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Aircraft of Bomber Command
The Lancaster Bomber







A total of 430 Avro Lancaster Mk. X's were built in Canada by Victory Aircraft Limited at Malton, Ontario. They are listed below and information regarding each of the 430 is available.

Most of the following information was prepared by former Nanton Lancaster Society member, the late Tom Palmer of Victoria, British Columbia. Tom served with No. 635 Squadron during World War II and was a great supporter of our museum.


Commentary



                          Avro Lancaster Specifications

KB700
KB701
KB702
KB703
KB704
KB705
KB706
KB707
KB708
KB709
KB710
KB711
KB712
KB713
KB714
KB715
KB716
KB717
KB718
KB719
KB720
KB721
KB722
KB723
KB724
KB725
KB726
KB727
KB728
KB729
KB730
KB731
KB732
KB733
KB734
KB735
KB736
KB737
KB738
KB739
KB740
KB741
KB742
KB743
KB744
KB745
KB746
KB747
KB748
KB749
KB750
KB751
KB752
KB753
KB754
KB755
KB756
KB757
KB758
KB759
KB760
KB761
KB762
KB763
KB764
KB765
KB766
KB767
KB768
KB769
KB770
KB771
KB772
KB773
KB774
KB775
KB776
KB777
KB778
KB779
KB780
KB781
KB782
KB783
KB784
KB785
KB786
KB787
KB788
KB789
KB790
KB791
KB792
KB793
KB794
KB795
KB796
KB797
KB798
KB799
KB800
KB801
KB802
KB803
KB804
KB805
KB806
KB807
KB808
KB809
KB810
KB811
KB812
KB813
KB814
KB815
KB816
KB817
KB818
KB819
KB820
KB821
KB822
KB823
KB824
KB825
KB826
KB827
KB828
KB829
KB830
KB831
KB832
KB833
KB834
KB835
KB836
KB837
KB838
KB839
KB840
KB841
KB842
KB843
KB844
KB845
KB846
KB847
KB848
KB849
KB850
KB851
KB852
KB853
KB854
KB855
KB856
KB857
KB858
KB859
KB860
KB861
KB862
KB863
KB864
KB865
KB866
KB867
KB868
KB869
KB870
KB871
KB872
KB873
KB874
KB875
KB876
KB877
KB878
KB879
KB880
KB881
KB882
KB883
KB884
KB885
KB886
KB887
KB888
KB889
KB890
KB891
KB892
KB893
KB894
KB895
KB896
KB897
KB898
KB899
KB900
KB901
KB902
KB903
KB904
KB905
KB906
KB907
KB908
KB909
KB910
KB911
KB912
KB913
KB914
KB915
KB916
KB917
KB918
KB919
KB920
KB921
KB922
KB923
KB924
KB925
KB926
KB927
KB928
KB929
KB930
KB931
KB932
KB933
KB934
KB935
KB936
KB937
KB938
KB939
KB940
KB941
KB942
KB943
KB944
KB945
KB946
KB947
KB948
KB949
KB950
KB951
KB952
KB953
KB954
KB955
KB956
KB957
KB958
KB959
KB960
KB961
KB962
KB963
KB964
KB965
KB966
KB967
KB968
KB969
KB970
KB971
KB972
KB973
KB974
KB975
KB976
KB977
KB978
KB979
KB980
KB981
KB982
KB983
KB984
KB985
KB986
KB987
KB988
KB989
KB990
KB991
KB992
KB993
KB994
KB995
KB996
KB997
KB998
KB999

FM100
FM101
FM102
FM103
FM104
FM105
FM106
FM107
FM108
FM109
FM110
FM111
FM112
FM113
FM114
FM115
FM116
FM117
FM118
FM119
FM120
FM121
FM122
FM123
FM124
FM125
FM126
FM127
FM128
FM129
FM130
FM131
FM132
FM133
FM134
FM135
FM136
FM137
FM138
FM139
FM140
FM141
FM142
FM143
FM144
FM145
FM146
FM147
FM148
FM149
FM150
FM151
FM152
FM153
FM154
FM155
FM156
FM157
FM158
FM159
FM160
FM161
FM162
FM163
FM164
FM165
FM166
FM167
FM168
FM169
FM170
FM171
FM172
FM173
FM174
FM175
FM176
FM177
FM178
FM179
FM180
FM181
FM182
FM183
FM184
FM185
FM186
FM187
FM188
FM189
FM190
FM191
FM192
FM193
FM194
FM195
FM196
FM197
FM198
FM199
FM200
FM201
FM202
FM203
FM204
FM205
FM206
FM207
FM208
FM209
FM210
FM211
FM212
FM213
FM214
FM215
FM216
FM217
FM218
FM219
FM220
FM221
FM222
FM223
FM224
FM225
FM226
FM227
FM228
FM229



The first order placed was for a total of 300 aircraft. Their serial numbers were from KB700 through KB999. These Lancasters were delivered between September 1943 and March 1945. The Lancasters with serial numbers KB700 through KB774 were fitted with Merlin 38 engines. All subsequent aircraft were fitted with Merlin 224's.

Major changes were made beginning with KB-855. The U.S. built, electrically powered Martin mid-upper turret with two .50 calibre machine guns replaced the Fraser-Nash mid-uppers. As well, "4000 pound" bomb bay doors replaced the "8000 pound" doors that were on earlier aircraft. These had enabled the aircraft to carry larger bombs and gave the Lancaster a somewhat pregnant appearance. The possibility of having a mid-under gun turret was eliminated and H2S radar was installed below the fuselage. The changes to accommodate the Martin turret were extensive as the location of the turret had to be moved forward necessitating changes to the rear centre section structure, the capacity of the electrical system had to be increased, the ammunition supply system had to be changed, and the former mid-upper turret hydraulic system eliminated.

The second order placed was for a total of 200 aircraft although only 130 were built. Their serial numbers were from FM100 through FM229. They were delivered between April 1945 and August 1945.

None of the 430 aircraft were lost while being tested at Malton. Almost all of the Lancaster Mk. X's were ferried to England and none were lost in transit.

Following the end of the war in Europe, the Lancaster Mk. X's in service were flown to Canada by their crews. Many were to be used as part of "Tiger Force" that was to be the Commonwealth's contribution to the bombing war in the Pacific. Following the end of the war with Japan, almost all of the Mk. X Lancasters were put into storage. Western Canada, and in particular southern Alberta, was a preferred location because of the dry climate and the abundance of former BCATP facilities. Beginning in 1946 many of the Mk. X Lancasters were taken out of storage and modified to a variety of configurations for various duties with the RCAF.



The following are the postwar variations:


The following abbreviations are used in the aircraft history summaries:

If you have photographs or information regarding any of these aircraft that you feel should be added
please contact the museum at:   library(at)bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca






KB701 was a presentation aircraft, which was named for New Glasgow, NS, due to a successful War bond fundraising drive, which New Glasgow won. Delivered to England in Dec.43. The first to arrive at #419(B) Squadron on 12th December along with Lancaster #KB712. Flew into high ground while engaged in a cross-country flight near Potter House Farm (Wombleton) on way back to Middleton St George, the home base of #419(B) Sqdrn. Killed were (WAG)WO H.G.Grice, (N)P/O(Ernest M Parsons), Sgt F.A.Milne, Sgt N.F.Alsop, P/O J.G.McMaster, & a USAAF gunner. + one RAF crewman no survivers. 16/17.5.44; Total 122hrs.


Converted to the Lancaster long range transport as a Lancaster XPP -registered CF-CMT; first flown by E.H. Taylor on 9 September, 1943; went into service with Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. They were cold and noisy but did the job. Mainly flown by pilot's Jock Barkley and George Lothian. Withdrawn from service in May.47


Converted to the Lancaster long range transport -registered CF-CMU; First flown on 25 September, 1943; used by Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. They were cold and noisy but did the job. This aircraft was lost at sea on 30 December, 1944. It had left Dorval at 23:59 on 29 December with a crew of four and a single passenger, Sir Alfred E. Evans, Chief of the British Admiralty Technical Mission in Ottawa. The pilot was Capt. Maurice Gauthier. At 06:49 Goose Bay received a Mayday signal when the aircraft was believed to have been flying at 23,000 feet about 600 miles east of Torbay, Newfoundland. A sea and air search found no trace and an inquiry was unable to determine a probable cause of its loss.


Flown to England in Dec.43. This aircraft was initially with #419(B) but was reissued to #428(B) Sqdrn. and lost on a training exercise out of Middleton St George. 11.5.44


Arrived in England in Jan.44; this aircraft was selected for "interchangeablity tests" at Woodford prior to going on to Boscombe Down for performance tests. All components mated perfectly with British components. The Canadian Mk.X's had been designed with this in mind so that repairs to damaged aircraft could be easily made but it has been said that this surprised the British authorities; issued to #428(B) Sqdrn; reissued to #1664 Conversion Unit then issued to #1666 (CU); retained in England for use by Rolls Royce (1944) SOC 30.4.45


Delivered to England in Dec.43. Issued to #419(B) Sqdrn. Lost on a 442 a/c raid to 'Aachen' with a strength of 264 Lancaster's with the target being the two railway yards east of the town. The bomber casualties were eighteen- (18) Halifax's and seven- (7) Lancaster's and this aircraft went missing with (WAG)P/O (D.M.Robson), F/O G.R.Lauder, P/O W.G.Lillico, Sgt B.R.Morgan RAF, (N)T.H.J.Smith RAF, R.LBeadie RAF, J.Hoarty RAF, J.W.Grimwade no survivors. 24/25.5.44


Assigned to #419(B) Squadron in May.44. After raid on Douberg diverted to Linton on landing damaged wing. Flew next day and undercarriage collaped on landing at Middleton St George on a practice flight. pilot & crew uninjured, DBR 20.9.44 Crew were(P)P/O A.C.Weston,(N)F/O J.H.McKellar,(B)F/O J.H.Mackay,(WAG)FS R.F.Clarke,(FE)Sgt S.A.MUSTO,(AG)WO K.F.McCallum, (AG)FS W.H.Murrell.(5 Mon)


Assigned to #419(B) Squadron in Jun.44. Lost following raid on Russelsheim -crash landed at Winterbourne,Wilt. after flak damage over Russelheim. 25/26.8.44


Assigned to No. 428 Squadron in August, 1944. On 18 August, 1944 with (P)F/O L.S.Plunket and crew aboard, the inner left engine cut out over the target at 18000 feet and KB-709 landed at Swinderby on three engines. This bomber participated with 22 other aircraft on an attack on the Haut Mesnil quarry near which Canadian artillery were dug-in. During a raid on Stettin which resulted in the sinking of a 2000 ton ship in the harbour and 7 other ships being damaged, KB-709 crashed in the sea off Falkenberg, Sweden with the loss of (B)F/O (L.H.C.Gardiner), (P)L.S.Plunkett, T.Bailie, WO J.B.Gravelet-Chapman, Sgt D.A.Sparkes, FS H.Gordon RAF, Sgt J.McFarlane RAF. 29/30.8.44; total of 107hrs


Delivered to England in Mar.44; assigned to #419(B) Sqdrn. Lost as part of a 120 aircraft attack on 'Louvain, Belguim' along with twenty Lancaster's, crashed near Sent-Genesius-Rode,(P) P/O(H.I.Smith), F/O J.L.Moore, W.R.Finlayson, W.W.Price, P/O J.C.O'Connell, S.G.Livingston, Sgt R.Bull RAF, no survivors. The raid was on the railway yards, which were badly damaged with a loss of two Lancaster's from #419(B) Sqdrn, the other being 'KB713' SOC 12.5.44 total 107hrs


This aircraft was taken on strength with #419(B) Sqdrn. Shot down by night fighters near Ghent when piloted by PO(J.C.McNary) in a 137-a/c raid on St-Ghislain with forty (40) other Lancaster's from #6 & #8 Groups, an attack on the railway yards with great accuracy. (Only Lancaster lost) believed to be the first Lancaster Mk.X lost on operations, crashed near Coent, Belguim, Pilot was P/O McNary, five of the crew members survived. Killed were McNary & WO1 J.L. Chartrand, POW's were F/O F.H. Love, Sgt. A.G. Hill, F/S R.C.D. Long, Sgt. J.J. Wilson, and Sgt. D.S.M. Sangster. 1/2.5.44. total 92hrs


Produced in May.43.Delivered to England in Dec.43. On 24/25 Jul.44 was attacked by a twin engine E/A seen some strikes, no claim. Lost on a raid to Cologne. Extensive damage was caused to power-stations, railways and harbour installations. A 733 a/c raid (231 Can. dispatched) the crew were (P)F/O A.N.Nelligan, J.A.Nofziger, (N)J.R.Fitchner, P/O W.H.Herman, (AG)FS(E.R.Smith), (AG) FS B.E.Greenhalgh, Sgt W.E.Hawkins RAF, no survivors; 28.10.44, 52 Ops. total 409hrs


Carried the markings from April, 1944 until it was shot down during a raid on the railyards at Louvain, a 120 aircraft attack on 'Louvain' with the strength of twenty Lancaster's from #6(B) & #8(PFF) Groups on the railway yards causing heavy damage, with a loss of 2 Lancaster's from #419(B) Sqdrn. the other being KB710. Attacked by a JU-88 nightfighter on the way to the target and crashed at Coxyde,near Reminge, Belgium. on 12.5.44, with (P) P/O B.F.Edwards, H.E.Oddan, J.A.Webber, P.Dewar, F/O R.R.Campbell, Sgt J.R. Carruthers RAF, (WAG)WO (R.S.Smith) all killed. 12/13.5.44. total 80hrs


Arrived on squadron strength on 13.5.44 as aircraft of #419(B) Sqdrn; missing on the 671 a/c raid to (crashed near Vause Litte) to Cambrai 13.6.44, the same raid as the one on which P/O A.Mynarski VC.died. Killed were(P)F/O F.N.Wilson, C.R.Ormand, (N)(R.N.Pole), D.J.McMullen, P/O R.E.Francis, M.E.Gates, Sgt White, crew perished. total 87hrs 5th Ops.


Produced in Jun.43. Delivered to #419(B) Squadron in Apr.44. Missing on a daylight raid 24.12.44 on an airfield at Lohausen (now Dusseldorf) to hinder the support the enemy had for the Ardennes campaign. (P) F/O T.H.Cowlan & crew bailed out, but subsequently (WOG) F/O R.W. Hale was executed by the Gestapo. Lost on its 60th Operation. POW's were F/O J.L.Carter, P/O J.V.Ranson, Sgt's G.W.Thompson, G.Little, & Hector.


Arrived on squadron strength on 21.4.44; lost on a night training exercise, This aircraft swung on landing Middleton St George DBR. 7.5.44 no casualties.Crew were (P)F/L A.J.Byford,(N)F/O R.V.Daly, (AG)Sgt N.C.Fraser(16 Days)


Lost on a 375 a/c raid on 'Dortmand' with 361 Lancaster's from #1, 3, 6,& 8 Groups; 18 Lancaster's lost; a casualty rate of 4.8%; a heavy loss from #408(B) & #419(B) Squadrons. This a/c was shot down by flak 1 1/2 miles south of Genhulsen and the following persons (P)P/O(C.E.G.Patterson), W.A.Bailey, D.E.Derbyshire, F/O W.W.Mitchell, P/O R.E.N.Wood RAF, WO A.C.Beckett, FS A.P.Chawanski, FS O Jones RAF, all perished. 2/23.5.44 total 94hrs


Arrived on #419(B) Sqdrn strength about mid Apr.44. Lost on a railway yard attack along with 10 other Lancasters, three more from #419 (KB727'H' & KB723'U') during a 287-a/c raid on Villenenueve St George. The a/c was hit by flak and port engine put out of action and fuel set ablaze; crew bailed out, (P)F/O L.W.A.Frame & crew, 3 taken POW & 3 evaded capture, pilot died. They were F/O W.Reynolds, Sgt D.High, FS H.Hayes, POW's. evaders were F/O W.Watson, FS J.Morris, Sgt P.Barclay.


Lost on this first raid on Stuttgart; one of three raids in five nights. A 614-a/c raid with a loss of 17 Lancaster's / 4 Halifax's, shot down by rockets over Luxemburg, four members killed.were (P)FS J.A.Phillis, J.P.Short, (AG) P/O(J.E.Searson), Sgt J.Norman DFM RAF; FS R.Devine became POW, FS Phil & Sgt Mackinnon evaded. 25.7.44 total 225hrs


Left the Malton plant in Mar. 44. Flown to England in Apr.44. Used by #419 code 'VR-P', to 1664 CU; retained in England at #20 M.U. scrapped 7.5.47


Arrived in England about mid April delivered to Woodford for inspection by Avro, then delivered to AAEE Boscombe Downs for armourment evaluation; assigned to #419 in Aug.44. Completed 54 operations with #419 Sqdrn, On 23/24 Oct.44 with (P)F/O L.A.Blaney and crew was attacked by FW190, no claim, no damage. In early Nov.44 on trip to Bochum was bounced by 2 nightfighters. (P)F/O L.A.Blaney, wounded was (AG)FS D.H.Lanclot. Flew back to Canada in Jun.45 held as spare for 'Tiger Force' at Yarmouth. Then at wars end was used as Class Instruction #A448 at Aylmer near to the end of 1948; into storage, then sold to C.Logan along with a Tiger Moth; hauled to Scotland, Ontario and scrapped on 25.11.48


Produced in May.43. Delivered to # 419(B) Squadron in Jun.44. Participated in an attack on 15 Sep. 44 in which two Halifaxes, one each from #420 & 432, were lost. Wally Loucks heard a female German controller directing aircraft against the bomber force and an Me410 flew along side but did not attack. A later attack on Houffalize junction causing a bottleneck in the German supplies system in the Ardennes campaign. Fired upon by another Lancaster, caught fire, jettison bomb load by pilot. Tried for Brussels/Juiencourt but poor weather and damaged by US flak, belly-landed near St. Quentin, France. (P)P/O N.D.Mallen, (N)J.Miller, WO R.Cameron, Sgt R.Dickson, Sgt N.Poole, Sgt C.Drinka, Sgt P.Hall, all survived. DBR, 5/6.1.45 on its 63rd operation; a 131 Lancaster raid.


