy of that video, I'll definitely post it.
In the meantime, if anyone on the forum is interested in aerial hauntings, it would be worthwhile to pick up Martin Caidin's book "Ghosts of the Air". It was published in 1996 by Glade Press, Inc. of St. Paul, MN, and should still be available from Amazon. It is a truly amazing book, and all the stories recounted in it are true as Caidin is a professional pilot and prolific writer not given to flights of fancy.
Strange happenings in the air are not as unusual as some might think - I personally experienced such an incident when I was completing my cross country flight to qualify for my pilot's license back in 1978. Fortunately, things turned out okay, but it was a bit hairy for awhile.

Don


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Oct 4, 2009)

Welcome Don.


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## Don13 (Oct 4, 2009)

Thanks, Aaron.

Don


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## wheelsup_cavu (Oct 4, 2009)

Welcome to the forum Don. 8)
Sorry I can't help.


Wheels


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## Airframes (Oct 5, 2009)

Hi Don, and welcome from England. Interesting stuff, and I hope you find the information and video.


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## Vic Balshaw (Oct 5, 2009)

G'day Don greetings from 'Down Under', afraid I can't help you, but wish luck in your venture.


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## Pong (Oct 5, 2009)

Greetings from the Philippines Don and welcome aboard!


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## Wayne Little (Oct 5, 2009)

Can't help either....but welcome anyways...


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## RabidAlien (Oct 5, 2009)

Welcome aboard, and please keep us updated on your search!


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## Thorlifter (Oct 5, 2009)

Welcome to the forum


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## Njaco (Oct 5, 2009)

Welcome to the Forum!

"Ghosts of the Air" - I remember reading that!


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## diddyriddick (Oct 5, 2009)

Welcome aboard, Don. I'm afraid I can't help in your quest, but wish you luck.


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## Don13 (Oct 9, 2009)

Again, thanks for the warm words of welcome, guys. I'm afraid I'm still drawing a blank on the Hudson story. No one I have contacted whom one might think would have any info on it apparently didn't know anything about it. They have, however,expressed various degrees of interest, so I'm hoping my inquiries might jog somone's memory, or provide the incentive for someone to make further inquires. The video from the remote exploration video would be really helpful, but there again, no one seems to know anything about it. 

Cheers,

Don


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## leon (Aug 31, 2010)

in sept 2000 Atlantic sea view say they have located the ww2 Hudson bomber I have the guy phone number .It is 1-800-490-1470 or fax 1-902-538-1470.His name is don conrod. ps they took the web site down .I called him he say he is up dateing.


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## Geedee (Sep 1, 2010)

Welcome to the family Don.


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## scratch (Sep 3, 2010)

Hello to all, I'm a new member. I posted a few pics from a recent visit to the 8th Air Force Museum at Barksdale AFB in Boosier City, LA. Some are post WW2, I hope you enjoy.


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## ccheese (Sep 3, 2010)

Welcome to the forum, Don. Enjoy the place...

FYI, Martin Caidin has be known to take a few liberties while writing. His book "The Fork Tail Devil" is full of "liberties".

Charles


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## hawkeye2an (Sep 3, 2010)

Welcome aboard. No help on the Hudson but would love to see some followup. Keep us posted.


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## gordo (Jul 31, 2022)

Don13 said:


> Just a quick note to introduce myself and also to put in a rather unusal request.
> 
> While I have an interest in aircraft in general (I am a former General Aviation pilot), my main areas of interest are WWII RAF Bomber Command and mysteries of the air (I do paranormal investigations on the side). My uncle was navigator on 617 Sqd. Lancaster AJ-B ED864 on the Dams Raid - unfortunately, they were lost on the way in with all 7 crew members killed.
> 
> ...


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## SaparotRob (Jul 31, 2022)

Hey there gordo, welcome to the Forum. Just so you know this thread has been quiet for a while.


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