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Memories of the Avro Lancaster

D

DaveG

master brummie
During 1997 my uncle, Jack Knight of Erdington, visited my family near Hamilton Ontario Canada to attend the wedding of my son. My uncle, who was 80 at the time, served in the RAF during World War 2 as a Radio Operator/Mid Gunner on Lancaster Bomber. During his visit we decided he might enjoy a visit to the Hamilton Warplane Museum to see the various planes on display but, in particular, the Avro Lancaster Bomber which they maintain and still fly today. I believe this plane is 1 of only 2 that are flown now, the other being the one that flies over London during memorial parades. When he saw the Lanc in its full splendour in the hanger his eyes seemed to glaze over and he had to steady himself on a handrail. We proceeded down from the viewers platform onto the hanger floor so he could get a close up of the four powerful Merlin Engines mounted on the giant wings towering above us. Soon he was in deep conversation with the lead maintenace hand who was tending the plane. Suddenly the old maintenance man said to my uncle ' Do you feel fit?' and proceeded to lift the security tape around the craft and invited my uncle to go aboard. After a bit of a struggle he got on board and went down the interior towards his old position at the radio console. The memories at that moment must have been flooding his mind as he silently touched the console. Soon I looked around and he appeared in the cockpit in the co-pilot's seat along side the other old fellow obviously swapping stories of WW2. It was a day I will certainly remember as Jack climbed over the Lancaster.
Unfortunately, 6 months after his return to the UK my uncle passed away but at least he got to visit his glorious past.

For those who might be interested in finding out more about the museum in Hamilton visit the site :
www.warplane.com and for those who get a thrill out of seeing the old Lancaster fly visit www.youtube.com and search for Avro Lancaster Hamilton.

One last observation, when they fly the Lancaster over Hamilton, you don't have to look up to see what plane is up there as only the Lancaster produces such a powerful characteristic drone.
 
I once saw a photograph of a Lancaster with two prop' engines and two jet engines! I have no idea if it was ever put into production; or whether it was a one-off experiment perhaps? Does anyone know?
 
Yes, I saw this flying at RAF Defford in about 1948. Very eerie sound when the thing overflew the aerodrome using just its gas turbine engines - a loud whistle rather than the familiar growl of Merlins. Not something I have ever forgotten.

In later years I metioned this to someone I met who had worked at the radar research establishment at Malvern. I think he told me that there were more than one of these aircraft and that they were used by Malvern for airborne trials of new radar equipment.

(Thanks to DaveG for his excellent original post).

Chris
 
Great story about your uncle DaveG. I have been to Hamilton and walked around that plane and it is very impressive as are many of the other exhibits. They had a fire some years ago and lost one of the planes. I can't remember wether it was a Spitfire or a Huricane. Anyway a great place to visit and nice to know that these planes can be wheeled out and flown.
 
My dad, still quite active at 90 used to work on the Lancasters as an electrician during the war, as soon as the planes landed with damage then the repair crew went aboard to see what they could repair, apparently the Lancasters wiring was a nightmare to replace because unlike US warplanes they did not use plug in looms similar to that used in car production. Plug in wiring looms meant that you could remove & replace whole clusters of wiring with ease if some were burnt & these would then be taken to the repair shop & eventually reused on another plane.

Because Lancasters had wiring looms soldered to terminals then it delayed repair considerably as individual wires had to be checked & sometimes pulled through ducting to be replaced with a new one or the entire loom unsoldered each end or as dad recalled the electricians started using crimped spade connectors or something similar so it made it easier next time.
Flack damage frequently destroyed the wiring & the planes limped home provided the hydraulics weren't hit

I think there's one in Lincoln that still flies occasionally
 
That particular Lancaster was manufactored in 1945 for the Far East , but the War was over before it could be sent there so it was sent to 82 (PR) Sqdn in Africa to join another 6 Lancs, they were out in Africa for 7 years from1946 to 1953 surveying and photographing all the Colonies for mapping purposes, they photographed 1 million square miles they were the ideal aircraft, long range (assuming weather OK survey flights could last 10 hours), fly at survey height (22,000 feet) and reliable, I was a wireless operator from 1949 to 1951 and flew on that particlular Lanc a number of times but of course the were in peace time regalia, silver and black and no armourments. It was retured to UK , camourflaged and armoument fitted to restore to look like an operational a/c although it had never seen active service, it was the secong a/c on the left in attached pic. Eric82 Sqdns Lancasters Nairobi 1950.JPG
 
If you are interested in Bomber Command and Lancasters here is a colour film from WW2.