Arrived on #419(B) Sqdrn strength about mid May.44; Shot down by flak on a railway yard attack near Villeneuve St George along with 11 other Lancasters, two more from #419 (KB718'J' & KB727'H') on a 287a/c raid , 102 were Canadian. Killed were (P)F/O G.R.Hodgson, P/O(A.E.Roe), Sgt J.P.Gauthier, Sgt B.A.Reaume was taken POW and F/O W.J.L.Thompson, G.A.D.Steepe, & D.G. Murphy evaded. 5.7.44; total 181hrs


Assigned to #419(B) Squadron 1.5.44. On 4/5 Jul.44 a raid to Villeneuve (P)P/O H.Smith were attacked by Ju88 and enemy aircraft was shot down. 27.8.44 engines cut out on take-off at Middleton St George; aircraft crashed 1 1/2m E. of Appleton Wiske, Yorks, two engines failed. This was on an operation to a flying-bomb site Operation 'Crossbow'(Mimoyecques) by 6 & 8 Group. (P)WO L.H.McDonald & crew, all survived but farmer gave the crew a tongue lashing for landing on his property. DBR 27.8.44; total of 298hrs


Issued to #428(B) Squadron in Apr.44. On 24/25 Jul.44 was attacked by Me109, no claim, no damage. Crashed on overshoot Elton, Co.Durham, Pilot was F/O V.Gaskin & crew. Killed were (AG) (J.A.Keating), & R.Playter the rest of the crew were unhurt. DBR 3.2.45


Issued to #419(B) Squadron on 27.5.44. On 12/13 May 44 (P) P/O A. DeBreyne returned to base early, no TI's. Lost on a raid to Cambrai in which Andrew Mynarski was lost (later awarded VC) Survivors & POW's (B)Sgt J.W.Friday,(FE)Sgt R.E.Vigar RAF, Evaders were(WOG)WO W.J.Kelly,(AG)F/O G.P.Brophy, (P)A.DeBreyne, Brodie.


Assigned to #419(B) about mid May.44; lost on a railway yard attack near Villeneuve St George; shot down by Ju88, 10 other Lancasters lost including two more from #419 (KB718J, & KB723U); a 287-a/c raid. (P)J.M.Stevenson,(AG) F/O J.Prudham, (WAG)F/O J.Smith, WO L.Head, Sgt J.Pett, Sgt W.Gibson, Sgt F.Vinecombe RAF; the crew survived and taken POW's. 4/5.7.44; total 158hrs


Arrived on #419(B) Sqdrn 13.4.44; survived until crash into the sea after the night raid on Sterkrade/Holten which was an important synthetic-oil plant; the weather was poor and the Pathfinder marker quickly disappeared so the bombing was scattered, but the unfortunate part was that a German night-fighter beacon was only 30 miles away; therefore heavy loss of aircraft due to fighters and flak, lost were (P)P/O D.Morrison, (B)P/O(G.E.Qwinn), C.S.Johnston, F/O A.F.Hupman, P/O E.Fahy RAF, H.Fletcher RAF, P.McManus RAF, a 321a/c raid 16/17.6.44; 29 Ops. total 159hrs,


Converted to Lancaster XPP specifications as a long-range passenger and transport aircraft -registered as CF-CMV; delivered in July, 1944; used by Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. They were cold and noisy but did the job. Sold to Fight Refueling Ltd. in Sep.47.on British register as G-AKDO and gave excellent service during the Berlin airlift. After Berlin air-lift was scrapped.


Converted to Lancaster XPP specifications as a long-range passenger and transport aircraft -registered as CF-CMW; delivered in September, 1944; used by Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. They were cold and noisy but did the job. Sold to Skyways and leased to Onzeair Ltd. of Karachi, India, as AP-ACM; crashed at Manipur airport while landing on a flight from Rawlpindi on 1 August 1948 while carrying a cargo of illegal arms.


Arrived on strength of #419(B) Sqdrn on 30.4.44; survived until the Cambrai raid, went missing along with six Lancaster's and 17 Halifax's from #4(B), and #6(B) Groups . Missing (P)F/O W.M.Lacey, E.R.Lowe, P/O D.J.Applin, M.R.Larkin, (AG)(C.W.Carruthers)believed killed and POW's were (B)F/O R.Forbes, evader (FE) B Wilson-Low RAF; a 671-a/c raid 12/13.6.44, total 118hrs





Built by Victory Aircraft Ltd. in Jul.43. Delivered to #419(B) Squadron on 16.5.44 at Middleton St George, York. On a raid on Stirkrade in 16/17 Jun.44 (P) Lt J.G.Hartshorn USAAF took evasive action but was hit by flak and E/A; was severely shot up, astrodome shot off, windscreen smashed, wireless operator wounded; rear gunner claimed ME410 as damagede; returned to M.S.G without further damage. Pilot receiving DFC and (B) F/O A.L Delany DFC. Later on 29/30 Aug.44 Lt Hartshorn & crew hit by flak; engine fire; landed on three engines. The aircraft survived the war. Returned to Canada 5.6.45, for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing at Yarmouth, N.S. Used at Camp Borden 29.8.45 as Class Instruction #A450 until 15.5.48


Arrived on #419(B) Sqdrn strength on 13.5.44. On 8 June the mid-upper gunner shot away the aerials over Le Mans. Aircraft survived until the raid on Sterkrade/Holten, which was an important synthetic-oil plant. The weather was poor. The Pathfinder markers quickly disappeared so the bombing was scattered, but the unfortunate part was that a German night-fighter beacon was only 30 miles away. Therefore heavy loss of aircraft due to fighters and flak. KB734 aircraft crashed near Zeist. total 85hrs. Lost were (P)F/L(E.S.Smith), P/O M.J.Baran, G.W.Taylor, W.H.Gardiner, S.A.Wilson. 1 POW Sgt J.Trussham RAF & 1 Evader Sgt R.E.Porter. 17.6.44


Built in Aug.43. Flown to England & assigned to #419(B) Squadron in May.44. After a day-light raid on coastal battery at Domburg near Walcheren Island,Holland, crashed landed on over shoot at Eastmoor with no-injuries, crew were (P)F/L W.R.Chalcraft,(N)F/O J.E.Taylor,(B)F/O C.D.Christian,(WAG)P/O P.E.Bourasso,(FE)Sgt J.R.Gunn,(AG)Sgt C.M.Roche, (AG)FS H.C.Annable, ,DBR18.9.44; total 314hrs


Used by #419 Sqdrn; later assigned to 1660 C.U.; sold for scrap 7.5.47


Delivered to #428(B) Squadron 25.5.44. This was the second raid in two nights on Essen with 771 aircraft mostly Lancasters over the target at 18/20000 ft ,dropped 184000 lbs HE, 321000 lbs incenderies; a report showed severe damage to the Krupps steelworks & loss of production from the Borbeck pig-iron plant (N)F/O H.A.Amstrong, (P)F/O F.S.Raferty, H.Wright, (FE)P/O(L.E.Toneri), R.C.Knight, W.A.Bartlemay killed, and Sgt R.S.W.Gray became POW. crashed near Buckhetz Ger. , 25.10.44; total 359hrs


Arrived on #419(B) Squadron strength on 16.5.44. Shot down 9 miles N/E Cologne on daylight attack, a raid to Opladen, a 328-a/c (150 from #6 Grp) raid on the marshalling yards but little is known of the results. 28.12.44 18 Ops. Lost were (P)F/O F.W.How, P/O(N.R.Springstein),(AG)F/O R.K.Nickle, P/O J.A.MacGregor, C.D.Hubley, C.R.Tait, & Sgt J.Atkinson.


Test flown on 25.8.43, flown to England arriving at #428(B) Sqdrn. in July.44 as code NA-W. The first operation in which it was involved was to St.Pol, France on 14/15.7.44 with P/O H.L.Gouthreau and crew; on 24/25 Jul.44 with (P)A.Gilbert & crew were attacked by Me109, no claim, no damage. On 12 Aug.44 (P) A.Carter & crew were attacked by Ju88, damage serious, no claim. At least 20 crews flew her for several months, and then it disappeared off the squadron register for several months. Came back to the squadron with code 'NA-Z' and one crew (F/O N.A.Noel pilot) flew her on the first trip to Duisberg on 14.10.44 for a full 30-trip tour, up to 1.2.45. On the Duisberg raid over a 1000 aircraft were dispatched causing very serious property damage in which many people were buried and the Thyssen Mines lost 8 days of production from the coke ovens. Then to various crews during Jan-Apr 45 during which time the captain of one of the crews was F/L D.Lamont DFC; the last operation was to Wangerooge with (P)F/O I.Murray and crew. Return to Canada with #428 Sqdrn as code 'NA-Z' on 5.6.45 with crew Cliff Pratt(P), Gord. Claire (FE), Jim Gunn (N), Doug. Miller (B), Archie Martin (WAG), W.A.Magee (WOp), Ted Dykes (AG); along for the ride home were Les Powell(PR) & Hal Baddock(RT)assigned to Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S; with 56 operational sorties on the nose art 'Cui Bong?' Blue spinners. Used by C.E.P.E. for winter trials 1945/46 at Edmonton, (P) F/O J.Borden was one of the Lancaster test pilots, SOC 12.3.48; last seen in scrap yard in Edmonton, Alta


Built in Aug.43. Flown to England & assigned to #428(B) Squadron in May.44. First of three raids on Stuttgart in a 614 a/c raid collided with another aircraft over France bomb doors torn off, two engines caught fire, props bent, landing gear jammed and belly landed at Woodbridge, no casualties 24/25.7.44


Built in Sep.43. Flown to England, assigned to #428(B) squadron for a short while, then to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44(1st of five Lancaster Mk.X's to #431(B) Sdrn.; later assigned to #434 Sdrn; (P)P/O B.Granka and crew went missing on this night operation to Chemitz in a bomber force of 499 Lancasters & 218 Halifaxes in two phases, 3 hours apart. A 717 a/c raid with pilot F/O D.A. Magrath, P/O Bernard Granka F/O's J.J.McElhone, L.Medynski, G.M.Barlow, (AG)P/O (G.E.Robertson) went missing presumed dead. POW Sgt G.McLarty. 'Op.THUNDER CLAP' 14/15.2.45


Built by Victory Aircraft Ltd. in Sep.43. Flown to England & assigned to #428(B) Squadron in May.44. Over shot landing at Middleton St George returning from a 749-a/c raid with F/O G.R.Pauli, R.Taylor, N.Maxer, WO A.Krivda, Sgt H.Williams RAF, W.Harper, A.Scott, crew all survived. DBR; 4.11.44, total 314hrs.


Assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44. On 24/25 Jul.44 with (P)W.Tynan & crew was attacked by twin engine E/A, no claim, no damage. Lost on a raid on Bremen causing a firestorm of enormous devastation to the people and port with over 18 ships sunk in the harbour & 61 damaged alongside the wharves. Went missing (collision mid air over France) on this raid; Killed were (AG)(P/O R.E.Good) a replacement for the regular gunner who had parachuted in France on 24.7.44 his name was Sgt R.Enfield taken POW, the rest of the crew were taken POW; they were F/O G.F.Jones, (P)P/O C.M.Corbett, Sgt A.R.McNaught, T.F.Davidson, S.T.Bryans, Sgt R.Enfield RAF a 288-a/c raid 19.8.44 total 159hr


Flown to England in Jun.44; assigned to #428(B) Sqdrn on 11.6.44. Was borrowed by 419 and flown by (P) A.Warner and was attacked by Me410, no claim, no damage. Returned to Canada on 31.5.45 with (P)F/L S.V.Eliosoff & crew, Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S., stored in Lethbridge SOC 13.5.47


Left the Victory Aircraft plant 6.9.43. Flown to England in May.44 and assigned to No. 419 Squadron. Lost on 3/4 Oct.44 after a raid on the submarine pens at Bergen, Norway. It was part of a force of 47 aircraft of 419 and 428(Ghost) and the only one to fail to return.
The force bombed from 14,000 ft; Group dropped 1,000,000 lbs HE. The dock area was hit with a creep up to a built up area. On its return, KB745 crossed the English coast 90 miles north of its intended track. At 04.10hr on the 4th Oct it crashed into Mid Hill at 2270ft above sea level. Mid Hill is part of the Cheviot Hills, on the English Scottish border.
CREW Pilot F/O George Ross Duncan RCAF aged 21 from Toronto; Flight Engineer P/O J W Hall RAF; Navigator F/O WG Laying RCAF; Wireless Op Sgt William Kastens RCAF; Mid Upper Gunner Sgt. Donald Alexander Trott RCAF Rear Gunner; Sgt Thomas Bernard Tiernry RCAF; Bomb Aimer F/O A Gaddass RCA. All with the exception of P/O HALL are buried in CWG Cemetery in Harrogate. [some information courtesy John Yarker]
KB-745 was SOC 4.10.44; total 207hrs.



Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Aug 44; on 29/30.8.44 was hit by flak and started engine fire; was extinguihed and crew returned safe, except for (MU)Sgt B Jigursky who jumped and became a POW. On 8 Apr.45 with (P) G.McMurtrie & crew was attacked by Me262, no claim, no damage; landed at Wing due to poor weather at MSG. Returned to Canada on 5.6.45, stored at Pearce, Alta. SOC 16.1.47


Built in Malton in Oct.43. Flown to England & assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44. Returned to Canada on 1.6.45 with #428(B) Sqdrn for Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; nose -art 'Madam X', storage until SOC19.1.48 scrap, 72 Ops.


Flown to England in Sep.44. On operation to Hamburg on 31 Mar.45 (P) W.Manning & crew were attacked by a Me262, no claim, no damage. Completed 59 operations with #419 Sqdrn, flown back to Canada with #419(B) for 'Tiger Force'; arrived at Yarmouth on 4.6.45 with #661 Wing, #6(B) Group until end of war in Asia. Assigned as Class Instruction #A449 on 29.8.45 at Aylmer, Ontario until end of 1947, then sold as war surplus (18.5.48) to C.Logan. Hauled away to Scotland, Ontario and scrapped on 18.5.48 along with three H/P. Halifax bombers. (EB127, 138, & 157).


Assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44, Flown by (P) D.W.Brown in a daylight raid on Luffwaffe night-fighter airfields (Soesterberg) in Holland & Belgium in perfect visibility; aircraft blew up and crashed near Amersfoort, Holland. Killed were F/O D.W.Brown, P/O J.B.Cleaver, G.E.Whyte, (AG)P/O(P.C.Revell), L.Hetherington RAF, and the following became POW's WO T.E.Jakeman, Sgt S.W.eight RAF; a 1004-a/c raid; 15.8.44 Total 145hrs


Built in Oct.43. Flown to England & assigned to #419(B) Squadron on 15.6.44. On operation to Orl'eans the night of 4/5 Jul.44 (P) H.Witwer & crew were attacked by Me210 & Do217, no claim, no damage. Claimed an E/A destroyed on raid the night of 28/29 Jul.44 (P)A.Weston &crew. On a raid to Hamburg on 25.7.44 (RG) Sgt W.H.Wurrell shot down a night fighter. Lost on a 507-a/c raid to Wiesbaden. Hit by Flak this aircraft crash landed in France killing (P)F/O B.W.Martin, (N)(R.W.Hodgson), (BA)J.A.McDonald, P/O P.F.English, R.A.Nisbet, Sgt J.McAfee RAF, except for FS W.J.McTaggart POW; 16 Ops. 2/3.2.45


Delivered to #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44. On 7 Aug.44 (P)K.Hawthorn & crew were attacked by Me110 no claim, H2S perspex shattered. Lost on an attack on the port and industrial areas of Stettin; Killed were (P)P/O W.C.Fairgrieve, (N)F/O (H.Slater), J.R. Srigley, L.C.Brown, W.A.Lamb, R.R.Boyce, POW was Sgt R.G.Toomey. a 461 a/c raid; 16/17.8.44; total of 138hrs.


Built in Oct.43. Flown to England & assigned to #419(B) Squadron on 13.6.44; lost during a raid of 440 a/c that caused heavy damage to the district of Altona, (Hamburg). Lost two engines returning from Hamburg and abandoned over North Sea off of Durham Co. Pilot was F/O H.E.Cram who had engne trouble on way to target and on the way home another engine caught fire; crew were order to bail out over allied lines; all survived and were back in England within a few days. They were F/O W.Olenake, F.Crawford, WO C.Hanna, Sgt E.McGrath, FS J.Case RAF, (P)F/O H.E.Cram. 8.4.45


This 419 aircraft had a close escape on 4/5 Jul.44; (P)G.Peck & crew were attacked by E/A, no claim, no damage; again on 24/25 Jul (P)W.Milner & crew were attacked by Ju88, no claim, no damage, some strikes were seen. Two aircraft from 419 squadron, one of which was kb753, went missing on a 366 a/c raid to Scholven/Buer that caused severe damage to the surface buildings of the Hugo I & Hugo II coal mines and the oil refinery was badly hit. The aircraft blew up after being hit by Flak over Buer; (B)P/O H.C.Tarzwell, (P)R.F.Adam, L.P.Wakely, F.S.Dennis, J.C.Rhind, Sgt J.Atkinson, Robert Edward Eratt RAF; All the crew killed except for (AG) FS W.R.Mcleod & WO R.G.Rogens became POWs; 15 Ops; 29/30.12.44


Flown to England in Jun.44. Lost returning from Bochum; aircraft exploded on a daylight raid; believed shot down by a Ju88; Killed were P/O Ashton I.Cohen, R.A.Campbell, F/O G.W. Murphy, (WAG)FS (L.F.O'Hara), P/O J.H.Goldfinch, (AG)R.F.Emerson, (1 surviver)WO J.E.McQueen POW. on a 435 a/c raid; 9/10.10.44; 13 Ops; 226hrs.


