Atlantic Tow??

In the latest Fall edition of TO FLY, publication of the Sport Avia.
Assoc., I read a reprint of a July 1944 issue of SKYWAYS mag. about a long
tow! Across the Atlantic no less. I just can't believe it. Can somebody
help me verify it? No date of the flight was given. It was a Waco CG-4A
(named Voo-Doo) and was by the British from Montreal with one stop on the
"east coast"(?). The second leg was 28 hours with landing in "Britain". They
had a cargo load of 3000 pounds. Only pilot (Seys, RAF) and copilot (Gobeil,
RAF) aboard. Mention was made of thunder, snow and ice. Quote: "....the snow
and ice were so thick that the towplane, for the most part, was invisible.
Only fifteen feet or so of the towrope could be seen."
I have been involved in several long cross country tows, one of which
involved the towplane towing me into a cloud. I lasted about 20 seconds
before the rope broke. But that's another story.
If this story is true the details would really be interesting and my hat's
off. If it is untrue their must be some sort of story behind it of
interest.
Can anybody fill us in?
Ed Byars

This is a true story, I remember seeing a First Day
Cover commemorating it. Unfortunately I can't remember
any details.

Mark

At 15:36 06 October 2005, Ed Byars wrote:
In the latest Fall edition of TO FLY, publication of
the Sport Avia.
Assoc., I read a reprint of a July 1944 issue of SKYWAYS
mag. about a long
tow! Across the Atlantic no less. I just can't believe
it. Can somebody
help me verify it? No date of the flight was given.
It was a Waco CG-4A
(named Voo-Doo) and was by the British from Montreal
with one stop on the
'east coast'(?). The second leg was 28 hours with landing
in 'Britain'. They
had a cargo load of 3000 pounds. Only pilot (Seys,
RAF) and copilot (Gobeil,
RAF) aboard. Mention was made of thunder, snow and
ice. Quote: '....the snow
and ice were so thick that the towplane, for the most
part, was invisible.
Only fifteen feet or so of the towrope could be seen.'
I have been involved in several long cross country
tows, one of which
involved the towplane towing me into a cloud. I lasted
about 20 seconds
before the rope broke. But that's another story.
If this story is true the details would really be interesting
and my hat's
off. If it is untrue their must be some sort of story
behind it of
interest.
Can anybody fill us in?
Ed Byars

On Thu, 6 Oct 2005 15:14:32 UTC, "Ed Byars"
wrote:

In the latest Fall edition of TO FLY, publication of the Sport Avia.
Assoc., I read a reprint of a July 1944 issue of SKYWAYS mag. about a long
tow! Across the Atlantic no less. I just can't believe it. Can somebody
help me verify it? No date of the flight was given. It was a Waco CG-4A
(named Voo-Doo) and was by the British from Montreal with one stop on the
"east coast"(?). The second leg was 28 hours with landing in "Britain".

See "The Powerless Ones: Gliding in Peace and War" by Michael Cumming,
pp77 - 99. Route was Dorval - Goose Green - Bluie West One in
Greenland - Reykjavik - Prestwick, so four hops, not two. Total of
3,200 miles. Tow plane was a Dakota.

Ian

--

This was a chapter in the excellent early 1970s book "the Powerless ones"
that also recounts Wolf Klemperer's C flight of 1921, Derek Piggot's
altitude record in a T-21 and many more great stories.

Thanks for the reply. I don't have a copy of the Cumming book. Can you give
us a little more detail of the flight? Thanks
Ed Byars
"John H. Campbell" wrote in message
...
This was a chapter in the excellent early 1970s book "the Powerless ones"
that also recounts Wolf Klemperer's C flight of 1921, Derek Piggot's
altitude record in a T-21 and many more great stories.

Found a copy for sale 20 pounds British...

http://www.orangeberry.co.uk/obmilitarycat.htm

Bob

Mike Cummings account of this flight in June 1943 with
four legs is remarkable, the longest flight being seven
and three quarter hours.

However it was probably not the longest military glider
tow on record. About the same time In the preparation
for the invasion of Sicily July 1943, gliders were
ferried from UK to North Africa some by ship but others
by aerotow.

Part of the planning included endurance training, 8
hours flights on tow!

The ferry journey was some 1200 miles and the airspeed
of 150mph lead to flights of up to 10 hours. Bad weather
and attack by enemy aircraft meant that many did not
reach their destination some survived others did not.
Some pilots made several such flights.

