Scrapped planes after WWII

[Rwrwalker]

The Canadian experience was similar to what was described above. Some aircraft, especially Cornells and Bolingbrokes, that were delivered to the RCAF late in the war went direct into storage. They were sold off over the next few years, some for scrap, and some with ten hours or less airframe time. The storage sites also held reserve aircraft from earlier orders, and I've heard stories of Tiger Moths, Ansons, Hurricanes and others being sold in the years right after the war in virtually new condition. For example, Fleet Fort 3563, delivered on 15 July 1941, had 57 hours went it was transferred for sale on 5 February 1945. In contrast, numer 3564 was delivered the same month, to a Flying School, and had 1,566 hours when transferred in March of 1945.

There were large numbers of Waco troop gliders in Canada in packing crates at the end of the war, waiting shipment to operational units, that were sold still in the crate. Apprently the boxes made great chicken coops, and many of the gliders were thrown away by the new owners who just wanted the sturdy wooden crate.

Fairchild Aircraft of Canada continued to build Bolingbroke airframes at a low rate after the BCATP orders were cut back in late 1944, in hopes that the RCAF would eventually buy them. After the war they finally sold several dozen complete airframes, less government supplied engines, for scrap, without ever flying them. By the way, if anybody out there knows the exact number of airframes, or when they were finally sold, I would love to hear from them.