Assigned to #419(B) Squadron in Jun.44 This crew were also attacked by Ju88 on 4/5 Jul.44 no claim, no damage. Lost during an attack on Normandy battle area (Caen) in front of the allied ground troops. A well controlled attack on five aiming points with the strong areas and the roads around them were well cratered; this aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters and went down near (Auberville) Mare de Magne, France Pilot was (P)F/O(B.D.Walker), F/L M.G.Wilson, F/O P.W.Merrick, P/O J.C.Durrant, WO J.A. Schryer, FS W.Longmore, Sgt B.Jones RAF, all perished; a 1019 a/c raid; 7/8.8.44; 122 hrs.


Was the first MkX assigned to #428(B) Sqdrn in Jun.44; did approximately six missions until a flying-bomb site in a 542-a/c raid. That night was clear with a bright moon over 2 launching and 2 storage sites; hit near Villeneuve Ste George; three other Lancaster's were lost on this raid. had 62 hours of flying, Killed were(P)F/O(W.C.Gay), S.J.Swartz, A.Pitchard, FS W.Yates RAF, Sgt P.Smith RAF, POW's F/O A.T.Cullin, P/O R.M.Waychuk 4/5.7.44


Built in Nov.43; Flown to England & assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44; Returned to Canada with #428 Sqdrn on 31.5.45 as code 'NA-C' to be used by Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S. Stored at Pearce, Alta; SOC 16.1.47


Assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44; On 7 Aug.44 this crew was attacked by Me109 & Me110, no claim, a few cannon holes. Lost on the last raid on Brunswick; each crew bombed on the indications of its own H2S set. Pilot was F/O J.A.McGregor survived to become POW and related that a Ju88 attacked setting his aircraft on fire and damage his controls but he controlled his aircraft to allow the crew to escape with F/O C.Greer also POW, the remainder were killed being F/O J.E.Spraggett, P/O H.A.Murphy, W.J.Hardwick RAF, FS P.A.Crowley, (AG)(P/O M.Sawry). 13.8.44; had flown 163 hrs


Lost on a raid on Hamburg under a bright moon; 18 Halifaxes and 4 Lancasters lost; a 307 a/c raid. This was the only one from #428(B) Squadron with F/O R.Parsons surviving, blew up on take-off outward bound, (N) P/O(J.A.Urquhart), F.B.Thaine, (P)T.E.Magill, T.G.Murdoch, H.A.Adams, A.E.Attewell, killed/lost, 29.7.44; Total 85 hrs.


Built by Victory Aircraft at Malton in Nov.43. Flown to England in May.44; assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jul.44. On 16 Aug.44 (P) J.Koresky & crew were attacked by E/A no claim, no damage. Re;urned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #428(B) Sqdrn as code 'NA-P' nose art 'Recent Photo' with 72 ops. Was to be used by Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; Stored at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47 scrap


Built in Nov.43; Flown to England & assigned to #419(B) Squadron in Jul.44; On 7/8 Feb.45(P) E.Bruyns & crew attacked by Ju88 some strikes on E/A, claim damaged. Lost 31.3.45 on a daylight raid to Hamburg; shot down by Me262. Killed were (P)F/l H.Metevier, (N)F/O J.Todd, (FE)FS G.Maturzewski, (B) F/O R.O.Johnson, (AG)FS H.S.Tulk, (AG)P/O(W.M.Sommerville), (AG)FS E.Morphy; a 469 a/c raid; 16 Ops; 31.3.45 ditched.


Built by Victory Aircraft Ltd. in Dec.43. Flown to England, assigned to #419(B) in Jul.44. (P)A.Nelligan & crew were attacked by Ju88 saw strikes, the night 23/24 Oct.44, landed safe at MSG with three engines. On 15.12.44 was fired upon by B17 and (B)FS B.L.McKinnon was wounded in the foot, (P)S/L C.M.Black return to base. Undercarriage collapsed taxiing at Middleton St George, DBR. SOC 23.3.45; 51Ops


First issued to #419(B), then to #428(B) Squadron. Attacked by an Me163 on the night of 4/5 Nov 1944. The enemy aircraft was claimed destroyed by the Lancaster's airgunners; (P) H.Walker & crew, no damage to the Lancaster.
Mary Jane Walker-MacNeil reports, "My father was the pilot of the KB763 (c/n 37064; code NA-S) when it was issued to the 428 Ghost Squadron. My father was F/O Harold Walker and his Rear Gunner Bennie Rakus were the ones credited in destroying the ME163 over Bochum on the night of Nov 4/5, 1944. Other members of my father's aircrew were J. L. "Tex" Larrimore, Art Crichton, Paddy Dempsey, Dick Kelly & Jack Burke. Their Lancaster was nicknamed the "SS Nan" and the nose art depicts a "block" figure of a man in uniform standing over/straddling a bomb.
On a day training flight (28-01-1945) the aircraft dove into ground about a half mile from Elton Hall, Co. Durham, killing (P)P/O H.L.Clark, FS J.H.Carter, (WAG)S.Filipchuk, Sgt P.H.Morris, (AG)(Sgt J.W.Ross)
Peter Wilkinson reports, "KB-763 actually crashed in my grandfather's farm hay ricks...."Spring House Farm" at Elton. The farm is about 1/2 mile from Elton Hall but was the "home Farm" of that estate. The airfield at Middleton was known as Goospoole locally and is now "Teeside International Airport"
I was 13 at the time and my father and I lived about a mile from Elton in the village of Hartburn. Upon hearing the crash we came out of the house and saw the fire....my father immediately realised it was his dad's place and we took off running there.
I was too young to keep up and arrived shortly after him. There was a fire in the "stack" yard with ammunition exploding....dead bodies were in my gran's kitchen floor and I was forbidden to enter. The plane hit a tree about 50 yards away from the farm house and broke apart. A wing fell by the tree and another fell into the yard where the hay stacks were located. The tip of the wing actually knocked the downspout from the gutters off the house it was that close. The tail fell about 100 yards further past the farm buildings. I remember the night vividly of course...for a 13 year old it was a night to remember for life.
I came to Canada in 1968 to teach after leaving the RN, but returned in 1984 for a holiday and visited the farm (now no longer in the family) I attach a pic of the farm today...somewhat dilapidated and changed from those days for sure. There is a small memorial in the garden area in front of the house to the crew members who lost their life that day. I believe family members of the lost lads have visited the site. The farm no longer has a hay stack yard...in those days it was a purely dairy farm and the hay was for cattle feed of course."



Manufactured at Victory Aircraft Ltd. in Dec.43. Flown to England & assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44. On 31 Mar.45 (P)D.Deseraux & crew were attacked 3 times by Me262, no claim no damage. On returning to Canada with #428(B) Sqdrn as code 'NA-B' ditched on approach to Lagens, Azores, abandoned, everyone rescued. 4.6.45
On June 4, 1945, Lancaster KB764 of No. 428 Squadron departed St. Mawgan, England, bound for Lagens in the Azores. While flying through cumulus cloud, both port engines began to run erratically. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Elihu Paul Acree, suspected icing and applied hot air, which had the desired effect on the inner port engine. Half an hour later, the port outer engine again lost power and was eventually shut down. Soon after the port inner engine became erratic. As Acree approached Lagens, with at least 1,816 litres of fuel still aboard, the port inner engine cut entirely. Power was completely asymmetric and the bomber quickly swung out of control.
The aircraft cleared the cliffs, but crashed approximately three kilometres out to sea. The port wing struck first and broke off, as did the tail. "No trouble was experienced in leaving the aircraft," wrote Acree.



Arrived on #419(B) Squadron strength in Jul.44. Went missing on a 346-a/c raid to Scholven/Buer on 29/30.12.44. The bombs were accurately placed with the local report stating that 300 high-explosive bombs fell within the oil-plant area. The last Lancaster MkX lost in the year 1944. Killed were (N) (F/O V.A.Sorrenti),(P) R.A.McVicar, FS W.G.Morgan, P/O T.J.Maloney, R.C.Conley, Sgt J Feldman, POW FS W.McLeod


Arrived at #428(B) Squadron on 27.6.44. Lost on the night operation to Hagen; The factory producing the accumulator for the new type of U-Boat was completely destroyed. Aircraft ced up, overshot while forced landing at Beauvais-Till'e in France, killing (N) F/O(M.S.Sucharov) & (FE) Sgt M.Hempsted RAF, The 6 others survived they were F/O R.Dench, H.Walker, N.Noel, J.Lindsay, S/L M.Ferguson, FS L.Read; DBR 2.12.44


Mfg. by Victory Aircraft Ltd. in Dec.43. Delivered to #419(B) 26.7.44. On raid to Dortmund 6.10.44 was part of a squadron group of 18 on the squadron's 3000th Operation with (P) F/O P.D Giffith & crew. Damaged on a daylight raid to Homburg by fw190 and flak near Oberhausen and crash-landed at Manston on three engines; for extinguishing the flames and bringing the a/c back the following awards granted- (P) P/O R.L.Cox DFC, (N) F/O S.B.Lindsay DFC,(MU) F/O L.W.Sitling DFC, (RG) FS R.A.Toane DFM, all survived. 1/2.11.44; DBR; 224 hrs


Manufactured at Victory Aircraft Ltd. by Jan.44. Flown to England & arrived at #428(B) Squadron in Jun.44. On 28/29 Jul.44(P)WO W.Tynan and crew were attacked by Fw190, no damage , E/A being damaged. Lost after bombing Karlsruhe with 534 other a/c & among the many buildings destroyed was the important Durlacher tool factory. Collided mid-air with Halifax #LW200 (#426) after taking off for an operation to Soest and crashed 1m E. of Yelvertoft near Rugby in Warwickshire. All aboard both aircraft were killed. In KB768 were (P)F/L(H.A.Shewfelt), F/O John Reid, E.E.Cooper, S.W.Pechet, P/O A.G.Baxter, J.E.Verag, Sgt C.N.Collingwood RAF; 5/6.12.44


Built at Victory Aircraft Ltd. in Jan.44. Flown to England & assigned to #419(B) Squadron in Jun.44. On 29/30 Aug.44 (P)L.Sparling and crew were attacked by Ju88, damage to E/A, no damage to our a/c. Lost on a bombing raid on Leuna synthetic-oil industry, a 573 Lancaster raid, killed were P)F/L G.O.Tedford, (B)P/O (G.D.M.Spencer,) C.S.Thomson, H.M Rumball, A.G.McKay,Sgt R.J.Williams RAF,and POW's were (N)F/O J.Q.Eddy. Was shot down by nightfighter and due to flak hitting fuel lines and tanks setting them on fire, Merserburg (KB799) & (KB806) from #431(B) were also lost. There were two raids, 3 hours apart, on the night this aircraft went missing. 14/15.1.45.


Built in Jan.44. Flown to England & assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jul.44.One of 6 Lancasters lost on a raid on Stuttgart area, believed to be lost on the second raid concentrated around Hirth aero-engine plant in Zuffenhausen. This was the last raid on Stuttgart. Shot down by Enemy Night fighter with the loss of (P) S/L(H.L.Kay), F/O G.J.Liney, P/O J.W.Blades, F.L.Jolicouer, Sgt R.W.Gullick RAF killed, POW's were F/O B.Stapelford, FS E.Ossington. a 602 a/c raid; 28/29.1.45


Built in late Jan.44. Flown to England and assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jul.44; flew on raid to Chemnitz 14/15.2.45 (P)F/O C.J.Wildecombe, (RG)F/O W.G.Cotter; shot down a nightfighter; Returned to Canada with #428 Sqdrn on 2.6.45 for service with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, at Yarmouth, N.S.; Into storage at Penhold; SOC 13.5.47


Mfg. at Victory Aircraft Ltd. late Jan.44. Flown to England & assigned to #419(B) Squadron in Nov.44 at Middleton St George, York. by Nov.44. Returned to Canada on 5.6.45 with #419 Sqdrn for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; shark mouth on engine nacelle's; into storage at Summerside, PEI; SOC 13.5.47; 65 Ops.


Left the factory by 29.1.44. Flown to England first assigned to #428 Squadron; one of five reassigned 15.10.44 to #431(B) Squadron. Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431(B) Sqdrn for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Vulcan; SOC 8.3.48 scrap


The last Lancaster Mk.X produced with Packard Merlin 38 engines. Flown to England in Jun.44.; initially assigned to #419(B), one of a batch of 22 a/c. On 5/6 Mar.45 (P)H.Granger was attacked by He219 & Me109, no claim, no damage. One of the first five Mk.X's to #431(B) Squadron. Returned to Canada on 5.6.45 with #431(B) Sqdrn as code 'SE-D' for use with Tiger Force, #662 (HB)Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 22.1.47


Was the first Canadian Mark X manufactured with Merlin Mk 224 engines; test flown 9.1.44. Flown to England in Jun.44. Delivered to #419(B) Squadron in Aug.44; was on very few operations, On 24/25 Jul.44 attacked by Ju88, no claim, no damage. On 16 Aug.44 (P) H.Witwer returned early and landed safely on three engines. Lost 26.8.44 on a successful raid on the Opel Motor factory in Russelsheim. The raid was completed in 10 minutes, a 412 Lancaster raid. KB775 collided with another aircaft over the target; sole surviver was (P) F/O H.D.Witwer POW. Killed were (AG)P/O (V.Stear,) F/O A.W.Larsen, P/O D.R.Barnard, A.R.Jackson, H.L.McKay, Sgt R.J.Boorman RAF; 26.8.44; with 64 hrs.


Delivered to #419(B)Sdrn in Aug.44. Lost on a heavy night raid on Essen; a 1055 a/c raid; this was the first of two raids in two nights. (P)S/L (W.C.McGuffin) DFC, F/O R.Molloy, (B)J.Futoranski, P/O(WAG)R.C.Schlievert, R.T.Neville, E.Neufeld, & 1 RAF crew; no survivors; 23.10.44,


Shot down by Ju88 near Hildeheim; last spotted below 5000 ft. with port engine on fire; a 235-a/c raid; 22.3.45; (P)F/L (J.F.Hadley), F/O D.Frame, P/O J.MacKenzie perished, evaders were F/O Spence, F/O Goodie, FS Bellamy, & Sgt Duke; A daylight raid on Hildeshiem. Horace Billingham's son has advised that when his father, F/L Horace Billingham flew this aircraft their call sign was "V-Vicky -777".


To Britain in late 1944 and issued to #428(B)Squadron and had many raids to this point. On way to Chemnitz in a snow storm, iced up and flew into hill at Baraque Fracture, Ardennes; killed were (B)F/O (D.A.Wade), W.A.Ashdown, (P)E.Snell, FS T.Chevrier, E.Schofield; survivors were (P)F/O Mytruck, (N)F/L C.Pratt, J.Gunn, & one RAF crewman, a 760 a/c raid; 5/6.3.45


Manufactured on 5.2.44. Flown to England and arrived at #419(B) Squadron in Aug.44. On 7 Aug.44 attacked by FW190 & Ju88, 190 shot down into the sea. . (P)F/O B.Hyndman & crew missing on 6/7.12.44; a 454-a/c night raid on Osnabruck; the bombing caused slight damage to the rail yards but hit 4 factories includung the Teuto-Metallwerke munition factory. Crashed due to icing in a snow storm near target; the crew were F/O B.D.Hyndman, G.R.Cheeseman, (B)P/O (G.Ed.Smith,) L.T.Graham, E.M.Hansen, D.L.Marcellus, & Sgt R.Orvis RAF all killed; 6/7.12.44


Left the Victory plant in Feb.44. Delivered to England in Jun.44. Assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Jul.44. On 14 Aug (P) W.Janney & crew were diverted to Swinderby on return. A special raid on Duisburg to demonstrate the over-whelming superiority of Allied Air Forces in a 1013 aircraft raid from Bomber Command (243 Can.) with an RAF fighter escort. The American VIII Air Force had a similar raid on this day as well but mostly on Cologne. Killed were (P)F/L W.H.Janney, F/O A.V.Batty, P/O K.H.Killner, A.S.McFeetors, (AG)(F.A.Harrison), (AG)P.R.Jones, Sgt L.Brotherhood RAF; crashed near Obermeiderid 14.10.44; 186 hrs


Issued to #428(B) Squadron at Middleton St George. On 29/30 Aug.44(P) A.Cohen & crew attacked by Me109, no claim, no damage. Returned to Canada on 31.5.45 with #428(B) Sqdrn; converted Mk.10S; was with #408(P) at Rockcliffe in 1955; SOC 13.1.56; scrap


Built in Feb.44. Flown to England and assigned to #428(B) Squadron on 5.8.44. Went missing after a heavy attack on Dusseldorf; the last major raid on this city, a 992 a/c raid; shot down over Solingen with (B)P/O A.G.Samuel, (P)F/O J.Holtze, P/O J.Lupinsky, L.J.Ruhl, M.Donell, J.F. Bachant, E.Crossley RAF; all killed; 3.11.44; 233 hrs


This Lancaster Mk X was used in Britain as a test aircraft with AAEE for Martin Turret trials. Martin Turrets with twin 0.5 calibre machine guns were eventually installed on all Mk.X Lancasters from KB855 on.
KB783 completed a single operation on 31 Mar.45 during which (P)J.Horner & crew fired on an ME262, no claim, no damage. Returned 2.6.45, to Canada with #419 Sqdrn as code 'VR-E'; Cat.B at Yarmouth 10.6.45 while with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; Used as Class Instruction #A451 (7.11.45); SOC26.11.47



