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Memories of the Avro Lancaster

Vivienne, I can understand you Dad's disappointment, he obviously loved flying as I did, I also was 'grounded' after developing a weak right eye (very strict on medical fitness), so I left the RAF after 8 years, mind you both the wireless operators and flight engineer's posts were becoming obsolete due to high tech replacing them. I flew on various other a/c including Sunderland flying boats in Singapore but the 'Lanc' was always my favourite and I think most other crew members think that way, especially those who like me only flew in peace time. Eric
 
cookie273uk said:
Vivienne, I can understand you Dad's disappointment, he obviously loved flying as I did, I also was 'grounded' after developing a weak right eye (very strict on medical fitness), so I left the RAF after 8 years, mind you both the wireless operators and flight engineer's posts were becoming obsolete due to high tech replacing them. I flew on various other a/c including Sunderland flying boats in Singapore but the 'Lanc' was always my favourite and I think most other crew members think that way, especially those who like me only flew in peace time. Eric
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Hi Cookie

Hope all are well in Birmingham. BTW Barb's nearest town (Nanton, Alberta) has a Lanc in the their Air Museum. It's been completely rebuilt and could probably fly if only there was a runway...
Shirley
 
Shirley, they have to have an Airworthy Certificate, and although they may look complete, they could need a lot of time and money to become airworthy, corrosion could be a major problem, that is why there are only 2 in the world flying, one here and the other in your country. They are attempting to make a third airworthy in this country at a cost of £3 1/2 million pounds, a lot of money plus future running costs, hanger fees annual Airworthy Certificates, The money is being raised through collections, I donated a tenner in memory of my happy times with them way back in '49/51 (I'm 87 in June) It's probably pure nostalgia but so what! Eric
 
cookie273uk said:
Shirley, they have to have an Airworthy Certificate, and although they may look complete, they could need a lot of time and money to become airworthy, corrosion could be a major problem, that is why there are only 2 in the world flying, one here and the other in your country. They are attempting to make a third airworthy in this country at a cost of £3 1/2 million pounds, a lot of money plus future running costs, hanger fees annual Airworthy Certificates, The money is being raised through collections, I donated a tenner in memory of my happy times with them way back in '49/51 (I'm 87 in June) It's probably pure nostalgia but so what! Eric
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Hi Eric
THe Lancaster at NAnton is rolled out on sunny days then the engines are fired up. What a racket! All of the work of restoration was done by volunteers in this case. You might look up the "NAnton Lancaster" on the web.
Shirley
 
Vivienne14 said:
That was my Dad's intention Eric. He loved flying and it'd been his ambition from a very early age as a young child. He luckily survived the war, but on a training exercise off the Scottish coast his Lancaster went down in the North Sea - thankfully all survived. Despite going through the horrors of war and the post-war accident he still wanted to stay in the RAF, but he was retired out on medical grounds after the accident. It was his life but sadly he had to give it up.

Incidently the AVRO Lancaster is still down there in the North Sea and is listed in Scottish memorials Viv.
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viv you must be very proud of your dad...to come down in the north sea and still want to carry on is very brave...just think how you would feel if ever his plane was recovered..i would want to be first on the scene

lyn
 
My only actual memories of Lancasters were, as a youngster, seeing them occasionally flying high over Brum but it was off their usual flight paths. I did see one take off from Castle Bromwich airfield in 1952 and it looked a bit low as it climbed over the Chester Road.
 
Great photo's my father-in-law talks of his time of being in the RAF Selectar, he was in the 84 Squadron and the 209 Squadron sunderland flying boats in Singapore in 1945. He was an Air Frame Mechanic, he's always talking of his time out there, and would love to go back for a trip down memory lane.

Jackie
 
RAF Eastleigh 1950.jpg I mentioned 82 squadron was in Africa to survey the Colonies for mapping purposes, have attached one of our Survey pics, it portrays Nairobi airport (our base) taken from 6,000 feet in 1950, you can just see 3 of our Lancaster's on the parking lot. Cadged this copy of our photographer amongst others. he gave me. EricView attachment 112153correction, I had put a recent 'google' pic in by mistake, have now put the original 1950 survey pic, sorry abot that
 
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Thanks Very Much Dave, for that short film ! It revived old memories (and I have to admit the odd tear). It's 65 years now but that brought it all back. Thanks again. Eric
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cookie273uk said:
Thanks Very Much Dave, for that short film ! It revived old memories (and I have to admit the odd tear). It's 65 years now but that brought it all back. Thanks again. Eric
l
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You are very welcome Eric. I actually met the woman that manages the museum that houses the Lancaster bomber in Hamilton Canada. No surprise that she is from the Birmingham area...
Dave A
 
