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Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

Article about: May turn into an interesting story... Arvo Anson bomber Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island | Perth Now

  1. #1

    Default Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    May turn into an interesting story...
    Arvo Anson bomber
    Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island | Perth Now

  2. #2

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    Interesting discovery ! However the Anson certainly wasnt a bomber. It was used in a Recon role

    Nick
    "In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem

  3. #3

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    They DID have a bomb load capacity of 163kg (360lb) but yes Nick you are correct, they were not used as such.
    BUT, we used them for reconnaissance up the East Coast and if there had been a need to drop an egg on a Jap ship, I'm sure they would have "had a go" !!!

    Dan

  4. #4

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    Quote by Danmark View Post
    They DID have a bomb load capacity of 163kg (360lb) but yes Nick you are correct, they were not used as such.
    BUT, we used them for reconnaissance up the East Coast and if there had been a need to drop an egg on a Jap ship, I'm sure they would have "had a go" !!!

    Dan
    I'm sure they would too Dan

    Nick
    "In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem

  5. #5

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    The Anson was designed as a light bomber and indeed was 'blooded' in action. The aircraft was superceeded by the Lockheed Hudson in 1939, but continued to be used for ASW duties into 1940 before being relegated to mainly training duties.

    During the retreat from Dunkirk, Ansons were used agressively to bomb German troop concentrations that threatened the evacuating troops. One of these was attacked by 10 Bf 109's, but returned it's crew safely, albeit being rather shot up, having shot down two and damaging a third confirmed.

    Also, in a pre war training cock up, an Anson mistakenly bombed the RN submarine HMS Snapper, gaining a direct hit on the sub that..........broke four light bulbs!

    I also remember hearing about a trainee solo pilot who rammed a German bomber during the blitz, killing himself and the German crew in the process, but can't be sure if he was flying an Anson or an Airspeed Oxford.

    Here's an example I have had the pleasure to climb all over for many years at RAF Cosford.

    Regards, Ned.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island,  Queensland's far north.  
    'I do not think we can hope for any better thing now.
    We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker of course, and the end cannot be far.
    It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. R. SCOTT.
    Last Entry - For God's sake look after our people.'

    In memory of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans. South Pole Expedition, 30th March 1912.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    Good old Wiki must be wrong ( not unusual), it states it was designed as a maritime recon aircraft

    'The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named after British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was soon rendered obsolete in that role. However, it was rescued from obscurity by its suitability as a multi-engine air crew trainer, becoming the mainstay of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. By the end of production in 1952, the Anson spanned nine variants and a total of 8,138 were built in Britain by Avro. From 1941, a further 2,882 were built by Canadian Federal Aircraft Ltd.'

    U Boat.net states:

    The Avro Anson earned its nickname of "Faithful Annie" by serving the RAF from 1934 to 1968. To meet the G.18/35 requirement for Coastal Command, a design team lead by Roy Chadwick adapted the Avro 652. This had been designed for Imperial Airways, as a small four-seat transport and mail aircraft. The modified aircraft was the 652A, easily recognizable because it had large square windows instead of smaller oval ones, and was fitted with a dorsal gun turret. In 1936 the type entered service with No.48 Squadron, Coastal Command, as the Anson Mk.I. Until the Hudson replaced it, Coastal Command used the Anson for maritime reconnaissance and search & rescue. However, many of the 6742 Anson Mk.Is built were used as trainers. The Anson became the standard twin-engined trainer, and its original role was forgotten. 11020 were built, in a large number of versions, but only the Mk.I was used for maritime patrol.
    "In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem

  7. #7

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    Quote by Woolgar View Post
    Good old Wiki must be wrong ( not unusual), it states it was designed as a maritime recon aircraft

    'The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named after British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was soon rendered obsolete in that role. However, it was rescued from obscurity by its suitability as a multi-engine air crew trainer, becoming the mainstay of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. By the end of production in 1952, the Anson spanned nine variants and a total of 8,138 were built in Britain by Avro. From 1941, a further 2,882 were built by Canadian Federal Aircraft Ltd.'

    U Boat.net states:

    The Avro Anson earned its nickname of "Faithful Annie" by serving the RAF from 1934 to 1968. To meet the G.18/35 requirement for Coastal Command, a design team lead by Roy Chadwick adapted the Avro 652. This had been designed for Imperial Airways, as a small four-seat transport and mail aircraft. The modified aircraft was the 652A, easily recognizable because it had large square windows instead of smaller oval ones, and was fitted with a dorsal gun turret. In 1936 the type entered service with No.48 Squadron, Coastal Command, as the Anson Mk.I. Until the Hudson replaced it, Coastal Command used the Anson for maritime reconnaissance and search & rescue. However, many of the 6742 Anson Mk.Is built were used as trainers. The Anson became the standard twin-engined trainer, and its original role was forgotten. 11020 were built, in a large number of versions, but only the Mk.I was used for maritime patrol.
    Hi Nick,

    Wiki's not wrong, I'm just off with the statement it was designed as a light bomber! It was of course used for maritime recon and anti submarine patrols. At the start of the war in 1939, the Anson was equipped with the 100lb anti submarine bomb. This proved inadequate in action, indeed, only 4 days into the war a 233 Sqn Anson was destroyed by it's own bomb skipping off the water and detonating under the aircraft during a presumed strike on a U-boat. However, an Anson from 500 Sqn successfully destroyed two He 115 floatplanes on an ASR mission during the BoB using both them and machine gun fire.

    Regards, Ned.
    'I do not think we can hope for any better thing now.
    We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker of course, and the end cannot be far.
    It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. R. SCOTT.
    Last Entry - For God's sake look after our people.'

    In memory of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans. South Pole Expedition, 30th March 1912.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    Thanks Ned A great aircraft and I enjoyed making my Airfix Anson when I was a kid

    Nick
    "In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard." - SS Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm Bittrich - Arnhem

  9. #9

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    The almost complete lack of anything remotely resembling modern combat aircraft in Australia at the outbreak of war in Sept 1939 meant that the Avro Anson was the only type available for maritime recce and ASW work-the 'fighter' force consisted of Hawker Demon 2 seater biplanes, a handful of Bristol Bulldogs and (I kid you not) a fighter variant of the antique Westland Wapiti army co op type-plans were in place to make the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber (750 eventually built locally) and the squadron that was in the UK to pick up Short Sunderland flying boats stayed there for the rest of WW2 as part of Coastal Command.

  10. #10
    ?

    Default Re: Suspected WW2 bomber found underwater off Magnetic Island, Queensland's far north.

    It's not an Anson - wrong prop + engine does not look right proportions for a Cheetah - Yes late Ansons had a variable pitch prop but with wooden blades not metal - the earlier metal ones were one-piece fixed pitch - this looks possibly American to me and 1930s? but not anything I'm familiar with.

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