Lend/Lease support to England...

[American Bulldog67]

Does anyone know if there were ever any airdrops of supplies/rations/munitions delivered to England? I thought there were airdrops, but someone recently claimed the U.S. only used shipping lanes, not air.

[DBII]

I do not remember hearing of any. It sounds counter productive since the shipping lanes were open.

DBII

[Thorlifter]

Never heard of any either.....But I'm not discounting it.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by American Bulldog67

Does anyone know if there were ever any airdrops of supplies/rations/munitions delivered to England? I thought there were airdrops, but someone recently claimed the U.S. only used shipping lanes, not air.

Only surface - it was a looooooong flight from say NY and a smaaaaaaaaaaaall payload in contrast to Liberty Ships..

On the other hand the 82nd and 101st did do practice drops from England to England. Does that count?

[American Bulldog67]

Originally Posted by drgondog

Only surface - it was a looooooong flight from say NY and a smaaaaaaaaaaaall payload in contrast to Liberty Ships..

On the other hand the 82nd and 101st did do practice drops from England to England. Does that count?

Yeah NY to England is long. However I was reading up on the whole North American Ferry Route. The construction of BLUIE WEST 1 Air base in Greenland was pivotal. Located on the S.W. coast, pilots departing from Presque Isle Airfield in Maine would land @ Bluie to gas up. The next stop was usually Reykjavik or Keflavik in Iceland. From there they’d fly to PRESTWICK FIELD in Scotland, eventually landing @ SNETTERTON HEATH, HALESWORTH, and HORSHAM. AT no point did the B17s and their escorts remain airborne for more than 900 miles at a clip. Seems they could have done some airdrops...

[pbfoot]

Originally Posted by American Bulldog67

Yeah NY to England is long. However I was reading up on the whole North American Ferry Route. The construction of BLUIE WEST 1 Air base in Greenland was pivotal. Located on the S.W. coast, pilots departing from Presque Isle Airfield in Maine would land @ Bluie to gas up. The next stop was usually Reykjavik or Keflavik in Iceland. From there they’d fly to PRESTWICK FIELD in Scotland, eventually landing @ SNETTERTON HEATH, HALESWORTH, and HORSHAM. AT no point did the B17s and their escorts remain airborne for more than 900 miles at a clip. Seems they could have done some airdrops...

but answer this why would they ....there is absolutely no reason unless it was a one of . You should also add a couple of stops in your
route either Goose Bay or Gander or even Frobisher would have been the next stop prior to Bluie west or Narssasaauaq(sp?)

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by American Bulldog67

Yeah NY to England is long. However I was reading up on the whole North American Ferry Route. The construction of BLUIE WEST 1 Air base in Greenland was pivotal. Located on the S.W. coast, pilots departing from Presque Isle Airfield in Maine would land @ Bluie to gas up. The next stop was usually Reykjavik or Keflavik in Iceland. From there they’d fly to PRESTWICK FIELD in Scotland, eventually landing @ SNETTERTON HEATH, HALESWORTH, and HORSHAM. AT no point did the B17s and their escorts remain airborne for more than 900 miles at a clip. Seems they could have done some airdrops...

Gas more precious than supplies. If it could carry supplies, why airdrop, just land!

I have been into Bluie West One (once) in low ceiling conditions and nearly experienced the opportunity to french kiss the radio tower in the middle of the Fjord. I do not reccomend approach in bad weather, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do as long as you know about it.

It's on the Jeppeson Approach Chart. Reminds much of Kodiak Is airport for those that have done that one.

You land uphill into a mountain near the village of Narsarsuac... and take off down hill into Fjord.. bad place to lose an engine.

[plan_D]

Aircraft did fly over to Great Britain from the U.S via Greenland and Iceland. I believe it was mostly B-17s and P-38s making the trip. But I don't think any airdrops took place.

Glacier Girl (the restored P-3 was making the trip to Britain with B-17s and P-38s when they all lost their way and crash landed in Greenland.

[Njaco]

I don't think there were any airdrops, just ferry flights for aircraft and essential personnel. There was a website I just found (and lost freakin lost!) that listed aircraft that crashed or landed in Ireland and what they were doing at the time of internment. Will have to find again, great list.

Ok, just found it.
Aircraft Landings Ireland 1939 - 1946

another interesting site that gives somewhat the same info.
Airwar over Denmark and surrounding waters 1940

[merlin]

Originally Posted by American Bulldog67

Does anyone know if there were ever any airdrops of supplies/rations/munitions delivered to England? I thought there were airdrops, but someone recently claimed the U.S. only used shipping lanes, not air.

Well done for correction Plan_D i.e. 'Great Britain'.

Just why do Americans refer to Great Britain or UK - as England??