But unlike the B17 Bomber Gas Station in Milwaukie Oregon, the one in Canada didn't last long, as the plane was quickly desired for fire fighting, and after they fixed it up, and were taxing to take off, a fire broke out in the nose, and that was the end of that. It was scrapped.
In 1947, the Canadian Government decided to sell a number of Lancasters. The RCAF struck KB885 off inventory and sold it to Charlie Parker of Red Deer, Alberta for $275.00.
Charlie saw his new Lancaster as a potential magnet to draw customers to his service station
He began to tow his new bomber from the base on country roads and across farm fields.
For a time it was bogged down in wet ground but finally, after the ground froze, it completed its trip to Charlie's gas station that he named, "Bomber Service."
Health reasons forced Charlie Parker to sell "Bomber Service" in 1954.
Two years later, the business was purchased by Walter Mielke who was approached by Troutdale Airmotive Company of Oregon, who offered to purchase the Lancaster for $6000 and convert it into a fire-fighting water bomber.
The offer was accepted on the condition that the Lancaster was also replaced with a surplus P-40 Kittyhawk and it was moved to "Bomber Service".
In the fall of 1956 two air force mechanics from assisted with prepping the Lancaster for flight. New Rolls-Royce Merlin engines were fitted and run-up, the elevators, ailerons, and rudders, were refurbished, new tires were installed, and a makeshift runway was bulldozed in a nearby field.
As the big moment arrived in January, 1957, pilot-mechanic E. Robinson taxied the Lancaster through the snow to her new runway. Just before take-off hydraulic problems developed and while Robinson worked on the hydraulic system a fire ignited in the interior of the nose section. Before it was extinguished the complete nose section burned off and fell to the snow. The once proud bomber was towed back to the service station and later sold for scrap.
http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/lanckb885.html
http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/455/Last-Call-for-Lancasters.aspx
and according to this book:
the other bomber gas station that I mentioned, in Oregon, the B-17 is getting restored
https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-love-b-17-bomber-story-here-is-good.html
This is Aug. 14, 2021. My family lived in Red Deer, Alberta, in 1949 and 1950. I recall, as a small boy ( 3-5 years old )
ReplyDeletevisiting Bomber Service Station south of Red Deer. I remember one time my mother and a few other ladies
visiting Mrs. Charlie Parker for some reason. There was a young woman, I believe her daughter, trying on
some type of clothing ( maybe she was getting married ). I recall a road, near the service station, that went downhill.
downhill.