Flying Boats on Windermere

[Hugh Foulis]

There was an article on the local news tonight about a company looking to start a flying boat service to Windermere.
It was illustrated by film of a Sunderland landing on in 1990, brought a tear to my eye just watching. Friends of the lake district were opposed to the idea, of course. Something about a flying boat exceeding the 10mph speed limit in order to take off.
Will they only be satisfied when visitors stop coming, all the offcomers leave and the tourist economy collapses?
HF

 

[tangofour]

How they are going to get around the speed limits without operating lighter than air aircraft beats the hell out of me /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Goldie]

Flying Boats or Seaplanes? If the former I'd be interested to know what they hope to use.

 

[Lakesailor]

It's a sprat to catch a mackerel. Tim Berry of Low-Wood Hotel, who has been very hard hit by the speed limit, is supporting it because he knows the speed limit would have to be lifted to allow sea-plane flights. It's also just a bit of kite-flying as there isn't the faintest chance it will be allowed.
Landing of sea-planes has all been covered in the Windermere regulations for years.

Sea Plane Plan

 

[arto]

Sunderland? Really? I thought they were all scrapped after the war. It would be wonderful if there are some left.

 

[Lakesailor]

I took a piccy of the last flying Sunderland on Windermere in 1990 or whenever it was. I'll dig it out and scan it. (What am I saying?)

 

[jax]

I think there is a Sunderland at Duxford Air Museum. Doubt if it still can fly (or even float!) though.

 

[Goldie]

The only airworthy one left (assuming it is still airworthy) was sold to the USA from UK in the early nineties or thereabouts. I think it's now in Florida. I remember seeing it on a morring off Calshot doing engine runs, lovely sound..... To be strictly correct it was not a Sunderland but a Sandringham V. Now where's that anorak..... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[ms1]

There's a Sunderland at RAF Museum Hendon

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Aviation museum in ScumCit has one, or did last time I went. Civvy airliner conversion so not a "real" one.

 

[burgundyben]

I'm not sure where you are refferring to.

The solent Sky Museum in Southampton has a Sandringham as well as a number of other interesting aircraft.

 

[SteveA]

The local rag has it that a company called AirSea Lines is interested in using DeHavilland Twin Otter aircraft for this. Production of these was stopped in 1988 but restarted this month.

Apparently AirSea Lines currently operate nine aircraft in Europe but want to increase this to 50 and a new seaplane school, called Scotia Seaplanes, has been set up to train the pilots.

Personnally I don't give it any chance - Friends of the Lake District want to make the Lakes into some kind of museum.

 

[ValleyForge]

Well the lakes empty now so turning it into an airport shouldn't be a problem. After all, it won't impact on the 'peace & tranquility' will it ?
Greek run operation BTW.

 

[claymore]

I think they used to be based at White Cross bay didn't they?

 

[afp]

The one that landed on Windermere was the one from Calshot. I worked there at the time and we held a ballot to allow a few lucky people to fly on it on that trip - I wasn't one of the lucky ones /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.

It belonged to Ed Hulton at that time, there was a programme about it on one of the local TV stations. It spent a long time ashore at Calshot and we used to go on board every now and then to see how the restoration was getting on.

 

[ValleyForge]

Hi Claymore, Yes, there was quite a little town there during the war, mainly for rehousing bombed out workers from Shorts at Rochester. All thats left now though is a bit of the slipway - which has a surprisingly gentle slope. A lot of gardens round about the district still have a good collection of corrugated iron 'zincs' for sheds & fences as a result of the end of war demolition...
Rumours occasionally rise up re: the 'missing' planes that mysteriously disappeared at the end of the war - they couldn't fly so where can they be ? type thing.
The lake had a flight path layed out by a series of large marker buoys, & also used by catalina's etc. as a staging post on the way up to Scotland. Very few published photos of those times though.

 

[Lakesailor]

Is this the one? It was on the lake in July 1990. Straight out of a photo album

 

[ValleyForge]

Nice pics, thanks for showing us these. Peace 'n tranquility then too eh.

Elder family members still talk about these landing on the lake for repair after patrols in the Atlantic, bits shot off, holes everywhere etc. Terrific & thought provoking stuff.

 

[FAITIRA]

Nice pics Phil, thanks. Bill.

 

[Davydine]

This one do you mean?

G-BJHS as shown in Lake Sailor's photos...

http://www.fantasyofflight.com/aircraftpages/sunderland.htm

Sold to Kermitt Weeks Fantasy of Flight in the 90's....