Haunted Airfields
For Halloween, a collection of weird tales about airports and aircraft.
- By Rebecca Maksel
- AirSpaceMag.com, October 25, 2011

bbc.co.uk
Ghost in the machine: In 2006, Flight Global reported that “A classic example of an aircraft haunting is that of an Avro Lincoln bomber at the UK’s Cosford Aerospace Museum. Investigations followed sightings of an apparition in and around the Lincoln, and perplexing sounds—some of which were apparently recorded during an overnight vigil inside the aircraft by a BBC reporter and a paranormal investigator.”
According to this video clip, the staff of the museum started the rumor in an effort to increase visitor numbers. In the late 1970s, staff learned that the Avro Lincoln was to be transferred to a museum in Manchester. “The star of the museum should always remain there,” says engineer Richard Carside in the video. “And when we found out [the aircraft] was going to be moved to Manchester, we were horrified.” The engineering team came up with a plan to prevent the transfer: They invented a ghost, “Pete the Poltergeist.” “The more people who actually came to see the aircraft at Cosford,” continues Carside, “the more chance the aircraft had of staying here.” By 1981 the engineering team’s efforts had paid off; the aircraft would stay at Cosford.
Even though the prank was over, things took a strange turn when paranormal investigator Ivan Spenceley claimed that sounds recorded inside the aircraft “were later identified by ex-Lincoln crews as typical of those that would be caused by flightcrews either going through pre-flight checks or during a flight.”
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Comments (4)
While I'll admit that I'm a fan of ghost tales and that I like to watch or read them with as little light as possible at night, I'm also chilled to the marrow in broad daylight by these stories of "Haunted Airfields"--even the ones that might simply be--as you so eloquently put it--"a wild ghost chase." Thank you so much for getting into the--uh--spirit.
Posted by Diane Williams on October 28,2011 | 09:51 AM
The two murals mentioned actually depict the children of the world, dressed in authentic native costumes of approximately 26 countries, overcoming the forces of evil and destruction. The positive panels are roughly twice the width of the dark and depressing panels, and are bathed in light and bright colors, showing dancing happy children. In "In Peace and Harmony with Nature", the artist's mother is depicted on the far right dancing in a bright red swirling dress, because, he said, she wasn't allowed to dance in life.
The gargoyles are seated in Samsonite suitcases (made in Denver), one in each of the two baggage claim areas. Gargoyles are not evil, but are protective and are in the baggage claim areas to protect your luggage. They were some of the last artworks to be installed. Had they been in place earlier that baggage system would have worked like a charm! The title of the work, "Notre Denver".
Posted by Marilyn Shaw on November 26,2011 | 08:35 PM
The Hornet story reminded me of when I was younger and had gone to hang out with my then-girlfriend and another couple by a lake near our town.
I went to releive myself and was approached by a young girl who looked to be about 12-15 wearing a flower print dress. She had long hair that looked wet and no shoes. I was embarassed that she had caught me "mid stream" and offered a "hi" to her. She was just staring and she faded from view.
I was totally freaked out and ran back to the van. Thru some research I later found out that a young girl had drowned in the lake back in the 1920s.
Posted by Stan Sikorski on July 14,2012 | 06:58 PM
I read on another website the DIA was built to be shaped like a swastika and had unknown languages written on the floor. They even said the languages may be alien.
Posted by swagdaddy on December 26,2012 | 10:14 PM