The Memorial Flight Lancaster came from our Squadron (82), it is 2nd on the left on my third pic in #24 in peace time colours (silver and black), my regular Lanc was TW905 but have flew in them all at different times whilst ours was out of service, we flew day on, day off as the survey flights were about 10 hours. I shall attempt to down load that video you put on if I can work out how. Eric
 
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Dave M Your 2nd pic shows what looks like a Hawker Hurricane, always pushed to the back by the Spitfire and yet it was a very successful and efficient fighter in early part of war. Incidentally , where were those pics taken, I realise it's not the Memorial Flight Lanc and just a static display a/c and were those 2 gentlemen ex aircrew reliving the past or just interested visitors. Eric
 
cookie273uk said:
Dave M Your 2nd pic shows what looks like a Hawker Hurricane, always pushed to the back by the Spitfire and yet it was a very successful and efficient fighter in early part of war. Incidentally , where were those pics taken, I realise it's not the Memorial Flight Lanc and just a static display a/c and were those 2 gentlemen ex aircrew reliving the past or just interested visitors. Eric
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Eric At the Home of the BBMF. with the BBMF Lancaster in 2007, yes Hurricane in the pic
 
Dave M, That is not the actual Memorial Flight Lanc is it ? I'm sure they would not normally allow any one to board that and I don't recognise the Logo on the side. The memorial Flight Lanc of course never saw active service, (it certainly never flew over the Rhur as the logo implies), it was destined for the Far East in 1945 but the war was over so it was passed to 82 Squadron and spent its life doing aerial survey in Africa with 6 other Lancasters under 90 Group, not Bomber Command from 1946 to 1953, Eric
 
Well unfortunately I have not seen it since leaving the squadron in 1951 so I suppose it could have any logo painted on, it seems rather inappropriate as the viewing public will assume it as saw active wartime service which of course it never did. Eric
 
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The Lancaster - and a few other heritage aircraft - often attend the Dartmouth Royal Regatta (always at the end of August). Dartmouth and Kingswear, both on steep hills, but on opposite sides of the River Dart, is a wonderful place to see these aircraft in action. I usually view from Kingswear.
They most fly very low over the towns and river and then often have to climb to clear the hilltops. The sounds are most impressive.
https://www.dartmouthregatta.co.uk/
Note: The 2017 events, other than sailing, are not yet online. You can sign up for alerts if you wish to.
 
Three pics of Lancasters in their postwar role during the photographic survey of Africa.
A Lanc somewhere over Africa
africalanc.JPG

On the ground possibly Salisbury Southern Rhodesia.
lancaster 1.jpg

Cameras and spare film magazines inside an 82 Sqdn. Lancaster
insidelanc.JPG
 
oldMohawk, what a coincidence , those 3 pics where taken by the RAF Review magazine staff who were doing an article on our Squadron in 1950 or 1951, the chap in the bottom pic was 'Paddy' our squadron Photographer, aged about 40 then so now long since gone, I cadged a number of pics of him including that survey pic in my post #43. As I had least to do during the long survey flights (up to 10 hours) it was my job to change the film cartridges in the 2 cameras (one photographing the terrain and one the instruments giving height, position etc...) also had to pass around the coffee and sandwiches during our 'break' (but still surveying ). I have copies of all those pics and the accompanying article in my photo album. It was no joke tramping up and down the fuselage, survey height was 22,000 feet so it was pretty cold and the air was very thin , certainly needed oxygen. That why we worked one day on, one day off. Eric
 
Aboard a Lanc 1950.jpg Looking through my Album, found this pic of me on a short low level air test, hence no flying suit, this was taken by Paddy shown in pic 3 #54. This thread certainly brings back memories to me. Nostalgia unlimited. This was before colour film photography. Incidentally Paddy (full name Michael Small) would develop and print all our films for us for the price of a drink. Eric
 
As well as the interesting info and photos of the Lancaster, it's great to hear about the human aspects of the plane and what went on inside them.

Eric - those sun glasses look familiar. Were they standard issue? My dad had some, was still wearing them into the 1970s ! Think they gained popularity again in the 1980s when the film 'Top Gun' was released. Viv.
 
Vivienne, yes they were RAF issue, aircrew only. Officially should have worn flying suit and parachute harness but the a/c had been parked in the Sun all morning and it was like an oven, and we were only on a short flight to test paddy's recently installed new cameras (he took my pic), he also had to show me how to change the film cartridges during flight as that was my job, 20 seconds between each 'shot' so I had to be quick. This 'thread' is really bringing back memories to me, things I'd long forgot. Eric
 
Think flying in any of these planes must have been difficult when it came to clothing. My dad kept his long flying socks and we used to use them as Christmas stockings. They were thick, knitted, white ones. Viv.
 
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