CWH Lanc damage

[pbfoot]

The CWH Lanc had a slight problem today with about 6ft of wing damaged in flight (unofficial web news) I'm not sure what happened but the link provided shows the best pic I can find
http://www.chch.com/index.php/home/item/7795-lanc-damaged-probe-underway

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

It looks like it folded up on itself doesn't it. Very glad they got it back down without incident to. It'll be interesting to know what happened Neil. Please keep us posted.

 

[GregP]

Maybe too tight a formation?

 

[Crimea_River]

Not good.

 

[Airframes]

Let's hope it's just the tip section, at the joint, and not effecting the main spar. Tip damage was not unknown in WW2, after high 'g' manouvres, such as 'cork screw', when the tip section bolts sheared.
Hope it can be repaired, checked, and cleared for flight for the display season.

 

[Crimea_River]

My hope too Terry. This is the Queen of the CWH and their 40th anniversary show is in June.

 

[Airframes]

And only one of two still flying - at the moment (The East Kirkby Lanc is hoping to be airworthy soon), so I really hope it is nothing serious, especially for you guys across the pond. Can't have B-17s taking all the glory, just not cricket don't you know !

 

[Gnomey]

At least she got down safely. Hopefully it can be repaired in time for the air show season.

 

[pbfoot]

said their optimistic she'll up for the airshow

 

[Crimea_River]

Not surprised they'd say that.

 

[pbfoot]

Not surprised they'd say that.

why's that its noy like they are lacking the skills to fabricate , look at the Bolingbroke , Lysander and I'm sure the other resto guys around will be willing , I'm thinking of Vintage Wings , Canadian Harvard guys , probably even the RCAF school for airframes would look at it like a good training excercise and they are within 100km

 

[Crimea_River]

Well, what might 20,000+ potential airshow patrons think if they said "We're not optimistic that it will be flying in June"?

 

[pbfoot]

Well, what might 20,000+ potential airshow patrons think if they said "We're not optimistic that it will be flying in June"?

Familiarity breeds contempt I've seen the Lanc and with no exageration 100's of times , the things I want to see are the Swordfish and a formation of Lysanders I'm actually looking forward more to Geneseo the best airshow I know of .

 

[MikeGazdik]

Hope its no big deal. I got to go through that airplane. Wonderful bird!

 

[evangilder]

It doesn't look too bad. Thankfully, the plane is in one piece and the crew is safe.

 

[pbfoot]

TheSpec - Bomber should be back in the air by June
video and desription of damage

 

[barney]

So......were the wing tips designed to fold?

 

[pbfoot]

A little update from the hamilton Spectator:

Engineers probe Lancaster wing tip


Cause of Tuesday's bracket failure still unknown

By Mark Newman, News Staff

It will likely be a few more days before officials at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum know what caused the lower bracket on the right wing tip of the Avro Lancaster to come loose.

The bracket malfunctioned around noon on Tuesday causing the wing tip of the Second World War heavy bomber to point up while the aircraft was in the sky near Dunnville on its first training flight of the season.

The crew notified the control tower at the John C. Munro-Hamilton International Airport that they had an emergency and brought the aircraft back safely.

Museum chief executive officer Dave Rohrer said the Transportation Safety Board has given them permission to do their own inspection and CWH engineers have removed the wing tip just past the aileron.

"The main thrust of the next couple of days is to try and determine the mode of failure of the lower attachment bracket," Rohrer said. "Once we've got that figured out, we'll know how to address the repair scheme and how to come up with a new inspection criteria which will prevent occurrence."

Some metal testing may be required.

The upper bracket was also damaged.

Rohrer said he expects a safety board inspector will visit the museum in the next few days to look over the wing tip that has been set aside in a secure area.

The federal organization has also offered its lab services in Ottawa if needed, Rohrer said.

What ever repairs, maintenance and inspection that is determined for the right wing tip, the same will also be done on the tip of the Lanc's left wing, Rohrer said.

He noted the wing tips are not designed for regular inspection and they may install access panels that will enable engineers to look inside them as part of new inspection criteria.

While they will be able to reattach the wing tip, Rohrer said the museum will scout around for new upper and lower brackets or have some made.

He wants the Lancaster repaired and back in the sky by the time the Hamilton Air Show rolls around on Father's Day weekend in June.

"This is the Queen of the fleet," said Rohrer, who is optimistic the Lanc will fly June 16 and 17 in celebration of the museum's 40th anniversary. "It will be a priority to get it disassembled and get the repair scheme going."

Rohrer noted that the Lancaster was in very capable hands on Tuesday.

Don Schofield was at the controls.

He's a retired Air Canada pilot with than 26,000 hours of flying time, including about 800 on the Lanc, the most of any active Lancaster pilot.

He is also the museum's chief training pilot on the Lancaster.

The CWH aircraft is the only flying Lancaster in North America.

It returned to the sky in 1988 after more than 10 years of restoration.

 

[Gnomey]

Good to hear they are optimistic about her chances of flying before the summer. Hopefully the failure was just one of those things.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks for the update Neil. Sounds like it's in good hands.