Just a Lancaster Lad at Heart!

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  • geneandbolly
    S2Forum Extremist
    • Sep 2013
    • 1356
    • Country: Scotland

    #1

    Just a Lancaster Lad at Heart!

    here's few shots of my friend, Bill Gorman, a former Lancaster pilot with 101 squadron, bomber command, whose wish came true today when we visited the Scottish Air Show and Bill was granted access to the Canadian Lanc.

    A tremendous bunch of folk were responsible for making this happen, not least John Bisset who we met in the crowd who told us of his son's arrival in the British Lancaster and text to let him know that there was an old comrade waiting to speak to him.

    It was like being out with a Hollywood superstar - special access to all areas included - people were stopping us in our tracks to say hello and exchange tales - fabulous.

    Anyway, take it away, auld yin . . .



















    ...not bad day out for a 91 year old.



    Last edited by geneandbolly; 7 September 2014, 19:24.
    1997 Audi S6 - The Purple Helmet!
  • Vorsprung durch Technik
    S2Forum Freak
    • Jun 2007
    • 4754
    • Country: United Kingdom

    #2
    Excellent post Craig and a lovely story and one close to my heart mate. My step grandad who passed away in 1989 (lovely man), real grandad killed in North Africa 1943 fighting Rommel used to load up 1000lb bombs in the belly of that magnificent machine.My Nan is 93 and used to make the gyroscopes on the bomb aiming devices for the bombers.Going to see her in North Wales this week.Great post mate!!!!! You lucky sod i suppose you took the pictures yeah?Wish i was there!!!
    Last edited by Vorsprung durch Technik; 7 September 2014, 18:33.
    96 URS6 plus speck saloon
    96 URS6 plus speck estate
    94 2.6 80 Avant
    99 2.8 final edition Cabriolet

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    • Christophski
      S2Forum Possessed
      • Mar 2009
      • 3632
      • Country: United Kingdom

      #3
      Wow you got that close to it all? Lucky lucky guy! I love old war planes!!!

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      • johne
        S2Forum Extremist
        • Apr 2007
        • 1406
        • Country: United Kingdom

        #4
        A wonderful story and thanks for posting it. It's great that the Canadians have got their Lancaster flying and we're being treated to two at once.

        Did he manage to get over the wing and make it up to the cockpit - I hope so?

        John

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        • rj scotty
          S2Forum Fiend
          • May 2006
          • 2195
          • Home: United Kingdom Current: England

          #5
          Fantastic story, Fantastic plane and four of one of the greatest engines ever made.
          Massive respect to your friend Bill
          sigpic
          "For what you spent on that you could have brought a new car"
          BUT I DON'T WANT A NEW CAR!

          1995 S2 Avant, Volcano Black
          1982 VW Golf Mk1, primer yellow, will be finished one day, maybe.
          2003 VW T4 long nose X pack, (has become project)

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          • newsh
            S2Forum Obsessed
            • Aug 2003
            • 16226
            • Country: United Kingdom

            #6
            Great stuff, we saw a Lanc at Shoreham Air Show the other day, was it the same one? http://www.shorehamairshow.co.uk/whatson/aircraft.html


            BTW my mum worked at Hughes, making the instruments.

            S2 Coupe 3B Project


            Ur quattro restoration

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            Boost is the new rock and roll!
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            • Kieron20V
              S2Forum Extremist
              • Mar 2008
              • 1505
              • Home: England Current: United Kingdom

              #7
              Originally posted by newsh
              Great stuff, we saw a Lanc at Shoreham Air Show the other day, was it the same one? http://www.shorehamairshow.co.uk/whatson/aircraft.html


              BTW my mum worked at Hughes, making the instruments.
              Not the same one unfortunately, there's only 2 in the world currently airworthy, a British one and a Canadian one. Both were supposed to be at shoreham but the Canadian spat a load of its oil out of one of the merlins grounding it.
              1994 URS4 Avant RS2+

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              • newsh
                S2Forum Obsessed
                • Aug 2003
                • 16226
                • Country: United Kingdom

                #8
                Just a Lancaster Lad at Heart!

