Wellington Bomber

Date Added: 14 March 2007 Contributor: Heritage North Year of Photo: 1982 Picture No: 105

Wellington Bomber recovered from Loch Ness.

Please see the large number of comments below and within them the link to the Brooklands Museum and the restored VICKERS WELLINGTON MK1A now located there.

https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/explore/heritage-and-collection/our-collection/vickers-wellington-mk1a

Groups: Miscellaneous

26 Comments

this plane was taken to Duxford Air Museum and was restored. When on holiday in Ipswich in 1993 or 94 (I think!) we went for a day at Duxford and un be known to us that day the bomber took it maiden flight after refurbishment. What was ironic though was that the day the plane was lifted from Loch Ness, my nephew was in the car in the queue whilst they lifted the plane and ... yes you have guessed it - he was on holiday with us the day the plane took its maiden flight after refurbishment - we didnt know that the plane would fly that day or indeed they even took it to Duxford.
Made our day in Duxford much more special!! Comment left on 21 September 2007 at 13:22 by Hazel Bryson

The steel frame used to lift the plane was built over night by the late Bill Lynas and Cromarty Firth engineering of Evanton Ross-Shire.

Cromarty Firth normaly associated with the oil business came to the rescue after a last minute phone call, since the original rig failed. That was typical of Bill "Aye na problem" Comment left on 23 July 2008 at 17:47 by Paul Lynas

This is a fantastic picture and I do remember watching this being pulled from the loch on T.V. Is there anything on video or DVD to do with this Bomber in the Loch? Comment left on 14 November 2009 at 23:38 by Dean

Quite right Dean, I remember seeing a programme on BBC2, but can't find a link or anything on Youtube, might be worth an email to the BeeB Comment left on 18 November 2009 at 15:34 by Paul Lynas

I was there that day (part of the frame building team) and have some photos if anyone is interested Comment left on 24 January 2010 at 09:04 by David

Hi Paul Lynas! Not long after i posted this message about not seeing the plane on film or anything i was contacted by a nice man called George who informed me that he caught this on tape years ago and offered to do me a copy, it might be worthwhile emailing him if you`re interested, i`ll find his email for you if you reply, cheers Dean Comment left on 24 January 2010 at 18:44 by Dean

Found this link on the Courier website. The link may need tweaking.
www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/11239/Saved_from_watery_grave, _plane_deserves_place_in_history.html Comment left on 25 January 2010 at 23:09 by Gordon

Nice piece Gordon, thanks to Dean and David
Is strange my dad was instrumental in the recovery of the Wellington and my partner's dad used to fly wellingtons and after the war was a captain for BOAC and BEA then was a trainer for BA before dieing of cancer
his name was Alfie Plastow Comment left on 26 January 2010 at 01:17 by Paul Lynas

My uncle Wesley Harrison checked out the armourments and linked the nav lights to a battery and they still worked . Would love to get a copy of film as he has sadly passed away . Comment left on 19 May 2010 at 22:15 by BABS WILLIAMSON

Many Thanks to George, a very nice man that was kind enough to do me a copy of this program on DVD of superb quality, the program answered all my questions, Thanks George and please get in touch as I`ve lost your email address. Dean Comment left on 20 August 2010 at 23:25 by Dean

Just some info i contacted the BBC and they have this item in their film archive - as i had a family member i was able to justify this under the contributor clause . A copy is £105 for a dvd copy. It is not available as a commercial dvd . Comment left on 21 August 2010 at 11:04 by Babs

The photo is fantastic. I have just watched a program about the Wellington and it mentioned the Loch Ness Wellington. My Grandad (Frank Hack) worked on the recovery and somewhere I have a t-shirt he brought me. I am not sure in what capacity he was involved, but he was a welder. He has sadly passed away now so if anyone does have a copy of the TV programme or photos I would be very grateful for a copy. Comment left on 18 September 2010 at 23:15 by Julie

I was on a project team working testing a british built ROV in loch ness in the early 80s we did several dives on the aircraft recording the video from the cameras. The condition of the aricraft was very good the control surfaces moved
when the control lines where pulled. The air craft was recoverd about 18 months later.Looking at the picture the aircraft back broken i belive this was caused by the first metal recovery frame. Comment left on 14 December 2010 at 17:55 by Ken

My son is desperate for a copy of the BBC 2 documentary programme of the Wellington Bomber being recovered from Loch Ness in the early 1980s. We had a copy on video, but it was recently thrown away, so I am in real trouble. Please contact me if anyone can help. Comment left on 06 January 2011 at 22:34 by Angela Hunter