Flown to England and delivered to #428(B) Squadron in Aug.44. On 29/30 Aug(P) R.G.Mansfield flying was hit by incendiary, port engine U/S & fire, returned safely. Lost on raid to the U-boat yards at Kiel; hit by flak during the bombing run, & the pilot was wounded in the leg and the left arm & hand; on the way home flak hit again, put three engines out as they tried to cross the North Sea; the aircraft was ditched; only two of the crew were uninjured and (AG)(P/O B.Vardy) died in the sinking aircraft; the survivers spent twelve days huddled in a raft with (N) F/O G.C.Riley in charge later to recieve an MBE. F/L V.Banks was rescued along with (P)F/O D.Payne DFC, G.C.Riley MBE, WO E.Miller, FS E.Casey; Sgt T.Sinclair taken POW; 13/14.4.45


Left the Victory Aircraft Ltd. production line in Mar.44. Flown to England arrived 20.6.44. On 14 Oct.44 (P)R.G.Mansfield & crew were hit by flak, Sgt Murphy injured; crew landed at Woodbridge. Caught fire in air, blew up & crashed near Bradbury Range, Co Durham on training flight (P)F/O(R.G.Mansfield,)(B)A.C.Hirst, P/O G.H.Warren-Darley, FS L.W.Toth, (WAG)D.A.Gunn, J.J.Murphy, P/O D.G.Newland RAF,all killed; 24.11.44


Flown England in Jun.44, issued to #419(B) Squadron. Attacked Bottrop on 27.9.44. (P)F/O J.A.Anderson awarded DSO for coaxing a/c back to base (note VC recommendation below by W/C Hagerman, 23 October, 1944, that includes details regarding F/O Anderson's op to Bottrop in KB786). On 2/3 Dec.44(P) A Warner & crew attacked by twin eng. E/A, no claim, no damage. kb786 went missing, believed in sea near Heide West of Kiel (Odderace) on a 178-a/c (160 from #6 Grp) raid to Rheine (Hemmingstedt) an accurate attack on the rail yards, killed were (P)F/O R Millar,(N)F/L(H.B.Rubin), F/O A.J Palanek, L.C.Croucher, P/O C.A.Elliot & Sgt S.Booth RAF, with one survivor FS J.W.Aitken taken POW; the only a/c lost; 21.3.45

*V.C.recommendation for Anderson. -courtesy Jim Cave

NOTE: This award began as a recommendation for a Victoria Cross, submitted by Wing Commander D.C. Hagerman, 23 October 1944 when he had flown 22 sorties (127 hours 25 minutes), as follows:

Flight Lieutenant Anderson has completed 22 day and night operations against the enemy, during the course of which his outstanding devotion to duty and complete contempt of personal danger have been most remarkable. His determination to press home his attacks in spite of the fiercest opposition the enemy can put up has earned him the utmost admiration from all ranks.

On no fewer than ten attacks his aircraft has been badly damaged by enemy action but his enthusiasm to operate remains undiminished.

On July 28th, 1944, when detailed to attack Hamburg, his starboard inner engine failed when crossing Flamborough Head en route to the target. Although Flight Lieutenant Anderson was aware that he would probably lose height and be late on the target, he nevertheless, without hesitation, carried on, arriving on the target six minutes late and bombing from 8,000 feet below the main stream. On the return journey, when thirty miles off Heligoland, his aircraft was attacked by two FW.190s, one dropping fighter flares while the other made no fewer than five attacks. These were all successfully evaded and the attacking aircraft was so badly damaged by his gunners that it broke off the attack and was last seen in flames going down in a steep turn. This officer then brought his aircraft safely back to base, still on three engines.

On 25th August 1944, when detailed to attack Russelheim, his aircraft was badly damaged by flak on the way into the target. Many holes were made in the fuselage; nevertheless he pressed home his attack and, on his return, was diverted to Great Orton after ten hours 50 minutes flying. Again, on 27th August 1944, when attacking Mimoyecques, his aircraft was again hit by heavy flak over the target area, no fewer than 37 large flak holes being counted on his return to base. On 29th August, when attacking Stettin, his GEE and H2S equipment became unserviceable while crossing the English coast on the way out, but he proceeded on D/R navigation to the target, where he again suffered heavy damage from flak. While in the target area, his aircraft was coned for some considerable time while on the bombing run and was attacked by a Ju.88. Nevertheless he brought his aircraft safely back to base.

On 6th September 1944, when attacking Emden, his aircraft was hit by heavy flak while on the approach, but this did not prevent him from making an excellent bombing run and returning with a first-class picture of the aiming point. On 12th September, when attacking Dortmund, his aircraft was hit by concentrated heavy flak, many large holes being torn in the fuselage, but again he returned safely to base. On the 6th October, while attacking Dortmund, his aircraft was again hit by flak while on the bombing run and, after bombing, he was attacked by no fewer than five fighters, all of which were successfully evaded. On the 8th October, when attacking Bochum, 27 large flak holes were torn in his aircraft and, during an attack by two fighters, a cannon shell exploded in the fuselage, short-circuiting the entire electrical system and causing all the navigation lights to burn. With great skill and coolness, he successfully evaded the fighters which were attracted by his lights and successfully returned to base with his aircraft in a badly damaged condition. On the 14th October, when attacking Duisburg in daylight, his aircraft was again hit by predicted flak and a "scarecrow" but again he succeeded in returning to base with a badly damaged aircraft.

This officer's most outstanding feat was performed during a daylight attack on the oil refinery at Bottrop on the 27th September. On arriving at the target it was found that this was obscured by 9/10th cloud cover. The target was sighted through a gap in the clouds too late to afford an accurate bombing run. Anti-aircraft fire was very heavy, but without hesitation, Flight Lieutenant Anderson decided to do an orbit to ensure an accurate bombing run be made. At the beginning of the orbit, the aircraft was repeatedly hit by shell fragments and both port outer and inner engines were put out of action. The port outer engine was also set on fire, the hydraulic system was rendered unserviceable and the controls were damaged to such an extent that he had to call on the assistance of two members of his crew to pull manually on the rudder controls. With complete disregard of the heavy opposition, and the difficulty in controlling his crippled aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Anderson completed the orbit and made a steady bombing run, enabling his Air Bomber to attack the target very accurately.

Shortly after leaving the target, it was found that the starboard inner engine had also been badly damaged and was giving less than half power. Through superb planning, crew co-operation and flying skill, Flight Lieutenant Anderson successfully flew his crippled aircraft back to this country, with only full power from the starboard outer, half power on the starboard inner engine, and made a masterly landing without causing further damage to his aircraft or crew.

I consider Flight Lieutenant Anderson's great courage, whole-hearted enthusiasm to press home his attacks in the face of whatever opposition he may meet, and his brilliant flying skill and crew Captaincy, fully merit the award of the Victoria Cross.



Assigned to #419(B) Squadron in Jan.45. On 2/3 Feb.45 was attacked by Ju88, no claim, no damage. On 4/5 Feb. 45 collided with Lancaster PA219 from #433 (B)Sdrn over Ardennes returning from a 238 a/c raid on Bonn; crashed near Vielsolm, Luxenburg with (P)F/L John P.Barlow, (B)D.J.Buchanan, W.R.Kearns, F/O L.F.Edmonds RAF, (AG)J.A.Gibbs, P/O D.W.Spence all killed; only surviver from both aircraft was (WAG) P/O C.T.Sutter who rejoined the squadron after a brief absence.


Damaged by Flak over Duisburg, crash landed at Middleton St George; DBR 30.11.44


First issued to #428(B) Squadron in Jul.44, then to #434(B) in Dec.44. Returned to Canada on 11.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-V' used for Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S., put into storage at Vulcan; SOC 8.3.48


Arrived in U.K. 15.3.45 and stored in various M.U.'s. Retained in Britain (RAF) and scrapped; SOC 7.5.47


Issued to #428(B) Squadron in Aug.44; During a raid on 16/17 Jan.45(P)J.Craton & crew attacked by by FW190, no claim, no damage. On 31 Mar was on operation to oil plant at Zeitz; (P)D.Payne & crew fired on Me262, gunner claimed strikes on E/A; seen on fire and down through the clouds. Flown by (P)F/O W.G.Campbell & crew on 27.4.45 training flight; Returned to Canada with #428 Sqdrn on 31.5.45 as code 'NA-W'; into storage at Penhold; SOC 13.5.47


Built by Victory Aircraft at Malton in Apr.44. Flown to England in Jul.44. Assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Sep.44; Crash-landed in France after the only raid on Wiesbaden on its 15th Op.; Killed were (P)(F/L D.E.Berry,) F/L C.Order, F/O C.Walford, P/O (AG)K.M.Hammond, (B)F.E.Hogan, J.C.Harris MiD RAF. POW's were P/O C.M.Roche, & one RAF crew; 2/3.2.45


Flown to England, issued to #428(B) Squadron in Jul.44. On 12.9.44 the crew brought this aircraft back from a raid on Dortmund in which the aircraft was damaged; a landing was attempted at Woodbridge on the long runway the port tyre blew; (AG)F/L J.J.Flood was killed but the rest of the crew survived; (P)F/L R.Curtis was badly wounded in the head and the rest of the crew combined to make a landing at Woodbridge for their effort the following were awarded decorations, F/L D.Mcgillivary DSO, R.Curtis DSO(DFM), F/L Hugh Smith DFC, F/O Chas.Wattie DFC, R.Marshall DFC, Sgt J.Rose DFM. In January 1945 the aircraft was back at Middleton St George and on a cross-country flight, caught fire in air and crashed Lingfield Farm, Co Durham; Crew survived (P) F/L D.Lamont, (N) F/O/ J.MacFadden, (B) F/O L.Hanley, (WO) FS K.Kell, (AG) Sgt T.McLeod, (E) Sgt M.Tegert, (AG) Sgt TMcClelland; 13.1.45


Flown to England in Jul.44; Issued to #428(B) Sqdrn. in Sep.44 as code 'NA-V'.On 31 Mar.45(P)R.Hay & crew attacked by ME262, no claim, no damage. Returned to Canada 2.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S. into storage at Pearce; SOC 16.1.47


Flown by (P)R.Qwinn & crew were attacked by ME262, no claim, no damage. Swung on landing undercarriage raised to stop, at Middleton St George DBR 7.4.45


Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Jul.44, was damaged on 8.1.45 repaired and returned to this Sqdrn. Returned to Canada 7.6.45 with #431 as code 'SE-R' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, stored at Penhold SOC22.1.47 scrap


Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Sep.44. Went missing on operation to Dessau, using 81 Can. Lancs; (AG) F/O B.T.MacNeil, (AG) F/O R.L.Mitchell, (N) F/O W.E.Short, P/O E.V.Beach, R.T.Wilson killed; FS H Cole POW, & FS D.Jamieson evaded; 7/8.3.45


Arrived on #428(B) Squadron strength in Sep.44; On an attack on Cologne; went missing on raid to Opladen; shot down 7 miles N. at Leverkusen after a 328 a/c raid on the marshalling yards; Killed were (P)F/O E.W.Page, A.A.Dixon, R.A.Ebber, K.O.McDivit, (N)S.D.Hewson, (AG)F/O (A.T.LeBlanc), Sgt G.Owen RAF crew; 27/28.12.44.


This was the 100th Canadian Lancaster produced and a ceremony was conducted in which the aircraft was christened 'The Moose' by Mrs. Ross the wife of A/C A.D.Ross G.C on 7.8.44. Flown to England. Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Sep.44. Crashed on this two-part raid on the synthetic-oil plant, Merseburg(LEUNA). Crashed near Schweinfurt,Ger. Killed was (P) F/O(N.R.Vatne); went down with aircraft after the rest of the crew parachuted; POW's were N.V.Hoas, H.P.Eager, FS E.Chatwin, R,J.Wood, Sgt B.C.Mitchell, P/O R.C.Wood; 15 Ops; was shot down by nightfighter from below over Schweinfurt; a 573-a/c raid; 15.1.45; 15th Op; Two aircraft from this squadron were lost (KB769) & from #431(B). (KB806)


Delivered to England in Sep.44. Lost on a special operation to demonstrate the over-whelming superiority of the Allied Air Forces with 1013 Heavy Bombers from Bomber Command with RAF fighter escort over the target in daylight at 17/20000 ft releasing 2,000,000 lbs HE, 300,000 lbs incendiaries. #6 Group contributed 260 (Can.) a/c; 40 Lancasters from #419 and #428 Squadrons; the aircraft arrived over Duisburg soon after 0900 hours, most of the #6 Group crews bombed the built-up area between the river and the marshalling yards; kb800 crashed near Lohnmann Sheilds, Ger.; Killed were F/O J.N.Therreault, P/O R.G.Manwell, L.C.Levasseur, R.H.Bowen, G.Adams RAF, (N)(H.Sigal,); (P)F/O A.M.Roy was the only surviver & became POW from this exploding aircraft on Duisburg raid; Operation."HURRICANE'; 29hrs; SOC14.10.44


Flown to England in Nov.44; assigned to #428(B) Sqdrn; then to #431(B) Squadron in Dec.44; Flew on the raid to Hamburg 31.3.45 and the encounter with many Me262's from Luffwaffe; Staffel III/JG.7; the rear gunner shot down an Me262, and a second Me262 claimed as damaged, WO W. Kuchma was awarded a DFC. The (P) F/O C.E.G.Heaven and crew returned safely to Croft, Yorks. kb801 returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431 Sqdrn as code 'SE-S' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; converted to Mk.10S; issued to #103(RU) at Greenwood, N.S. and used as trainer for naval exercises/fighter affiliation, SOS 8.5.56; scrap


Flown to England in Nov.44; assigned to #431(B) Sqdrn. On operation of 7/8 Mar.45 (P)J.Duggan & crew were attacked by FW190; strikes seen, claim damage. Returned to Canada with #431 Sqdrn as code 'SE-V' on 7 Jun.45 assigned to #662(HB) Wing, Tiger Force at Dartmouth.N.S; Stored at Penhold, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47


Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44; Lost power on practice flight and crashed on force landing at Yafforth, York. DBR 26.1.45


Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Nov.44. On raid to Boden 5.11.44 was attacked by 2 nightfighters; Killed were (P)F/O L.A.Blaney, (RG)FS D.H. Lanclot wounded & awarded DFM. Lost on this last Bomber Command raid on Dortmund with a/c from #1, 3, 6, & 8(B) Groups, a 514 a/c raid; Hit by Flak and set on fire, all parachuted except (P) F/O(L.A.Blaney) was killed when a/c exploded (N)P/O D.Hanna's parachute failed to open, all others parachuted (B)F/O P.Owen, P/O A.Kindret, FS R.Althan, FS L.Nozzolillo, 1 RAF crew, became POW's 21.2.45


This aircraft was sent to the United Statets for trials of the American-built Emerson remote gun control system; flown to England Nov.44; held at #5MU, Kemble, Glos.; retained in England following the war; used by Tactical Fighter Unit (TFU); storage at various RAF M.U.'s; SOC 3.7.47


Flown to England, delivered to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44; lost on raid to the synthetic-oil plant in Merseburg in a 573-a/c raid (LEUNA) lost over Merseberg on a collison with an Me109 and exploded. Killed were (P)F/O M.A.MacLeod, G.R.R.Craib, (N)C.Gurevitch MiD, P/O C.B.MacDonell, WO(AG)(O.J.Rau,) FS J.Mann RAF, POW was FS D.S.Cockwell 15.1.45


Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44 at Croft. Returned to Canada on 5.6.45 with #431(B) Sqdrn as code 'SE-B' for use with Tiger Force, #662 (HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Penhold; SOC 22.1.47


Flown to England. Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44 at Croft. Diverted to Metherington after raid on 28/29 Jan.45 due to poor weather at base. Missing on a 227 bomber daylight raid to Hildesheim; Hit by flak & blew up over target; lost were (P) F/L J.P.Duggan, F/O G.A.Zuback, G.D.Mclean, J.W.Donell, P/O F.B.Trent, J.B.Ketchen, FS (AG)C.E.Root, Sgt J.H.Bentley RAF; SOC 22.3.45


Flown to England in Nov.44; assigned to #431(B) Sqdrn. in Nov.44 at Croft; went missing on 514 a/c raid to Dortmund; Killed were P/O J.W.Kopp, (WAG) L.E.Hoffman, F.E.Newman, W.S.Dickson; POW's were F/O MacGugan, WO Lehman, FS Darley; 20/21.2.45


Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44 at Croft; On 14/15 Jan.45 (P)A.Huchala & crew were attacked by ME262 on last pass fighter was hit & dove to the ground; returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431 Sqdrn as code 'SE-H' for use with Tiger Force, #662 (HB) Wing, Dartmouth; stored at Vulcan; SOC 8.3.48


Flown to England and issued to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44 at Croft; damaged by KB832 on 22 Mar.45; landed at base; unhurt were (P)H.Payne, F/O E.Bishop, R.Pritchard, WO J.Joohnson, FS G.Hall, FS W.Williams, Sgt J.Housely RAF; returned to Canada with #431 Sqdrn on 7.6.45 as code 'SE-T' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 27.8.50


Flown to England in Jun.44; issued to 431(B) Squadron at Croft; returned to Canada on 5.6.45 with #431 Sqdrn as code 'SE-F' for use with Tiger Force, #662 (HB) Wing, Dartmouth; stored at Claresholm; SOC6.4.50


Left Victory plant in Sep.44; Delivered to #431(B) Squadron in Sep.44; Dove into ground on training flight near Tingrith, Beds. Fire and explodsion killed (B) P/O (J.E.Schwerdfager,) G.P.Wrigley, (N)R.K.Gillis, FS A.Malaidack, H.R.Irwin, H.R.Yerdon, and one RAF crew; SOC 25.10.44


Flown to England and assigned to #434(B) Squadron by Aug.44 with code WL-S, 'Hello Sugar'; shortly after reassigned to #428(B) as NA-N then by Nov.44 was attached to #419(B) as VR-N; Lost on an operation to Hagen; hit by Flak & crashed near Fishlin,Ger; Killed were (N) P/O C.W.Parrish, (WAG) (C.H.Vickery), F/O(P)H.R.Hennessey, P/O M.W.Breden, POW's were FS Ginter, FS Bowman, FS Bristow; 267 a/c raid, 15/16.3.45


Assigned to #419(B) Squadron in Oct.44; reassigned to #431(B) in Nov.44; Diverted to Metherington on 28/29 Jan.45 due to weather at base; on 7/8 Mar was hit by flak; landed at Boscombe Down due to fuel shortage. Lost on night operation to Hagen, a 267 a/c raid; crashed near Perwez (Brabrant) with (P)F/L R.R.Haw, A.G.Edwards, F/O Geo.H.Davis, J.L.Morin, P/O(AG)R.E.Horne, A.C.Harris RAF, (AG)P/O (P.P.Repsys,) no survivers; 15/16.3.45.