For the interested, accounts of these flights can be
read in

The Glider Gang by Milton Dank ISBN 0-304-300144
Horsa Squadron by Will Morrison ISBN 0-7183-0684-8

Dave





At 02:18 07 October 2005, wrote:
Found a copy for sale 20 pounds British...

http://www.orangeberry.co.uk/obmilitarycat.htm

Bob

Hello All:
Try to find a copy of, "One Night in June" by Kevin Shannon & Stephen
Wright. It is "The story of Operation Tonga, the Initial Phase of the
Invasion of Normandy, 1944". It is Tonga as seen through the eyes of
the men of the Glider Regiment. A really good read, my hat is off to
these men!
Rusty

Dave Martin wrote:
Mike Cummings account of this flight in June 1943 with
four legs is remarkable, the longest flight being seven
and three quarter hours.

However it was probably not the longest military glider
tow on record. About the same time In the preparation
for the invasion of Sicily July 1943, gliders were
ferried from UK to North Africa some by ship but others
by aerotow.

Part of the planning included endurance training, 8
hours flights on tow!

The ferry journey was some 1200 miles and the airspeed
of 150mph lead to flights of up to 10 hours. Bad weather
and attack by enemy aircraft meant that many did not
reach their destination some survived others did not.
Some pilots made several such flights.

For the interested, accounts of these flights can be
read in

The Glider Gang by Milton Dank ISBN 0-304-300144
Horsa Squadron by Will Morrison ISBN 0-7183-0684-8

Dave





At 02:18 07 October 2005, wrote:
Found a copy for sale 20 pounds British...

http://www.orangeberry.co.uk/obmilitarycat.htm

Bob

There are a number of stories about long aero-tows. Dave Martin
mentioned the England- North Africa tows which are very well documented
in Lawrence Wright's book 'The Wooden Sword'. Two of the tug pilots
were Buster Briggs a well known London Gliding Club member and Wing
Commander McMonnies the father in-law of Simon Marriott.

Having been towed from England to Denmark in an Olympia myself, small
beer by their achievements, having read about Robert Kronfeld's tows
around Europe before WWII, my vote for the (craziest?) tow must go to
Derek Piggott who was towed from England to Paris in an open Primary
(SG38, Slingsby Grasshopper, EON Primary type).

Can anyone top that? Wally Kahn




In message . com, Rusty
writes
Hello All:
Try to find a copy of, "One Night in June" by Kevin Shannon & Stephen
Wright. It is "The story of Operation Tonga, the Initial Phase of the
Invasion of Normandy, 1944". It is Tonga as seen through the eyes of
the men of the Glider Regiment. A really good read, my hat is off to
these men!
Rusty

Dave Martin wrote:
Mike Cummings account of this flight in June 1943 with
four legs is remarkable, the longest flight being seven
and three quarter hours.

However it was probably not the longest military glider
tow on record. About the same time In the preparation
for the invasion of Sicily July 1943, gliders were
ferried from UK to North Africa some by ship but others
by aerotow.

Part of the planning included endurance training, 8
hours flights on tow!

The ferry journey was some 1200 miles and the airspeed
of 150mph lead to flights of up to 10 hours. Bad weather
and attack by enemy aircraft meant that many did not
reach their destination some survived others did not.
Some pilots made several such flights.

For the interested, accounts of these flights can be
read in

The Glider Gang by Milton Dank ISBN 0-304-300144
Horsa Squadron by Will Morrison ISBN 0-7183-0684-8

Dave





At 02:18 07 October 2005, wrote:
Found a copy for sale 20 pounds British...

http://www.orangeberry.co.uk/obmilitarycat.htm

Bob




--
Walter Kahn

On 7 Oct 2005 04:20:32 -0700, "Rusty" wrote:

Hello All:
Try to find a copy of, "One Night in June" by Kevin Shannon & Stephen
Wright. It is "The story of Operation Tonga, the Initial Phase of the
Invasion of Normandy, 1944". It is Tonga as seen through the eyes of
the men of the Glider Regiment. A really good read, my hat is off to
these men!
Rusty


Thanks for the information on "One Night in June". I have ordered a
copy.

Dave Martin wrote:
Mike Cummings account of this flight in June 1943 with
four legs is remarkable, the longest flight being seven
and three quarter hours.

However it was probably not the longest military glider
tow on record. About the same time In the preparation
for the invasion of Sicily July 1943, gliders were
ferried from UK to North Africa some by ship but others
by aerotow.

Part of the planning included endurance training, 8
hours flights on tow!

The ferry journey was some 1200 miles and the airspeed
of 150mph lead to flights of up to 10 hours. Bad weather
and attack by enemy aircraft meant that many did not
reach their destination some survived others did not.
Some pilots made several such flights.

For the interested, accounts of these flights can be
read in

The Glider Gang by Milton Dank ISBN 0-304-300144
Horsa Squadron by Will Morrison ISBN 0-7183-0684-8

Dave





At 02:18 07 October 2005, wrote:
Found a copy for sale 20 pounds British...

http://www.orangeberry.co.uk/obmilitarycat.htm

Bob