Just to add to what my mum has kindly written the previous post, I think the the Wellington program was called "One of our bombers is no longer missing" and I think it was aired at Christmas in 1986 or 87 and also had a program called "The Watch Tower" which was aired directly after. I would really like to get hold of both these programs, if anyone has them I would be most grateful to get hold of a copy following my copies altercation with the bin. Comment left on 07 January 2011 at 14:19 by Gareth Hunter

The aircraft you see being lifted from Loch Ness was never at Duxford and has not flown since recovery. It is at Brooklands Museum, where it was built in 1939. I do not know of any airworthy Wellington Bombers as only two are known to exist worldwide the other being at RAF Museum Hendon Comment left on 24 March 2011 at 09:03 by Peter

Hi! A Wellington Bomber has recently been transported to Cosford Aerospace museum where it is undergoing extensive restoration work. I went to look at it last weekend, 19/3/2011, but missed the showing as it was early in the morning and not normally open to public viewing. I believe the next viewing is in November sometime so it may be worth while looking into. I don`t think it is the actual Loch ness Wellington R for ROBERT but it is a Wellington Bomber just the same. Thankyou Deano Comment left on 24 March 2011 at 17:58 by DEANO

Hello. Please can anybody help? I was the diver with Oceaneering during the recovery of the Wellington Bomber in 1985. We were there for a total of 22 days. Can anyone advise where I can get a copy of the documentary broadcast called "One of our Bombers is no longer missing" aired in Dec '85. It would be great to hear from others who were also involved in the recovery. Any information regarding the broadcast would be greatly recieved so many thanks in advance. Comment left on 06 September 2011 at 01:14 by David Sinclair

The Wellington Bomber transported to Cosford is in fact the Hendon Museum Wellington "On 1 July 2010 Vickers Wellington MF628 moved from the Royal Air Force Museum’s London site at Hendon, to the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre (MBCC) at Cosford for an extensive restoration programme."

There are, I am afraid, still only two Wellington bombers in existence. Comment left on 06 September 2011 at 13:26 by Peter

My father Terry Walker also worked on the recovery and was working for Gas services/Oceaneering at the time. He was an ex-commercial diver who Invented the Hyball R.O.V.
If anyone new him or has any photos or vid, please contact me. Anwen Comment left on 26 September 2011 at 08:04 by Anwen Walker

There were 3 members of the Hancocks family who assisted in the recovery of R for Robert from Loch Ness! Peter and Dorothy Hancocks and their Grandson John Hancocks who was only 12 years old at the time. We have many pictures taken from the Boat "The Workhorse" and of the actual recovery. This aircraft was transported from Loch Ness to the Weybridge museum wear it is being restored Comment left on 02 December 2011 at 19:38 by Hank Hancocks

While watching "War Digs with Harry Harris" i remembered about the Loch Ness wellington. If memory serves correctly as well as the Navigation lights flickering on, the tyres were still inflated after all those years. Comment left on 10 June 2012 at 20:59 by Gary Ruggins

R for Robert is HERE...

www.brooklandsmuseum.com/index.php?/explore/vickers-290-wellington-1a-n2980-1939/ Comment left on 21 June 2012 at 16:11 by Suzi

Suzi wrote:
"R for Robert is HERE...

www.brooklandsmuseum.com/index.php?/explore/vickers-290-wellington-1a-n2980-1939/"

Indeed she is! And I will spend the day looking after her tomorrow, just as I did last Friday and as I will again next Friday, and the Friday after and the Friday after etc. etc.

I'm a volunteer at Brooklands Museum and I spend my day looking after the exhibits in a 1940 built Hangar where R for Robert is on display.

It's such a Hard Life ;-) Comment left on 21 June 2012 at 22:15 by Peter

A number of you have asked about the BBC programme aired in 1985 "One of Our Bombers is no Longer Missing". A copy has now been posted to YouTube . . . . .

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jR_eXWjv6c

Happy viewing

PS I am still looking after R for Robert every Friday :-) Comment left on 16 November 2012 at 00:58 by Peter

Peter,
Thank you so much for posting this. My children have seen their Great-Grandad for the first time, as he passed away before they were born. It was so good to see it. They now want to come down and see the plane, so a trip will be planned for next year. Thank you, Julie Comment left on 24 November 2012 at 10:17 by Julie

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