Flown to England in Dec.44; first assigned to #434(B) Squadron in Dec.44; then reassigned to #428(B) Sqdrn. in Feb.45; On 31 Mar. (P)D.Brown & crew attacked by ME262, no claim, no damage. Was on daylight raid to Hamburg on 31.3.45 engaging in aerial combat with Me262 over target, rear-gunner fired up to 40 rounds at aircraft on port quarter, made no claim. With (P) E.Acree over-shot landing (crew uninjured) at Church Broughton; DBR 14.4.45 (4 Mon.)


Flown to England in Oct.44; assigned to #431(B) Squadron in Oct.44; lost on a raid on Homberg (Oberhausen) to attack the Meerbeck oil plant; out of a bomber force of 226 only 159 attempted to bomb; crashed near Linne,Ger. with the loss of (P)F/O (D.D.Connor,) P/O R.C.Joiner, The POW's were P/O J.B.Ogg, WO J.T.Patterson, C.W.Leppington, R.B.Page, Sgt J.M.Campbell; 1.11.44; went missing with 76 hrs.


Flown to England by Oct.44; assigned to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44; swung during emergency landing at Ford; survivors were F/O D.Bowdiggin,P/O N.Larman, J.Cerveth, J.Fanset, I.Stwart, Sgt C.Garbutt, FS A.J.Johnston; DBR 7.2.45


Flown to England and assigned to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44; On 21/22 Feb.45 (P)J.Laurie & crew were attacked by E/A, no claim, no damage. Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431 Sqdrn as code 'SE-J' for use with Tiger Force, #662 (HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 15.4.50


Assigned to #428(B) Squadron in Nov.44; had accident on 3.12.44 at Croft; On operation on 16/17 Jan.45 (P)V.Gaskin & crew were hit by flak -holes in wing/tailplane, attacked by Me110 no claim, no further damage; landed safely; again on 21/22 Feb. was attacked by E/A no claim, no damage.
Later flown by F/O Geo. Frail Pilot, P/O David "Curley" Rawlings R/G, F/S Dusty Smith W.A.G, F/ O Charlie Carroll Bomb Aimer, F/L Hal Parker Navigator, P/O Mac McIntosh Engineer, W/O Rusty Peppin Mid Upper Gunner. Enteries from my fathers log book are 7/3/45 ops to Dessau. 14/3/45 ops to zweibrucken. 31/3/45 ops to Hamburg. 4/4/45 ops to Meresburg. 13/4/45 ops to Kiel. 16/4/45 ops to Schwandorf. 22/4/45 ops to Bremen. 25/4/45 ops to Wangerooge. 31/5/45 left M.S.G. for St. Mawgan 1st leg for home. This crew also had these ops in Lanc E to Cologne 2/3/45. Lanc G to Essen 11/3/45.Lanc B to Hagen 15/3/45. Lanc G to Hanover 25/3/45. Lanc D to Hamburg 8/4/45. My father was P/O David "Curley" Rawlings R/G . (courtesy Barry D. Rawlings. North Bay Ontario)
Left Middleton St. George for Canada on 31.5.45 (pilot F/L G. Frail); grounded for 21 days in Lagens for repairs; Lagens to Gander on 26/6/1945; Gander to Dartmouth 29/6/1945; The aircraft was to continue serving with #428 Sqdrn as code 'NA-M' for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 6.4.50



Flown to England and assigned to #431(B) Squadron at Croft on 9.11.44; went missing on a night 482-a/c raid on Hanover/Hanau. Lost were the crew of F/L B.M.Adilman, L.K.James, (N)(G.R.Pool,) F/O(AG)A.W.Staves, T.McQuilty, (AG)W.G.Gillisie, (B)F.J.Nickerson; 6/7.1.45


Delivered to #431(B)Sdrn in Oct.44; On 4/5 Nov.44(P)G.Kercher & crew were attacked by FW190, no claim, no damage; Collided with KB831 and crashed in sea off Norderney 25.4.45, a 482-bomber raid on (Wangerooge) last bomber operation for #6(B) Group, with a loss of (P)F/O D.G/Baker, L.H.Angus, J.D.Cruickshank, WO P.E.Hendrickson, FS L.U.Hiatt, Sgt J.N.Simms RAF, (AG)FS (J.J.Roy ).


First assigned to #419(B) Sqdrn; in Oct.44 transferred to #431(B) Squadron; Returned to Canada with #431 Sqdrn on 5.6.45 as code 'SE-E' for use with Tiger Force, #662 (HB) Wing, Dartmouth; stored at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.48; disposed of on 15.4.48


Flown to England by Oct.44; first assigned to #419(B) Squadron code unknown; then to #434(B) Sqdrn. at Croft in Dec.44; On 14/15 Feb.45 (P)R.Fern & crew were attacked by E/A no claim, no damage; had an accident 24.2.45; Returned to Canada on 8.6.45 with #434 Sqdrn as code 'WL-E' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth; stored at Penhold; SOC 22.1.47 scrap


Flown to England assigned to #428(B) Squadron by Oct.44; code unknown; reassigned to #434(B) Sqdrn. in Dec.44;Returned to Canada on 8.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #662 (HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S. with #434 Sqdrn as code 'WL-A'; stored at Claresholm; SOC 22.1.47


Returned to Canada on 8.6.45 with #434 (B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-K'; converted to a Mk 10N arriving at Central Navigational School, RCAF Summerside on 25.10.48; coded 'VC-CQD'; nicknamed 'Orion'; the first of the type to be converted; Stored at Mountain View; SOC 28.5.57; bought & scrapped by Ajax Aircraft,Toronto (price $2000)


Flown to England, assigned to #431(B) Squadron in Nov.44; had two crashes but repaired. On operation of 20/21 Mar.45 (P)J.Keates & crew were attacked byJu88 no claim, no damage. Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm SOC 22.1.47 scrap


Crashed on delivery flight to England at Gander, swung on landing; DBR 24.9.44


Assigned to #434(B) Squadron in Dec.44; Returned to Canada on 11.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-C' 'Canada' We Sure Do' with 30 Ops; for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Vulcan; SOC 8.3.48


Assigned to #434(B) Squadron in Dec.44; Returned to Canada with #434(B) Sqdrn on 8.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Vulcan; SOC 8.3.48


Delivered to #431(B)Sdrn in Dec.44; Lost with (P)F/L(R.J.Stingle,) B.D.Emmet, F/O W.E.Hanna, WO C.R.Mark, FS R.J.Mellon, Sgt F.Smith RAF, Sgt D.Faulkner RAF. Collided with Lancaster KB822 over Nordeney on raid to Wangerooge; crashed in the Baltic Sea; 25.4.45; last bombing raid for #6 Group; Of the two aircraft there were no survivors.


Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Dec.44; reissued #434(B) Squadron in Jan.45 as code WL-F; On 14/15 Jan.45 was attacked by twin-engine E/A; shot it down; Lost on take off for a daylight raid to Hildesheim; aircraft swung on take off and left the runway; undercarriage collapsed and fire then broke out between port engines and below port wing; aircraft was abandoned by escape hatches and crew door without injury; after burning for 37 minutes a 4000 pound bomb exploded making a large crater.
Pilot was F/O Horace Frederick "Tom" Payne RCAF with crewmembers, Sgt J. Housely RAF, F/O E. Bishop RCAF, F/O R. Pritchard RCAF, W/O2 J. Johnson RCAF, F/Sgt G. Hall RCAF, F/Sgt W. Williams RCAF



Flown to England; issued to #419(B) Squadron first, then reissued to #434(B) in Dec.44; Returned to Canada with #434 Sqdrn on 8.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S. having nose art 'Bluenose Dads' & 26 Operation marks; storage at Vulcan; SOC 8.5.48


Issued to #434(B) Squadron in Dec.44; 7/8 Mar were attacked by Ju88; Enemy aircraft damaged after 200 rounds fired; landed at Thorney Island; short of fuel. Went missing on a daylight raid to Essen; The CO of #431(B) W/C R.F.Davenport and all crew were lost (two of the three Lancasters lost were Canadian); this was the last RAF raid on Essen in the war; 186 aircraft from #6 Group; (P) F/L Raymond J.Fern, (N)F/L (A.G.Rowe DFC,)F/O G.Scott, T.D.Copeland, J.R.Latremouille, P/O W.T.Jones RAF; were killed; rear gunner F/O H.B. Marceau survived taken POW; shot down by flak 11.3.45


Flown to England and issued to #434(B) Squadron in Dec.44; Went missing 16.3.45 on a raid to Hagen; shot down by Ju88 over Landen; Killed were (P)F/O (Jack.O.Stewart DFC ,)(N)F/O L.W.Armstrong,F/O J.D.Ball, WO J.A.Whitehead, Sgt W.G.White, Sgt T.C.Kossaty, only survivor P/O J.H.Ayotte became POW; 16.3.45


Issued to #434(B) Squadron in Dec.44; Returned to Canada with #434 Sqdrn on 7.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S. nose art ñThe Hairy Chap' with 26 Ops; Into storage at Vulcan; SOC 8.3.48


Flown to England and issued to #431(B) Squadron in Dec.44; returned to Canada with #431 Sqdrn on 7.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 24.8.50


Issued to #428(B) Squadron in Dec.44; returned to Canada with #428 Sqdrn on 31.5.45 for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; stored at N.Calgary; SOC 15.5.48 15.4.48?


Built with Packard built Rolls-Royce Merlin 224 engines flight-tested 2.9.44; Flown to England 1.1.45; to #32 Maintenance Unit, St.Athan, Glamorgan, Wales; to #431(B) Squadron as code SE-G, then to #419(B) Squadron as code VR-D; Returned to Canada with #419 Sqdrn as code 'VR-D' "Daisy" on 5.6.45 as part of Tiger Force, #661 Wing at Yarmouth, N.S.; sent to Avro Canada at Malton; one of three converted to Mk10AR including the added equipment such as six camera positions, search/navigational radar, electronic surveillance aerials, and new nose and rear fairing, with the survival equipment in the rear turret; used by #405(MR) Sqdrn. Transferred to #408(P) until taken out of service in 1961, stored at Dunnville, Ont; returned to Greenwood in 1964 as a proposed pedestal mount; then repainted in #419 Sqdrn colours and preserved at RCAF Greenwood; now preserved in G.M.A. Museum. Had a new paint scheme, code 'AF-A' applied for the RCAF anniversary in 1999. The Greenwood Museum has restored KB839 to resemble Lancasters which flew out or RCAF Station Greenwood from 1949 until they were replaced by the Neptune in 1955.

In 2013 the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum began the multi-year restoration of this aircraft to the wartime livery of JB226, a 405 Pathfinder Sqn Lancaster with 60 missions. The nose was shortened, the aircraft repainted, and the turrets are being reinstalled. Future plans include the restoration of the interior as well.



Assigned to 428 and 434 squadrons; Returned to Canada on 8.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-N' for use with #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 22.1.47


Delivered to #419 in Jan.45; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-A' for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth; Stored at North Calgary; SOC 15.4.48


First issued to #419(B) then to #434(B) Squadron; lost on a raid to Chemitz (Oper."Thunderclap"); six aircraft were lost this night from #6 Group mostly due to icing, kb842 crash-landed after being damaged by Ju88 and collided with a Halifax over Chemitz; 5/6.3.45, a 760 a/c raid; no record of casualties.


Flown to England in Dec.44 issued to #434(B) Squadron as code WL-Q; then to #428(B) on 31 Mar.45 as code NA-I; Returned to Canada with #428(B) Sqdrn as code 'NA-D' by (P)F/O D.R.Walsh and crew for use with Tiger Force #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; Stored at N.Calgary; SOC 13.5.47 scrap

- The following information regarding KB-843 is provided courtesy of Tony Walsh, son of F/L David Walsh who flew KB-843.

Lancaster KB-843 saw 32 bombing missions, but the last one had the most historic significance. As NA-D in RCAF 428 Ghost Squadron, it was the last Group 6 Bomber to land and last RCAF aircraft of any type to log combat time in WWII.

There was a commendable reason why my Dad's Lanc NA-D "Dolly" was last to land on the last raid of the war (Wangerooge - daylight mission / April 25, 1945):

IE: Relocating and calling for rescue of those that were seen parachuting towards the water from two Lancs that collided on the outward leg over the North Sea, in view ahead and below my Dad's Lanc. He had navigator mark the spot, continued enroute to target (in radio silence), dropped bombs and then instead of returning direct to Middleton St. George base, he backtracked (at some risk) to the location of the downed crew/s. By miracle they found the spot and descended and saw 6 may-wests and water-marker-dye in the ocean under late daylight haze. They sent SOS radio message and very short on fuel circled on station over the site until amphib rescue PBY Catalina from English coast could be seen and had a fix on them. My Dad immediately departed and just made it to coastal base Carnaby on last of fuel. This was last raid of the war and thus my Dad's Lanc KB-843 was last RCAF and last group 6 aircraft to land from combat mission. Subsequently he and his crew learned that 6 bodies wearing may-wests were recovered and no survivors due to hypothermia and injury.

KB-843's regular crew was. Mid-Upper Gunner: F/S Ted Taylor / Tail Gunner: F/S Norm Pratt / Bomb Aimer: F/O Arnold Lindsay / Pilot: F/L David Walsh / Navigator: F/O Jim Harris / Wireless Operator: P/O Ken Daley / Engineer: Sgt. Jim Hope (English).

Two days later they returned to Middleton St. George Base. F/L Walsh flew his KB-843 back to Canada via RAF St. Mawgan, Lagens - Azores, Gander to Yarmouth NS between May 31 to June 8, 1945 with his full crew (but with British Engineer replaced by F/O Dempsey) plus passenger F/O Ted Lindsay who joined when his Lanc B-Baker ditched in the sea on approach to Lagens - Azores.



Assigned to #419(B) in Nov.44; Reassigned to #434(B) Sqdrn. in Dec.44; Returned to Canada with #434 on 8.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; propellor spinners paint light blue; into storage at Pearce; SOC 8.3.48


Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Dec.44; crashed while returning from a 760-a/c raid to Chemnitz; Before getting clear of the circuit the aircraft iced up and dove into ground near Drayton Parsloe, Buck. Killed were (P)F/O C.L Reitlo, (AG)G.J.Hollinger, W.N.Dewitt, P/O (N)J.E.Hanley, J.A.King, N.R.Poole, (WAG)P/O (F.R.Leet); 5/6.3.45


Flown to England in Jan.45; issued 1st to #428(B) then to #434(B) Squadron; shot down by Ju88 on a raid to Hagen; crashed near Margrath,Holland Killing five and two taken POW, they were F/L R.W.Newton, (B)R.C.Hamell, F/O (E.R.Evans,) P/O G.T.Liewellan, (WAG)D.C.Graham killed, and POW's were F/L Craton, F/O Gray; a 267 a/c raid; 15/16.3.45;


Flown to England issued to #431(B) Squadron in Jan.45; Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431(B) as code 'SE-R' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; Stored at Claresholm; SOC 24.8.50


Delivered to #428(B)Squadron in Jan.45; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #428(B) as code 'NA-G'; converted on 23.1.57 to Mk10DC for trials with Ryan Firebee drones under outer wings; code 'PX848' (1959/60) AAED firebee trials (Jun.55-Feb.57); spent a short while at Greenwood (61); SOC 3.4.64; nose only at Canada Aviation Museum


Flown to England in Dec.44; issued #434(B); Returned to Canada on 8.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-T' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; prop-spinners painted a light blue; stored at Claresholm; SOC 6.4.50


Flown to England, 1st to #419(B) Sqdrn. then to #434(B) Squadron in Dec.44; lost on raid to Braunkohle-Benzin synthetic-oil plant, a night raid on Zietz. Lost were (P)F/L A.Kiehlbauch, F/O (N)C.C.Shaw, (B)N.G.Fadden, P/O W.D.Martin, A.G.Carolan, W.T.Wilson, (FE)(D.Turner.); 16/17.1.45


Flown to England in Jan.45; On raid to Hagen 15/16.3.45 c/o, W/C M.E. Ferguson flying VR-W was attacked by nightfighter, no damage (P)F/O D.B. Lambroughton,(RG)FS A.M.Dennis; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-W; converted on 23.1.57 to Mk10DC for trials with Ryan Firebee drones under outer wings; coded 'PX851' (1959/60); was at Cold Lake; SOC 28.8.61


Flown to England in Dec.44; issued to #434(B); Returned to Canada on 11.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-R' for use with "Tiger Force", #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S. with crew #136 consisting of (P)WO C.Ferris, F/O R.R.Wilson, Sgt C.A.Barber, WO S.D.Martin, Sgt A.M.Rowan, FS K.G.Salmond, & Sgt J.Grindo; prop-spinners painted light blue; stored at Vulcan; SOC 8.3.48


Issued to #431(B) Squadron on 16.11.44; went missing on raid to Essen in which the CO W/C R.F.Davenport and crew were killed; a 1079 a/c raid; CO (P)W/C R.F.Davenport, F/O(N)D.K.Hector, W.Rink, P/O (WAG)C.W.Fraser, A.C.Pettifor, C.R.Lecky,(AG)P/O (H.G.Bishop,) were killed. Hit over Essen; a victim of flak; SOC 11.3.45


This was the last Lancaster Mk10 to be equipped with the Fraser-Nash, hydraulically powered mid-upper turret; Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Jan.45; On raid to Ludwigshaven 1.2.45 was shot at by two Me410's, one was shot down by (MU)P/O D.W.Storme,(P)F/L A.W.Halket; Returned to Canada on 5.6.45 with #419(B) as code 'VR-T' for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; was still at Yarmouth on 8.3.46; stored at Claresholm; SOC 5.10.55


This was the first Lancaster Mk10 to be equipped with the Martin mid-upper turret; Issued to #428(B) Squadron in Dec.44; following 528 a/c raid to Dortmund hit trees on landing Middleton St George DBR 20.2.45


Flown to England in Mar.45; issued to #431(B) Squadron; Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431(B) Sqdrn as code 'SE-K' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth; stored at Medicine Hat; SOC 22.1.47


Returned to Canada on 5.6.45 with #419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-N' for Use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Dartmouth; converted to Mk10MR in 1950; issued to #405(MR) Sqdrn with code VC-AGN; then to #407(MR) as RX857 (57); 2nd #407 A/C to be retired to Ft. Macleod on 23.5.58. SOC 2.9.58

KB857's TRIP FROM COMOX TO FORT MACLEOD -by Marty Plumstead

In May 1958, Lanc 857 was scheduled for retirement from No. 407 Squadron at Comox. F/L Don Cox as Capt, and myself were to fly it via Summerside and Centralia ON and then to Fort MacLeod. We took some people from Comox to Summerside, PEI with a refuelling stop at Winnipeg. The next day, 24 May, we flew from Summerside to Centralia. We had to refuel somewhere along the way to Fort MacLeod and as I remember, Don Cox was from somewhere in Southern Ontario, and my parents lived just down the road in Paris, so Centralia was our choice. May 25th then became a family visiting day. Back in those days it was pretty easy to add in a "crew rest day" for visiting purposes, especially on a ferry flight such as this. The leg from Centralia to Fort MacLeod was on 26 May.