 
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Here's a photo of that Particular aeroplane, taxiing after a display this year in Ottawa.
 

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Nice photo Rupert. I knew that Lancs were not very roomy inside, but the film showed very cramped conditions with radios and other equipment sticking out everywhere. Certainly not easy to get out of a Lanc in a hurry if you needed to.
 
OldMohawk, The Lanc was not that cramped, especially in peace time when we had just a crew of 4, I speak from experience doing 8 to 10 hour survey flights every other day for 2 years, weather permitting apart from leave and public holidays. Being wireless op I had more free time so I had the additional tasks of changing film cartridges and passing coffee and sandwiches around and did not feel at all restricted, we also had a chemical toilet right down the rear where the rear gunner would have been and no problem walking down there. I found the noise and the cold (survey height was 22,000 ft) more of a problem but soon got used to it, Eric
 
The world has now four Lancasters with a full set of running Merlins. after a 26 year project, the Nanton Lancaster`s fourth Merlin burst into life in August and FM159 joined PA474 at RAF Coninsby, FM213 at Hamilton and NX611 at East Kirkby in having four serviceable engines.
 
Dave M, Have attached 2 pics taken at Tabora Tanganyika in 1950, one of a Lanc landing after a 10 hour survey flight (I was w/op on that flight) and one of ground crew on routine mtce duties. Happy days !!! Ericreturning from survey Tabora Tanganyika.jpgservicing at Kano Nigeria.jpg
 
Dave noticed 2nd pic was taken in Kano Nigeria not Tabora, they are side by side in my Album hence the geographical mistake. This one was taken in Tabora Ericlanc TW705 returning fron survey.jpg
 
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Here is an interior view showing crew positions, wireless op on left, flight engineers directly in front, navigator on left in between and the pilot would be left of flight engineer.wireless ops position in Lancaster ac.JPG
 
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Dave I remember seeing a TV programme some time ago about the Canadian Lanc and I think it was a different Mark number to the version I flew in. Anyway made a note of date. Thanks. Flew in Sunderlands, Hastings and Dakotas but the Lanc as always been my favourite. Eric
 
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Dave M , that would/will be a wonderful sight to see them flying together, I hope date and times are well advertised and that we have complete coverage in the media. That chap had got a point in it being a hazardous journey for a 70 year old aircraft, having said that I recently flew in a 60 year old de Havilland Otter sea plane which had flown from Canada to Malta (an 80th birthday present) Eric
 
At the opening of this thread I spoke of the Lancaster Bomber based in Hamilton Canada Air Museum which is still in flying condition. Well now it is about to make one of its most glorious flights to join the Lancaster in the UK to take part in the upcoming Battle of Britain fly pasts. It will be a memorable sight to see these two great aircrafts fly in formation over the UK. Wish I could be there.
 
One or 2 pics I took in 1949/50 whilst serving on 82 Squadron as a wireless operator in Africa, the last Lancaster Squadron, in peacetime regalia. the 2 crew members were Ron, our navigator and 'wipani' our flight engineer, a French Canadian, our 'skipper' was still aboard. Over 60 years ago, I doubt if they are still around as they were at least 10 years older than me ( I was a mere 20) Oh happy carefree days. EricCrew_members__Lancaster_TW905.jpg 'my' lanc TW705 returning fron survey.jpg 82 Sqdns Lancasters Nairobi 1950.JPG
 
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Vivienne14 said:
You really get a sense of the size of the AVRO Lancaster from post #23. Viv.
Click to expand...
Hi Viv, the caption with the photo said ...
All seven men of a Lancaster crew leave their Lanc in the low light and long shadows of an early morning following a tough night operation, carrying their gear, cigarettes dangling from grim faces. It speaks to both the toughness and the fragility of their spirits, each man with his own thoughts.
 
Hi Phil. I looked at each of the crew when you first posted it and it immediately went through my mind what turmoil these men went through; never knowing if they'd make it back and never knowing if other friends would make it back. It made me think about my dad who rarely spoke of his time of going out on operations, but I know from snippets his sister and my mum told me (she was in the NAFFI) that he, like many others, struggled to come to terms with the loss of RAF friends. In fact it must have changed many men, like it did him. Viv.
 
I flew with many crew members who had flew during the war and chose to remain in the RAF because of their love of flying but they NEVER spoke of their war time experiences. The difference between flying in war time and peace time must have been tremendous. Most of these I knew will probably be no longer with us, sad to say, both those in my post #24 flew during the war. Eric
 
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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