mframes

The Avro Lancaster was undoubtedly the most important RAF heavy bomber of World War II and it’s now legendary status lives on in BBMF’s PA474. This is one of only two airworthy examples of the Lancaster in the world today, out of a total of 7,377 built. Powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, the Lancaster was capable of carrying the “Grand Slam”, a 22,000lb (9,979kg) bomb – the heaviest carried by any aircraft in World war II. Lancaster crews had to endure many dangerous missions, returning night after night to targets deep into enemy territory. Many lost their lives. Famously, the Lancaster was modified to carry Barnes Wallis’s invention – the Bouncing Bomb, as flown by 617 squadron, The Dambusters. The squadron was formed in 1943 for the specific task of attacking three major German dams located on the Ruhr, namely the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe. This year, to commerate the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters’ raids, PA474 wears the colours of 617 squadron.

It was quite a sight seeing this beauty taking off, landing and doing the commemorative flypast with another two icons of that age – the Hurricane and Spitfire.