We had quite a bit of notice, so I suggested to Don that we should get out and practice some short field landings since FM's runways were only, what?, 2800 ft long? Don rather poo-poo'd my idea, so I thought OK you're the Capt. (Assuming that he would want to do the final arrival). Basic rule: Do not assume anything. Don took the leg out of Comox and it didn't take me long to figure out that I would be in the left seat for the final leg. However, at about Regina, I said to Don: Well, it's about time to switch seats, right? Oh no he says, you can take it into FM (Fort Macleod). Obviously he never did want to land at FM - the rascal. The problem was that all of us were so used to landing on 11/29 at Comox which was 8000 ft long that the prospects of landing on 2800 ft were a bit daunting.

Anyway, we only had about 300 gallons of fuel remaining so were quite light. I got the airspeed right down there and the landing went quite well. Nearing the end of the rollout, the Lanc seemed to be taxying quite sluggishly. The Flt Eng looked out the window behind me, and suddenly yelled: Holy s--t, keep it moving. We're going to go through the pavement! I looked out and there was a big wave of pavement in front of the left wheel! I managed to get it up on the firmer ramp area, and as we looked back down the runway, we could see the wheel tracks where we had ploughed up a good bit of old asphalt. However, that runway was closed so I didn't feel too bad about it. The reason I landed on a closed runway (it had big yellow crosses on it) was that there was a fair breeze blowing down the closed runway, and I felt that I had enough challenge with the short runway, and didn't want to have to cope with a strong crosswind on the non-closed runway. Lancs operated off English bogs in WW2, so what's the problem with a closed runway? I found out!



Flown to England delivered to #431(B) Squadron in Feb.45; went missing on a raid to Chemitz; crashed due to icing along with 8 other a/c from #6(B) Group; crashed near Hanover killing (P) F/O (S.A.Reid,) (N)F/O H.J.Feldham, (B)H.J.Beaton, P/O (FE)C.B.MacDonald, (AG)H.R.Harris, (AG)H.Guttormson, (AG)Sgt W.A.Salisbury RAF; all killed; 5/6.3.45


Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Lost on raid to Harburg/Hamburg in which considerable damage was done to houses, factories, communications, energy supply, but was supposed to target the Blohm & Voss shipyard; daylight; shot down & crashed near Hittfield,Ger;F/O P.B.Dennison,(N) (M.Hartog,,) F.R.Alty, J.J.Casey, P/O A.Dorey, Sgt L.J.Mercer RAF were killed and (P)F/L Hurley became POW; a 469 a/c raid;SOC 31.3.45


Flown to the UK Nov.44 and delivered to #419(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-L' at Yarmouth, N.S. as part of #661(HB) Wing; Stored at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.48


Flown to England in Jan.45; issued to #431(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431(B) Sqdrn as code 'SE-Q' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; SOC 24.8.54


Flown to England in Jan.45; issued to #434(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Returned to Canada on 11.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-M'; for use with #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; light blue spinners; stored at Penhold; SOC 22.147


Left the Victory plant in Oct.44. Flown to England in Jan.45; assigned to #434(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Returned to Canada on 8.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-P' 'Piccadilly Circus' with 19 Ops. and light blue spinners for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; Flown back by crew (P)F/O J.T.Dawson, (N)F/O Gosling, (N)F/O W.McCauley,(C/P)FS W.R.Benn, (WAG)F/O J.E.M.Read, (E)FS R.V.Taylor, (AG)FS R.J.Spratt; stored at Penhold; SOC 22.1.47


Flown to the UK in Jan.45 and issued to #428(B) Squadron in Feb.45; not on operations; selected to do a tour of Canada to support the sale of Canada Bonds with the code 'NA-S' 'Sugar Blues' with crew (P) F/L S.Mutch, (N) F/O J.M.Day, (B) F/O C.V.Barsanti, (E) F/O S.Canningo, (CC)FS Hoosan,(AG)FS V.Trueman,(AG) Sgt W.H.Whiteside, H.Pierson, & Sgt Sheppard; returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #428 Sqdrn as code 'NA-S'; the aircraft carried the nose art "Sugar's Blues" painted by Tom Walton; stored at Pearce, Alta. 1945; SOC 16.1.47


Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-E'; converted to Mk10MR in 1950; issued to #407(MR) in 1954 as 'RX865; SOC 2.6.60
* According to Jim Cave, KB-865 was his father's, Flt/Lt. H.H.M. Cave's, favourite aircraft.



Delivered to #419(B) Squadron in Feb.45 at Middleton St George; lost on 13/14.4.45 on raid to Kiel; missing were crew (P) F/O Donald W. Wincott, (B) F/O C.R.Loft, (N )P/O W.Henderson, (FE) FS C.C.MacLaren, (AG) Sgt G.J.Jones, (AG) (Sgt G.A.Livingston,) (AG) FS E.R.Wightman; this and one other Lancaster lost from #6(B) Group; the last members to lose their lives in this Squadron before VE Day; 13/14.4.45; 4 Ops


Flown to England in Nov.44; issued to #428(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Returned to Canada on 31.5.45 with #428(B) Sqdrn. as code 'NA-L' for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; into storage; SOC 15.4.48


According to the flight logbook belonging to Thomas Hugh Bremner (RCAF 2nd Radio Op), Lancaster KB868 flew from Malton to Dorval to Goose Bay on 20 November, 1944 and from Goose Bay to Prestwick on 25 November.

Issued to #431(B) Squadron in Mar.45.; Returned to Canada on 5.6.45 with #431(B) as code 'SE-E' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; Converted to Mk10MP; issued to #405(MP) in 1952 with code 'VC-AGS'; SOC 23.6.55



Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Lost on a daylight raid with 469 a/c on Harburg; crew (P)F/O D.S.Bowes, (N) F/O J.J.Gladish, (WAG)(FS B.MacLennan), (AG)Sgt F.Rea; POW'S were (FE)FS G.R.Berry,(AG)FS W.H.Milne, (AG)FS R.M.Rowlands; shot down in flames possibly by Me262 jet-fighters from Luffwaffe III/JG.7; crashed 10 miles S of Target (Berry,Milne,& Rowlands POW's)


Delivered to #419(B) Squadron in Feb.45; lost on a 268 a/c raid to Hagen; six Lancasters lost; this aircraft was shot down by fighter but were over Allied lines when aircraft exploded; four parachuted to safety; they were (P)F/L M.W.Mclaughlin, F/O D.R.Charbonneau, B.V.Saunders, FS W.W.Lightfoot; the following were killed in the crash (WAG)F/O E.B.Carleton) (N)P/O H.L. Garrioch, A.Sutherland; SOC 15/16.3.45


Flown to England in Feb.45; issued to #419(B) Squadron then #431(B); Returned to Canada on 14.6.45 with #420(B) "Snowy Owl" Sqdrn. as code 'PT-E; converted to Mk10MR in 1950; issued to #407(MR) in Sep.52 as code 'RX871'; On 3.12.54 was successful in assisting the rescue of H.M.C.S.CEDARWOOD in Hecate Straits setting down in Sandspit for the night. Next morning heavy sleet covered the aircraft and with all of Glycol from CPA unit finally got airborne at 1545 hrs. Off into cloud from 100 to 10,000 ft and decided the best was to take a compass heading of 270' until clear of cloud then head east at 90', finally over Alberta saw the lights of Calgary and at 0300 hrs.5.12.54 touched down at Lethbridge City Airport. The aircraft was flown to #10(RD) for repairs then back to Comox. SOC 6.9.60


Flown to England in Feb.45; 1st issued to #431(B) then to #434(B) Squadron; not on operations; Returned to Canada with #431 Sqdrn. as code 'SE-N' for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S. on 7.6.45; Into storage; SOC 22.1.47


may have been with #431 as code 'SE-L or G'?; Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with 434(B) Sqdrn. as code 'WL-G for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S; had blue prop-spinners (1945); into storage SOC 13.5.47


First issued Jan.45 to TRE (Telecommunication Research Establishment) (RAF) Defford; then to #431(B) Squadron in Feb.45; Lost after a raid to Hanover, crash-landed at Manston; all safe; DBR 25.3.45


Flown to England in Jan.45 and issued to #419(B) Squadron in May. 45; Transferred to #425(B) Sqdrn for the flight back to Canada on 15.6.45 as code 'KW-U' arriving at Debert, N.S for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing; into storage; Converted to Mk10MR and issued to #407(MR) Squadron


Flown to England in Jan.45; Issued to #425(B) Squadron in May.45; Return to Canada on 15.6.45 with #425(B) Sqdrn as code 'KW-L' for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; stored at Claresholm, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47


Flown to England in Feb.45; assigned to #408(B) Squadron on 15 May.45; Not on Ops; Returned to Canada with #408(B) Sqdrn on 17.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; stored at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.48


Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Mar.45; not on operations; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with 419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-I' for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; went to Borden as C.I. #A538 on 8.10.46; SOC 27.4.54


Issued to #428(B) Squadron in Mar.45; Lost on a cross-country flight out of Middleton-St-George; crashed near Sandon, Staff. with all the crew being killed; Dove into ground from 16,000 ft; Killed were F/L W.G.Campbell, FS S.Berryman, J.L.Tweedy, E.J. Wright, (WO T.D.Lawely), Sgt J.H.Kay & one RAF crew; 30.4.45;
please note additional details and a tribute to the crew at: www.airmuseum.ca/rcaf/crash.html



Issued to #434(B) in Mar.45; had an accident on 18.4.45; crew (P) F/L J.C.Kitchen, (N) P/O R.R.Higgs, (B) P/O J.Reman, (O) F/O C.F.Fiori, (E) FS C.E.Londry, (AG) WO G.A.Heisler, (AG) P/O F.D.Reid, LAC F.G.Chaproniere, LAC W.D.McKecknie returned this a/c to Canada on 8.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn. having nose art ñLollipop' and 9 Ops.; For use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 6.4.50


Issued to #419(B) Squadron in Mar.45.; Returned to Canada on 2.5.45 with #419(B) Sqdrn as code'VR-C' for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing,Yarmouth, N.S.; stored at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


Built in Dec.44 flown to England 24.2.45; issured to #32 (MU); assigned to #431(B) Sqdrn, no code; then to #428(B) Sqdrn as code NA-R being the second Lancaster to have that code; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #428 as code 'NA-R' 'Rabbit Stew', one of the few aircraft with nose art and having 19 Ops; the crew that flew back to Canada were (P) F/L A.L.Ross DFC, DFM, (N)F/O K.R.Fee DFC, (W/O)F/L. Aicken, (B/A)F/O E.K.Bergy,(F/E)F/O R.Loveday, (AG)F/O Dan Ferguson, (AG)F/O Bill Watson before long term storage in Alberta; record of KB882's flying time, Mar. 15/45 - Hagen - Night(N) - 7 hrs, 5 min, Apr. 4/45 - Merseberg - (N) - 9 hrs, 20 min. Apr. 8 - Hamburg - (N) - 6 hrs, 5 min. Apr. 9 - Upper Hayford/Base - 55 min. Apr.10 - Leipzig - Day(D) - 8 hrs, 30 min Apr.13 - Kiel - (N) - 6 hrs, 5 min. April 14/45 - Church Broughton/Base - 40 min. Apr.25 - Wangerooge - (D) - 4 hrs, 50 min. May 6 - Cross country - (N) - 5 hrs, 15 min. May 14 - Cross country - (D) - 3 hrs, 45 min. May 24 - Cross country - (D)- 4 hrs, 40 min. May 29 - Cross country - (N) - 4 hrs, 35 min. Jun. 1 - Middleton Ste.George to St. Mawgans - 2 hrs, 5 min. Jun. 6 - St. Mawgans to Lagens,Azores - 8 hrs, 42 min. Jun. 9th - Lagens to Gander,Nfld - 8 hrs 46 min. Jun.10 - Gander to Yarmouth,N.S. - 3 hrs 17 min; Arrived at Comox in Oct.52 as Mk10MR; In 1952 it was ferried to A.V. Roe (Canada) for a major overhaul and modification to Mk.10P (Photographic) configuration. The most noticable alteration was the addition of a 40 inch extension to the nose section.The second aircraft to be converted to Mk10P issued to #408(P) as code 'MN882' at RCAF Stn. Rockcliffe as part of Air Transport Command. With obvious lengthened nose to accommodate the AN/APS-42 navigation/weather radar, a can containing the UPD-501 passive intercept radar in the rear fuselage, an extensive array of antennas for radio. The bomb bay was fitted with two long-range fuel tanks and a pannier for baggage and spares; SOC 26.5.64. Lancasters are credited with photographing the vast majority of the Canadian high Arctic in the late 1940's and 1950's. After a long and distinguished service career with the RCAF, Lancaster KB882 was honorably retired at Dunnville, Ontario. On May 1st, 1964, the Crown Assets Disposal Corporation accepted a monetary offer from the City of Edmundston, .N.B. for the purchase of the aircraft. Shortly after it was flown from DND 6 Repair Depot, Trenton, Ontario to Fredericton, N.B. where it waited for the Edmundston site to be completed. On July 14, 1964, Captain Joseph (Pepi) DiGiacinto, pilot; Flight Sgt Derek Miller, co-pilot; Gerry Flemming, radio operator; Captain Keith Wyatt, navigator and flight Engineer, Jim Cochrane brought KB882 in from her final flight. The crew touched down at the Edmundston Municipal Airport where she was mounted on a pedestal at St Jacques Airport in its last operational colours, (for a short while had been seen in wartime camouflage as 'NA-R' (Rabbit Stew).
During 2017, ownership of the aircraft was transferred to the National Air Force Museum of Canada at Trenton, Ontario where it is currently under restoration.



Issued to #434(B) Squadron in Mar.45; no ops; Returned to Canada on 11.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-I' for use with #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; light blue spinners; converted to Mk10MR; issued to #407(MR) in 1953Den as code 'RX883'; modified to Mk.10MP in 1956 SOC 2.6.60.
On 14 August 1953, while taxiing at Sea Island with the starboard undercarraige rolling on grass KB 883 broke through a plank covered culvert with a sudden drop down to the wing root - fortunately no casualties, just a very quick engine shut down and aircraft evacuation, the crew returning to Comox via another aircraft. (Denis Rowden)



Flown to England in Mar.45; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-K'; converted to Mk10P; issued to #13(P) of #1 Photo Wing, #9(T) Group in the fall of 1945 for field-testing at Churchill, Man.; They experienced considerable cold weather problems. However the value of these aircraft as a camera platform were quickly appreciated, then because of the poor shape were placed as a C.I. #A526 on 1.8.46 (Camp Borden) SOC 4.8.49 scrap.





