Lancasters

[Mike 84C]

Thought you might like these seen at Cranwell and Coningsby.

[popeye]

Still going strong, i would not like to be up in one just in case. There can't be many left flying now.

[Noel]

Still going strong, i would not like to be up in one just in case. There can't be many left flying now.

 

There are just two airworthy Lancs. One in UK and one in Canada. This past summer the Canadian one flew the Atlantic to fly alongside the sole remaining RAF Lancaster at a number of air shows and events in UK. It was the first time in many decades since two lancs flew together in formation.

[Mike 84C]

Spot on Noel, what a fantastic sight and sound I can only imagine what a hundred going on a raid sounded like. Ear shattering! was with my wifes cousin when we saw the pair in flight and her husband just dropped into the conversation that he was a rear gunner and shot down whilst flying Lancasters. My respect for him rose immesurably.

[Broithe]

I can only imagine what a hundred going on a raid sounded like

 

Lancasters, Wellingtons, etc....

 

 

This was a raid on Mannheim. May 19th, 1942. 197 aircraft, I think.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Broithe

[heirflick]

....the two in action....

 

[Broithe]

Engine fire the other day.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-32628263

 

 

[minister_for_hardship]

Still going strong, i would not like to be up in one just in case. There can't be many left flying now.

 

At least if a steam loco or heritage diesel on a railtour fails...it's not the end of the world.

 

There's something about gadding around in a 75 y/o-ish aircraft that doesn't inspire confidence in me. Nice to watch yes, at a distance.

Edited May 19, 2015 by minister_for_hardship

[Noel]

At least if a steam loco or heritage diesel on a railtour fails...it's not the end of the world.

 

There's something about gadding around in a 75 y/o-ish aircraft that doesn't inspire confidence in me. Nice to watch yes, at a distance.

 

The maintenance regimes on such air craft are very rigorous, and subject to continuous replacement of components, X-ray scans of vital components, etc. I'd rather fly in an 'older' well maintained aircraft, than a 'newer' one that is not well maintained. That's why four engines is better than two on multi-engine aircraft. Less asymmetric induced yaw on loss of power on one engine. One wonders how much of the original airframe and engines would be original 75yo parts.

[Broithe]

The maintenance regimes on such air craft are very rigorous, and subject to continuous replacement of components, X-ray scans of vital components, etc. I'd rather fly in an 'older' well maintained aircraft, than a 'newer' one that is not well maintained. That's why four engines is better than two on multi-engine aircraft. Less asymmetric induced yaw on loss of power on one engine. One wonders how much of the original airframe and engines would be original 75yo parts.

 

Other Avro aircraft have caught fire in Lincolnshire, with less favourable outcomes, even with less inflammatory fuel...

 

[Weshty]

One wonders how much of the original airframe and engines would be original 75yo parts.

 

Kind of like Brian Boru's axe or Trigger's yard brush eh? Head replaced five times and handle twice.

[Broithe]

Kind of like Brian Boru's axe or Trigger's yard brush eh? Head replaced five times and handle twice.

 

Although painted up as a wartime 617 Squadron aircraft, the actual aircraft itself wasn't delivered early enough for wartime operations and went virtually straight into storage - it was subsequently used for some photographic operations, but had not a lot of hours on it before it became used for "historical" purposes and some film work.

[Blaine]

Kind of like Brian Boru's axe or Trigger's yard brush eh? Head replaced five times and handle twice.

 

Bit like any preserved vehicle really, plane,train,boat or automobile.........

[Broithe]

The plane had fairly low flight hours when it became "historic" - and the RAF is notorious for having massive stocks of out-of-date spares. I picked up a set of RAF mess-tins the other day, absolutely brand new, not even had the sharp edges smoothed off and the punch-outs for the handle rivets were still inside - untouched since the day they were made in 1952.