                Well It was fantastic to see it flying

                S2 Coupe 3B Project


                Ur quattro restoration

                S2 Avant

                Boost is the new rock and roll!
                sigpic

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                • S2central.net
                  Retired OG Mod
                  • Jul 2003
                  • 16590
                  • Country: Northern Ireland

                  #9
                  Tremendous post... Great story and a fabulous aircraft. I was hoping to see them both at the Portrush show on Saturday past, but apparently bad weather over the Pennines prevented them from our direction. Anyway - really fab story about one old boy having a fantastic day out... It inspired me to a 1st post in absolute ages so that is something !!!
                  Paul Nugent
                  Webmaster http://S2central.net
                  Administrator http://S2forum.com

                  1994 S2 Coupe ABY - aka Project Lazarus
                  2001 A6 allroad 2.5TDi - family tank
                  2003 S4 Avant 4.2 V8 - daily burble

                  Purveyor of HomeFries and Exclusive agent for Samco hose kits (S2/RS2)

                  There are only 10 kinds of people that understand binary - those that do, and those that don't

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                  • gib
                    S2Forum Buff
                    • Jul 2006
                    • 42
                    • Home: Wales Current: United Kingdom

                    #10
                    Attached are a couple of photos from my Brother. Stan was his technician from the early 90’s to 05ish (Brother is a DT teacher) but earlier in life Stan was in Lanc’s during the war.
                    They went on spec when they were doing the initial testing at the start of August. Some one found out Stan was watching from the parameter road and an MP jeep came out, found them and escorted them in to talk to the crew and have a look around. If you google Stan Instone he’s a good read, I have known Stan for over 15 years and he is very quiet, genuine and an all round good bloke and some one my brother has been very proud to have worked with.


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                    • geneandbolly
                      S2Forum Extremist
                      • Sep 2013
                      • 1356
                      • Country: Scotland

                      #11
                      Originally posted by S2central.net
                      Tremendous post... Great story and a fabulous aircraft. I was hoping to see them both at the Portrush show on Saturday past, but apparently bad weather over the Pennines prevented them from our direction. Anyway - really fab story about one old boy having a fantastic day out... It inspired me to a 1st post in absolute ages so that is something !!!
                      i hate to tell you but they did a fly by over portrush the very next day! they left prestwick and flew to norn irn around 1240hrs and then back over PIK again around an hour later . . .
                      1997 Audi S6 - The Purple Helmet!

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                      • S2central.net
                        Retired OG Mod
                        • Jul 2003
                        • 16590
                        • Country: Northern Ireland

                        #12
                        Yeah - I know about that - but I just couldn't make the 2nd trip up there - major bummer. Will have to catch them another time I suppose.
                        Paul Nugent
                        Webmaster http://S2central.net
                        Administrator http://S2forum.com

                        1994 S2 Coupe ABY - aka Project Lazarus
                        2001 A6 allroad 2.5TDi - family tank
                        2003 S4 Avant 4.2 V8 - daily burble

                        Purveyor of HomeFries and Exclusive agent for Samco hose kits (S2/RS2)

                        There are only 10 kinds of people that understand binary - those that do, and those that don't

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                        • jameswkr
                          S2Forum Maniac
                          • Jul 2003
                          • 538
                          • Country: United Kingdom

                          #13
                          Total respect. I do Duxford about every 5 years; last time there were 21 spitfires up. Last year, on the day of the dams raid anniversary - there was a hell of a noise above our house and " City of Lincoln " flew over ( to Brooklands which is just up the road ). Not 10 minutes later she came back over on the opposite compass heading and faded away to the west....even neighbours who are not warbird fanatics said they were deeply mooved..Sad that only 2 are airworthy out of the 7,374 Lancasters built. Good to see you out and about again Paul.....

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                          • Tonybolony
                            S2Forum Maniac
                            • Dec 2011
                            • 636
                            • Country: Wales

                            #14
                            As other lads have replied- the only word for the Man and the Machine= Respect!

                            Maybe 25 years ago, we took my 2 lads to see the BBMF (at Coningsby??) and had a great day listening to one of the old boys giving us the tour of the hangar with City of Lincoln inside. My youngest was a tad bored and just 'momentarily' wandered off (maybe 5 or 6 at the time??) a few feet away from us. He found what i'll assume was a 1/2" vertical air condensate drain line on the wall with a (ball fix?) valve (one with a long lever that turns 90deg to fully open) that was about head height for him, and the compressor was running.

                            Yep- you guessed it

                            He didn't move an inch from the Mrs' side for the rest of the day (and just for the record, he wasn't the only one who sh*t himself)

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