Issued 1st to #431(B) Squadrons; then to #420(B) on 24.4.45; Returned to Canada with #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-H' for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; into storage at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.47


Flown to the U.K. on 1.4.45; to #5(MU) at Kemble, Glos. on 7.4.45; Retained in England in RAF storage; SOC 13.12.46


Returned to Canada for Tiger Force with #431 Sqdrn after use with #428 & 419; returned as code 'SE-O' #663(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S; stored at Claresholm; SOC 6.4.50


Built and test flown on 2.12.44; taken on charge by 45 Transport Group on 18 Dec.44 and departed for the U.K. on 3.1.45; arrived in Prestwick on 5 Jan.; Flown to Wymeswold Liec.; ferried to #20 (MU) Aston Down on on 28.1.45 by A.T.A.(P.George & P.Brown); On 2.3.45 assigned to #428(B) Sqdrn.; coded 'NA-I'; in Apr.45; was the third Lancaster to have that code; Was test flown a few time and one particular time was flown by S/L F.Macdonnell and crew, the mid-upper gunner F/L B.Hunchburger was taking a compass reading for the Navigator. flew into a cumulus cloud and in the violence the aircraft flipped on its back and Brock Hunchburger decided to leave but while clipping on his chute it opened and he leaped into space, bounced off the tail plane and landed beside a farm house not far from Derby bruising his right leg but returned to Middleton St George none the worse. Was further damaged on a cross country on 27.5.45 but was repaired on site. Returned to Canada via St Mawgan,Corn.on the 4.6.45 with #428(B) Sqdrn. code 'NA-I'; was assigned to Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing at Yarmouth, N.S.; Converted to Mk10P by Avro Canada; issued to #408(P); At #107(RU) Torbay, Nfld. while #FM104 was at Fairey Aviaton, Dartmouth, N.S. for 4 months (Jun.60); 1962 was in storage again by 26.4.63 before SOC 21.5.65; Sold to Age of Flight of Niagara Falls, Ont. in May 1964 and put on display by the Niagara Falls Museum in 1965. By 1968 saw it in the hands of Ken Short of Oshawa with ambitious plans to restore it to flying, however this was not done. In 1984 was acquired by D.Arnold's 'Warbirds of Great Britain'; shipped to Blackbushe, Hamp.and registered in 1984 as G-LANC; To the RAF BBF support and has been completely restored to wartime configuration using parts of Lincoln #RF342 (G-APRJ) by a crew headed by Eddie West to a superb static display. Purchased by the Imperial War Museum arriving 14 May 1986 at Duxford and went on public display on 1.11.94 at the Duxford Air Museum, Cambridgeshire, U.K. (99). Displayed in it's original #428(B) Sqdrn. colours with code 'NA-I' (I.W.M.)


Returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-S'; issued to #404(MR) in 1952 as code 'SP890'; converted to Mk10MP in 1956; SOC 25.10.65


Issued to #428(B) Squadron in Mar.45; not on operations; Returned to Canada on 31.5.45 with #428(B) Sqdrn as code 'NA-F' for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; Placed in storage at Pearce; SOC 16.1.47


Issued to #419(B) Squadron on 29.3.45; not on operations; Returned to Canada with #419 Sqdrn as code 'VR-P'for use with Tiger Force, #661(HB) Wing, Yarmouth, N.S.; stored; then converted to Mk.10MP in 1951; issued to #407(MR) in 1954 as code 'RX892'; converted to Mk10MP in 1956 with an armored nose turret and the letter "J"; SOC 2.6.60 -Dennis Rowden reports that KB-892 flew a tactical exercise with No. 407 Squadron on 17 December, 1952 so the above date of issue to 407 (1954) is incorrect.


Flown to England to Woodford for tests on 23.2.45; Returned to Canada with #434 Sqdrn. on 8.6.45 as spare in Tiger Force at Dartmouth, N.S.; Converted to Mk.10MP; Post-war KB893 initially served with the Central Flying School at R.C.A.F. Station Trenton, Ontario. It was then transferred to No. 1 Air Navigation School at Summerside, P.E.I. It was carrying out a test flight on the 25th of April, 1952 at Summerside when it bounced on the runway after attempting an overshoot. The pilot retracted the undercarriage while in a very steep climb. The Lanc stalled and crashed. It was subsequently consumed in the ensuing fire. Those killed aboard the Lancaster were as follows: F/L Kenneth Edward Lussier DFC, F/L Walter James Burnett DFC, F/O Kenneth Roland Carter, and Cpl. Joseph Bernard Lachaine SOC 8.5.52


Issued to #425(B) Squadron on 1.5.45; not on operations; Returned to Canada with #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-A'; not on operations; converted to Mk10MR; issued to #407(MR) in Jul.1952 (along with KB958 & 992) as code 'RX894; updated to Mk10MP by Fairey Avn. in Mar.55 to APS radar system; SOC 10.4.61; Sold to General Smelting of Hamilton


Left the Victory plant in Jan.45; flown to England and issued 1st to #428(B) Sqdrn.; then in Mar.45 reissued to #434(B) Squadron; 35 Ops; Crew (P) W/C W.Gall, (N) F/L Pacree, (O) F/L C.Peers, (E) WO R.Gifford, (AG) M.Dupont, (AG) FS C.Walters, (AG) P/O N.M.McDonnell, FS T.Bogan, LAC D.MacKinnon returned this a/c to Canada with #434(B) Sqdrn as code 'WL-O' 'Oboe'; on 8.6.45; for use with Tiger Force, #662(HB) Wing, Dartmouth, N.S.; Light Blue spinners; placed in storage at Penhold; SOC 22.1.47; nose art on the left side featured a nude blonde lady straddling a big black bomb as she holds 2 black pistols with the red and white script "Lady Orchid" below to the nose art; parts of KB-895 were used in the restoration to flying condition of FM213 after it was purchased from a farmer in Alberta


Delivered to #420(B) in Mar.45; Retained in England and held by RAF in storage at #218(MU) Colerne, Wilts.; SOC 16.1.47, flew with #419 & #420(B) as code 'PT-O' to Canada on 13.6.45


Retained in England; held at RAF #218(M.U.)Colerne, Wilts.; Storage SOC 3.6.47


Flown to England in Jan.45; issued to #428(B); then in Apr.45 to #420(B) Squadron; not on operations; Returned to Canada with #420 Sqdrn on 13.6.45 as part of Tiger Force #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; placed in storage at Medicine Hat; SOC 22.1.47


First issued to #428(B) in Apr.45 as code NA-V; Returned to Canada on 28.6.45 with #425(B) Sqdrn as code 'KW-X' for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing Debert, N.S.; placed in storage at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.48. The town of Listowel, Ontario purchased a Canadian-made Lancaster that flew to England in early 1945. Coded NA-V KB899, it was named the "Spirit of Listowel."


Arrive in England and issued to #428 Sqdrn as code 'NA-?'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada with #431 Sqdrn as code 'SE-C' on 5.6.45; stored at Claresholm; SOC 24.8.50


Arrived in England and issued to #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-Q; reissued for return to Canada with #431 Sqdrn as code 'SE-C' arriving at Gander 14.6.45; stored; converted to MkXMP and issued to #404(MR); SOC 2.1.60 scrap


Flown to England and issued to # 434(B); not on Ops; then reissued to #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-C' for return to Canada arriving 14.6.45; stored; then used at A.A.S. Trenton, Ont. (1949-52); moved to Camp Borden as C.I.#606C on 20 .7.54; SOC 4.4.56; Bought by Spartan Air Services at Camp Borden; then scrapped


Flown to England; issued to #425; not on Ops as 'KW-R'; reissued to #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-P', arriving in Canada 14.6.45' converted to Mk10MP and issued to #404(MR); SOC 2.6.60


Flown to England; issued to #408(B) as EQ-Q'; not on Ops.; Then flown back to Canada arriving 15.6.45; stored then converted to Mk10MP; issued to #123(RU) as code 'VC-CJR'; reissued to #407 in 1954 as code 'RX904' with the letter "N" on the nose(1953) and grey spinners; served on the west coast until SOC 2.6.60


Flown to England; issued to #408(B) as code 'EQ-Y'; not on Ops; returned to Canada arriving 15.6.45 for "Tiger Force" then stored at Claresholm SOC 22.1.47


Delivered to England to #20MU Aston Downs, Glos. U.K.; post war to #32MU St Athan, Wales; stored; Returned to Canada 19.8.45 SOC 13.5.47;


Flown to England in Apr.45; issued to #408 Sqdrn on 15.5.45 as code 'EQ-U'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada arriving on 15.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; stored; converted to Mk.10SR as spare at Trenton, Ont. in 1951; then sold to Spartan Air Services on 4.4.56; registered as CF-IMG


Flown to England (28.2.45); issued to #431(B); reissued to 428(B); not on Ops; Then flown back to Canada with #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-P' for Tiger Force to #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; then stored at North Calgary until SOC 15.4.48


Flown to England; issued to #419(B); not on Ops; Returned to Canada with #420 as code 'PT-R' arriving on 13.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; stored, at Borden in 1951; then sold to Spartan Air Services on 4.4.56; used for survey work; registered as CF-IMH


Flown to England; issued to #428(B) in Mar.45; not on Ops.; Reissued in Ap4.45 for flying back to Canada with #420(B) Sqdrn.as code 'PT-V' arriving in Canada 14.6.45 to be used with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; placed in storage at Pearce; SOC 16.1.47


Issued to #434(B) Squadron on 18.3.45; On a daylight raid to Hamburg went missing 31.3.45; believed to have been engaged in combat with Me262 jet-fighters; Jake M Hanlon stated that the enemy fire hit the cockpit killing (N),(FE),&(P), the others bailed out and were captured by German Military; They were(P)F/O Gilbert P.Haliburton, (N)F/O D.G.Rathwell, (FE)P/O R.J.Green killed, POW's were F/O C.K.Legaarden, Bob D.English, Sgt Jake M.Hanlon, John A.English; SOC 31.3.45


Flown to England; held at #5(MU) Kemble, Glos in Jan.45.; issued on 15.5.45 to #425(B) as code 'KW-Q; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada arriving on 15.6.45 for Tiger Force,#663(HB)Wing at Debert, N.S.; Stored at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.48.


Flown to England to #5(MU) in Jan.45; issued to #408(B) on 15.5.45 as code 'EQ-X; not on Ops; After war in Europe flown back to Canada arriving 15.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; placed in storage at Claresholm; SOC 22.1.47


Flown to England in Apr.45; issued to #434(B); not on Ops; Reissued in May.45 to #420 for flying back to Canada as code 'PT-A arriving 14.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; converted at Avro Canada in 1950 to Mk10MR; was at Greenwood (marked AG-914) when it went missing while on patrol 1.2.53 SOC 19.3.53


Flown to England arriving 4.45; issued to 431(B); then #419(B); delivered back to Canada by #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-H' arriving in Debert, N.S. 15.6.45; placed in storage at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.48


Flown to England; issued in Apr.45 to #428(B) code NA-E; then on 15.5.45 to #425(B) as code 'KW-C'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; placed in storage at Pearce in 1945; burned at Trenton; SOC 31.1.52,


Flown to England; issued in May.45 to #425(B) as code 'KW-E'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada arriving 15.6.45 for use with #425(B) attached to #663 Wing, Tiger Force at Debert, N.S. until Sept.45,; converted to MkXMP; issued to #13 Sqdrn, #9(T) Group (1945) for field testing at Churchill, Man. in the winter 1945/46; but because of the poor condition was returned to storage; SOC 2.1.47


Flown to England; issued to #425(B) Sqdrn as code 'KW-P'; not on Ops.; Returned Canada arriving in Debert, NS. 15.6.45; placed in storage at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


Flown to England in May.45; issued on 15.5.45 to #408(B) Sqdrn 1st as code'EQ-L later as 'EQ-J'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada on 17.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; into storage; was selected as proto-type for Mk.10MR; flew on 29.10.50; issued to #2 M(O.T.U.) RCAF Greenwood as code 'VC-DJD'; served until SOC 25.8.55 scrap


Flown to England; issued in May.45 to #434(B); reissued to #428 as code 'NA-K'; returned to Canada arriving in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia 31.5.45; converted to Mk10MP; issued to #407(MR) in 1957 as 'VC-AFA'; after use by #404 Sqdrn, served on west coast at Comox until SOC 2.6.60


Flown to England in Apr.45; Returned to Canada on 2.6.45 with #419 Sqdrn as code'VR-?'; Placed in storage at N.Calgary;SOC 15.4.48


Flown to England in Apr.45; issued to #431(B) on 8.4.45; returned to Canada on 7.6.45 with #431 Sqdrn as code'SE-?' to Dartmouth, N.S.; stored at Claresholm; SOC 22.1.47


Flown to England; issued to #420(B) on 21.4.45; not on Ops; returned to Canada with #420 Sqdrn for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; Placed in storage; used as Ground Instruction Machine 542C about 5.11.46; SOC 9.12.48


Flown to England ;not on Ops.; issued to #425(B) Squadron on 6.5.45 for return to Canada on 15.6.45 with #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-T' for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; stored at N.Calgary (46); SOC 15.4.46


Flown to England in May.45; issued to #408(B) Squadron on 15.5.45; not on Ops; Returned to Canada with #408 Sqdrn as code'EQ-E' for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; storage; then converted to Mk10MP; issued to #407(MR) in 1957 as code 'VC-AGA'; SOC 2.6.60


Flown to England arriving 5.45; issued to 425(B) on 15.5.45; delivered back to Canada by #425 Sqdrn on 13.6.45 for use by Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, arriving in Debert, N.S. 15.6.45; placed in storage at Medicine Ha;t SOC 27.1.48 scrap


Flown to England; issued to #420(B) Squadron on 21.4.45; not on Ops; Returned to Canada with #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-I' for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; Converted to Mk10MR; issued to #404(MR) as code 'VC-AF?' in 1952; Served also with #2 OTU Greenwood as AF-927; SOC 25.8.54; scrap


Flown to England; issued to #420(B) in Apr.45; Returned to Canada with #420 Sqdrn arriving 14.6.45 as code 'PT-K' for service with "Tiger Force", Debert, N.S.; then stored at Claresholm; SOC 22.1.47


Flown to England; issued to #408(B) Squadron on 15.5.45; Returned to Canada with #408 as code 'EQ-O' on 14.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; Storage; then converted to Mk10MR in 1950; issued to #2 OTU in 1951 as code 'VC-AGB'; SOC 13.9.55


Flown to England; issued to #425(B) Squadron in May.45; Returned to Canada with #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-N' on 15.6.45 for use with Tiger Force at Debert, N.S.; storage at Pearce in 1946; SOC 16.6.47


Flown to England; issued to #425(B) Squadron in May.45; Returned to Canada with #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-S' on 15.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; stored at N.Calgary; SOC 15.4.48; scrap


Flown to England arriving 3.3.45; issued to #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-O'; not on Ops.; returned to Canada with #425 to form #661 Wing in Tiger Force; went into storage at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


Flown to the UK arriving on 6.3.45; issued to #420 Sqdrn in May.45 as code 'PT-J'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada with #425 arriving 13.6.45, joining #662 Wing, Tiger Force at Debert, N.S.; went into storage at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


Flown to the UK; issued May 45 to #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-I'; not on Ops.; On returning to Canada had accident whereas KB936smashed into rear turret injuring FS N.J.Holowaty who died the next day and was buried in Tereira, Azores; was #6(B) Group last casualty; After repairs this a/c was flown to Debert, N.S. arriving 18.6.45 joining #663 Wing as part of Tiger Force; (P) F/O H.Chappell and crew; storage at Claresholm, Alta. in 1945; Then converted to Mk10MR in 1950 and issued to #405(MR) until destroyed by fire 30.1.52


Arrived the UK 5.45; to #20 MU Aston Downs,Glos.; #32MU of #43 Group, Maintenance Command at St Athan, Glamorgan, Wales; retained in England and stored at #20 MU until SOC 7.5.47; scrap.


Flown to England; issued to #425 as code 'KW-G'; in bad weather had accident on 14.6.45 on the airfield at Lagens, Azores; repaired; (P)F/O G.Halle, Bernard Marcoux(WOp) and crew while returning to Canada 18.7.45 encountering bad weather and diverted to American Base at Argentia, NFLD; to Gander then Scoudouc,N.B.; went into storage at Medicine Hat, Alta.; SOC 27.1.48


Flown to UK, issued to #420 in 4.45 as code 'PT-G'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada on 14.6.45 to join #661 Wing 'Tiger Force' at Debert, N.S.; storage at Claresholm in 1945; Converted to Mk10MP and issued to #2 OTU Greenwood; used until SOC 2.6.60


Flown to UK; issued to #420(B) Sqdrn. in 4.45 as code 'PT-D; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada 13.6.45 joined Tiger Force, #663(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; at Malton, Ont. on 18.8.45 with white spinners; into storage; then converted to Mk10T; issued to Central Flying School (1952) Trenton, Ont. as code 'AC938'; crashed on 13.6.55; SOC 25.6.55


Flown to UK issued to #408 Sqdrn in MAY.45 as code 'EQ-W' not on Ops. Returned to Canada arriving on 15.6.45 for Tiger Force, #664(HB)Wing, Greenwood, N.S.. Into storage at Medicine Hat until SOC21.1.48


Flown to UK; stored #32 MU Linham; returned to Canada arriving on 9.8.45; stored at Pearce, Alta. (1945); converted to Mk10MR in 1950; issued to #407(MR); crashed on approach to Comox in inclement weather, burned on impact and totally destroyed, killing 8 they were (N)F/O J.F.Doucette, (E)Cpl C.E.Fletcher, passengers LAC J.L.Maynard, LAC V.S.McIntyre, LAC F.O.McKay, LAC W.F.Smith, LAC R.H.Walsh & civilian Met. Mr.M.Y.Mcleod. pilot & co-pilot survived; 24.11.52


Flown to UK in April 1945 to #32 M.U. at St Athans, Glamorgan; outfitted for operations; then issued to #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-U'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada on 14.6.45 to join Tiger Force, #663 Wing at Debert, N.S.; into storage at Penhold, Alta.; until SOC21.1.47


Flown to UK; issued on 15.4.45 to #420 Sqdrn as code 'PT-M'; not on Ops; returned to Canada arriving 14.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Debert, N.S.; Went into storage at Claresholm, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47


Flown to UK; stored at #32 MU, Lyneham, Wilts.; Returned to Canada 27.8.45; issued to #405(B) Squadron as code 'LQ-T' at #664 Wing, Tiger Force located at Greenwood, N.S.; stored; then converted to Mk10MP; issued to #404(MR) as code 'VC-AFH'; later went to #107(RU) (Aug 1959-Aug.61); flew to Dunnville, Ont. on 17 May.65; SOC 27.8.65; Sold to G.Solway of Toronto.


Built and test flown by March 1945; flown to England; arrived in UK 8.3.45 at #32 M.U. St Athan, Glamorgan; issued to #425(B) Sqdrn. Tholthorpe, Yorks. as code 'KW-K'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada via the Azores and Gander on 15.6.45 as part of Tiger Force, Wing #663, Debert, N.S.; stored at Ft. McLeod in 1945; By 1950 was converted to Mk10S by Fairey Aviation, Eastern Passage, N.S.; To storage at Dunnville Ont. on 28.1.57; then on 11.5.64 saved for preserving in National Aviation Museum; Now preserved in wartime camouflage and marked to represent #428(B) Sqdrn. with code 'NA-P'; This aircraft was the least modified of all the surviving Lancasters during RCAF post-war service.


Flown to UK; issued #405(B) Sqdrn on May.45 as code 'LQ-T; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada on 27.8.45 and joined Tiger Force at Greenwood, N.S. with #664 Wing. as a spare; then converted (1950) to Mk10MR; issued to #404(MR) as code AF-945 (1952); crashed and SOC 19.5.54


Flown to England; issued to #431 Sqdrn in May.45; then to #420(B) as code 'PT-Z'; not on Ops; Arrived in Canada 13.6.45 with Tiger Force #663 Wing, Debert, N.S.; modified to Mk10MP (1950); issued to #2 (O.T.U) Greenwood, NS.with code 'VC-AGD'; left #2(O.T.U.) (1955); SOC 2.6.60


Flown to UK; issued to #408(B) in May.45 as code 'EQ-Z'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada 15.6.45; attached to #664 Wing Tiger Force at Greenwood, N.S.; went into storage at Medicine Hat until SOC 27.1.48


Flown to the UK; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn on 15.5.45 as code 'EQ-V'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada 15.6.45 attached to #664 Wing "Tiger Force" at Greenwood, N.S.; converted to Mk10MR (1950); issued to #2 O.T.U. (1951) Greenwood NS; Reissued to #407(MR)Comox(54) until SOC 25.8.55


Flown to England; issued to #405 Sqdrn on 15.5.45 as code 'LQ-U'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada 17.6.45 attached to #664 Wing Tiger Force at Greenwood, N.S.; converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #407(MR) in 1954 as code 'VC-AGL'; later to #407(MR) as code RX949; One of the first 407 Sdrn aircraft to be retired; flown out to Ft. Macleod on 23.5.58; SOC 10.4.61; Sold to General Smelting of Hamilton & scrapped.


Flown to England; issued to #405 Sqdrn in May.45 as code 'LQ-D; not on Ops.; returned to Canada 17.6.45 attached to #664 Wing Tiger Force; converted to Mk.XMP; issued to #405(MR) in 1953 as code 'VC-AGL; SOC 5.8.55 at Greenwood; scrap


Flown to England; issued to #408 Sqdrn in May.45 as code 'EQ-A'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; Placed in storage at Medicine Hat; SOC 27.1.48


Arrived in UK on 12.3.45; issued to #405 Sqdrn in Jun.45 as code 'LQ-X'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada 17.6.45 attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; placed in storage at Medicine Hat, Alta.; SOC 27.1.48


Arrived in UK on 23.3.45; stored at #32 MU.Linham; Returned to Canada on 22.8.45; placed in storage at N.Calgary until SOC 15.4.48


Flown to England; issued to #425 Sqdrn as code 'KW-V' on 15.5.45; returned to Canada 14.6.45; attached to #663 Wing Tiger Force, Debert, N.S.; converted to Mk10AR; issued to #103(RU) in 1947; SOC 20.5.55


Flown to England; issued in May.45 to #405(B) Sqdrn as code'LQ-V' on 17.5.45; Returned to Canada 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; converted in 1950 to Mk10MR; issued to #404(MR) in 1951 as code 'VC-AFM'; SOC 28.9.55


Flown to England; issued to #405 Sqdrn as code 'LQ-N' on 12.5.45; returned to Canada 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S; converted to Mk.10MR; issued to #404(MR) in 1951 as code 'VC-AF?'; SOC 25.8.55; scrap.


To UK 10.3.45; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn as code 'LQ-W'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada on 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #407(MR) in 1954 as code 'RX957'; SOC 2.6.60; scrap


To UK 10.3.45; stored at #32 MU; returned to Canada on 19.7.45; stored; then converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #407(MR); first to arrive in Comox on 9.7.52; 1st operational flight 23.7.52 as code 'RX958'; SOC 2.6.60; scrap


Flown to England; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn as code 'LQ-Y'; to late for operations; returned to Canada on 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #404(MR) as code 'VC-AFA'; in service until SOC 17.5.63

Lancaster KB959 was used in the flypast over the Canadian Parliament buildings during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953. F/O M.J. Piercy, was navigator and Wing Commander D.E. Galloway was pilot. [Brent Piercy]



Flown to England; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn on 15.5.45 as code 'EQ-F'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada on 15.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; Issued to #103(RU) in 1948; Converted to Mk.10MP in 1950; issued to # 2 O.T.U. in 1951 until SOC 29.9.55; scrap


Flown to England; issued to #408; then #405 Sqdrn as code 'LQ-A'; returned to Canada; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10MR; was with #408(P) in 1949; issued to #404(MR) as Mk10SR in 1952 as code 'VC-AF?' & SP961 until SOC 28.9.55


To UK 12.3.45; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn; then #425 (B) Sqdrn as code 'KW-D'; not on Ops.; Returned to Canada on 15.6.45; attached to #663 Wing, Tiger Force, Debert, N.S.; went into storage at Medicine Hat, Alta.; SOC 27.1.48


Flown to England; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn in May.45 as code 'EQ-H'; returned to Canada on 16.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; into storage at Medicine Hat, Alta.; SOC 27.1.48


Flown to England; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn as code 'LQ-B'; returned to Canada on 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10MR in 1950; issued to #405(MR) in 1951 as code 'VC-AGH' until SOC 23.1.55; scrap


Flown to England; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn as code 'LQ-D'; returned to Canada 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #405(MR) in 1949 marked AG-965; served until crashed at Alert. NWT. on 31.7.50 killing W/C D.T.French(P) and seven others; while dropping two batches of supplies to weather station at Alert, one parachute caught on the port elevator and fouled the controls; with the drop at 1000 ft. there was no time to recover before striking the ground; All crew killed on impact; SOC 16.8.50


Arrived in UK; to #32(MU). Lyneham Wilts. U.K.; Consigned to #405(B) for delivery back to Canada on 16.7.45 as code 'LQ-D'; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; Into storage; then converted to Mk.10MR in 1950; issued to #405(MR) in 1952 as code 'VC-AGG'; crashed 4.5.53; 6 persons died;There is a memorial plaque erected in 1996 in memory of the crew who perished aboard Avro Lancaster KB966.


Flown to England; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn as code 'LQ-H/K'; returned to Canada; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10MR; issued to #2 O.T.U in 1951 as code 'VC-AGG'; .Reissued to #405(MR) in 1952; SOC 23.6.55; scrap


Arrived in UK; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn as code'LQ-P' on 29.5.45; returned to Canada; assigned to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; placed in storage at N.Calgary; SOC 15.4.48


Flown to England; stored at #5 (MU) Kemble, Glos.12.4.45; to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts. 1.6.45; returned to Canada on 11.8.45; delivered to storage at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47; scrap


To UK arriving 10.3.45; stored #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.; Returned to Canada on 10.7.45; placed in storage at Claresholm, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47


Crashed during flight testing at Dorval, P.Q.; undercarriage collapsedt DBR SOC 23.3.45


Flown to England; issued first to #428 as code 'NA-I'; reassigned to #408(B) as code 'EQ-C' 'Cuddles' for return to Canada; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force. Greenwood, N.S.; converted to Mk.10MR in 1950; reserve aircraft at Greenwood, NS.; destroyed by fire; SOC 30.1.52


Flown to England; issued to #434(B) as code 'WL-G'; not on Ops.; reassigned to #405 (B) Sqdrn as code 'LQ-F' for delivery back to Canada on 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #407(MR) in 1954 as code 'RX973'; SOC 6.9.60; scrap


To the UK; Held at #20MU Aston Downs, Glos., #5MU Kemble, Glos. & #32 MU Lyneham, Wilts.; returned to Canada on 18.8.45; storage; converted to Mk.10MR in 1950; issued to #404(MR) by 1952; SOC 23.6.55; scrap


To UK.; Assigned to #32(MU) Lyneham, Wilts. 10.6.45; returned to Canada on 14.7.45; stored at Claresholm, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47


Built by March 1945; flown to England by 24 May 45 to #32 M.U. St Athan, Glamorgan; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn as code 'LQ-K'; too late for operations; returned to Canada; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10AR; issued to #408(P) as code 'MN976'; flew the last flight for that Sqdrn. and was at the retirement ceremony at Downsview, Ont. 1.4.64; sold to Calgary International Airshows(Lynn Garrison); Flown by Garrison & co-pilot Ralph Langemann on 4 Jul.64 for the Calgary Airshow, but MoT caught word of it and the people involved were charged with 'flying without proper authority' was chucked out of court; (see 'Flying the Frontiers' by S.S.Matheson); sold to Spartan Avn.; placed on CCA Reg. on 6.6.64 as CF-TQC; used as a water bomber by Northwestern Flying Services,St.Albert, Alta.; sold in 1975 to Strathallan Collection of Scotland and flown across the Atlantic in May, 1975 registered as G-BCOH; resold to Charles Church; upon his death in a Spitfire, KB976 became part of a private collection(Steve Halton) at Sandtoft, Notts. U.K.; sold to Kermit Weeks and transported to Florida, USA; rear fuselage to Lincolnshire Aviation.


    KB977              C/N #37278        code.. LQ-E
Flown to England; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn. on 15.5.45 as code 'LQ-E'; to late for operations; returned to Canada on 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10MR in 1950; issued to #2(O.T.U) Greenwood, NS in 1951; SOC 28.8.55; scrap


    KB978              C/N #37279        no code
To UK with #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts. on 15.3.45; returned to Canada on 30.8.45; into storage at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


    KB979              C/N #37280        code.. EQ-L
Flown to England; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn in May.45 as code 'EQ-L' for return to Canada on 15.6.45;; assigned to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; into storage at Medicine Hat, Alta.; SOC 27.1.48


    KB980              C/N #37281        no code
To UK; arr. 7.4.45 to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos; #32(MU) Lyneham, Wilts; & #20(MU) Aston Downs, Glos.; retained in England; SOC 7.5.47 scrap


    KB981              C/N #37282        no code
To UK; arr. 1.4.45 to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos.; then #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts; Returned to Canada on 18.8.45; placed in storage at Medicine Hat, Alta.;SOC 27.1.48


    KB982              C/N #37283        no code
To UK arr. 15.4.45 to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.; Returned to Canada on 10.8.45; placed in Storage at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


    KB983              C/N #37284        no code
To UK arr. 15.4.45 to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.; Returned to Canada on 1.7.45; placed in storage at Claresholm, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47


    KB984              C/N #37285        no code
To UK arr. 15.4.45 to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.; Returned to Canada on 12.8.45; placed in storage at Pearce, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


    KB985              C/N #37286        no code
To UK arr. 15.4.45 to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.; Issued to #405(B) Sqdrn on 15.5.45; crashed and badly damaged while at Gransden Lodge; DBR; SOC 3.6.45


    KB986              C/N #37287        code.. VC-GSM
Test flown in Mar.45; To UK arr. 9.4.45 to #32 (MU)Lyneham, Wilts in Jun.45; Returned to Canada on 2.8.45; converted to Mk.10N as a spare aircraft of this type; used at #1Central Navigation School as Ground Instruction Machine 561B/A 5.6.47; Stored at Dunnville; SOC 28.5.57; bought by Ajax Aircraft of Toronto and scrapped ($2000.)


    KB987              C/N #37288        no code
To UK arr. 9.4.45 to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos.; #32(MU)Lyneham, Wilts.; post war to #29(MU) & #22 (MU); finally SOC 2.6.47; scrap


    KB988              C/N #37289        no code
To UK arr. 17.4.45 to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.; On 1.6.45. Returned to Canada; 14.7.45 placed in storage at Claresholm, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47


    KB989              C/N #37290        no code
Flown to the Uk on 7.4.45 to #20(MU) Aston Downs, Glos.; then #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.; Retained in England; SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    KB990              C/N #37291        no code
To UK arr. 8.4.45 to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts. in Jun.45; returned to Canada on 13.7.45; placed on the Class Instructional Reg. as #A527 on 24.9.46; SOC 10.8.52


    KB991              C/N #37292        code.. LQ-G
Flown to England; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn in May; Returned to Canada with #405 as code 'LQ-G on 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; Converted to Mk10BR; crashed at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario 29.7.1948. KB991 was serving with 103(RU) Squadron based at RCAF Station Greenwood at the time of the crash; DBR; SOC 29.7.1948


    KB992              C/N #37293        code.. RX992
To UK; arr. 20.4.45 to #32 (MU) Lyneham, Wilts.in Jun.45; Returned to Canada on 24.7.45; stored; converted to Mk.10MR in 1950;issued to #407(MR) in Jul.52 as code 'RX992'; SOC 23.6.55; scrap


    KB993              C/N #37294        code.. EQ-U
Flown to England; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn in May 45 as code 'EQ-U'; On a night training exercise, flying at 2000 ft. flew into hill on Shelf Moor (crashed 4 mi E Glossop); Killed were (P)F/O A.A.Clifford, (B)D.A.Fehrman, (FE)P/O K.B.McIvor, (WAG)WO M.C.Cameron,(AG)FS L.C.Helleskson, (AG)FS (C.J.Halvorsen); SOC 17/18.5.45
It has been reported that the crew became ored and decided to explore the local area during their training flight. This was thought to have been foolish, particularly because they had no navigator on board for some reason. With darkness setting in, the aircraft crashed into the side of a hill in the Peak District of England. The six Canadians on board were killed, just weeks before they were due to return home.



    KB994              C/N #37295        code.. EQ-K
          photos
Lancaster Mk. X KB994 was flown to England to #32 Maintenance Unit at St. Athan, Glamorgan. It was assigned to No. 408 Squadron, remaining on strength with the squadron from May until September, 1945. It carried the markings "EQ-K" but had arrived too late for any wartime operations. However, for some unknown reason, the aircraft had six white bombs painted on her nose which was for most aircraft a record of operations flown against the enemy.
KB994 returned to Canada on 15 June, 1945 and was attached to #664(HB) Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, Nova Scotia. It was flown to Pearce, Alberta on 8 September, 1945 for storage along with 82 other Lancasters. By early 1946, KB994 was in long-term storage at Claresholm, Alberta. On 22 January, 1947 it was struck off strength and sold for scrap.
An advertisement in his local paper drew the attention of Drumheller area farmer Victor Leonhardt who read that the Canadian Government War Assets Corporation was selling Lancaster Bombers at Penhold, Alberta. Victor drove to Penhold, placed a bid of $350 and returned home the owner of a World War II bomber. He made plans to tow the aircraft along the ice of the Red Deer River to his farm near Drumheller. This idea and the ice proved to be somewhat unstable, so KB994 was taken apart and trucked to Drumheller.
In 1963, Leonhardt sold his farm and moved to Pigeon Lake, Alberta, towing his Lancaster behind him. A decade later, and after having used many of the parts of the aircraft for other purposes, Leonhardt sold the aircraft to Neil Menzies of St. Albert, Alberta for $1500. Over the next ten years, Menzies searched for missing parts, locating two engines in Drumheller and two wings in Le Pas, Manitoba. Soon the price of the bomber began to rise as people from all over the world sought to buy the aircraft. Menzies turned down all offers until 1984.
During July, 1984, No. 408 Squadron, which had become a tactical helicopter squadron and was based at CFB Namao in Edmonton, held a reunion that was attended by over four hundred veterans. Under the leadership of Lt. Col. Murray Lee, a project had been started to acquire and restore a Lancaster in the markings of No. 408 Squadron. Neil Menzies had donated the fuselage of KB994 to the squadron together with all the additional parts he had acquired. On 27 July, 1984 over four hundred men of No. 408 Squadron drank a toast next to the wingless, dilapidated KB994. One of the veterans was ex W/C N.W. Timmerman, who was first given command of the squadron at Lindholme, Yorkshire, England in June, 1941 and the man who gave the squadron the name "Goose" and the motto, "For Freedom."
Unfortunately the next commanding officer that took over No. 408 Squadron lacked the enthusiasm for the project that Lt. Col. Lee had demonstrated and according to one ex-408 member, "strictly forbade" any effort towards the project. The fuselage, bomb-bay doors, and other parts languished around No. 408's hangar for a time until the late 1980's when the aircraft was returned to Neil Menzies.
Mr. Menzies subsequently sold the aircraft to Charles Church, a private collector in England who was planning to make use of it in conjunction with Lancaster KB976 which he had previously acquired. Most of what remained of KB994 was shipped to England. For some reason the two bomb-bay doors remained. Later they were donated to the Calgary Aero Space Museum for the restoration of their Lancaster FM136.
Tragically, Charles Church was killed while flying a Spitfire. His Lancaster collection was purchased by Kermit Week of the USA and parts of both aircraft are currently stored in large containers at Kermit's "Fantasy of Flight" in Florida.



    KB995              C/N #37296        code.. EQ-B/RX995
Flown to England; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn in Jun.45.as code 'EQ-B'; marked by mistake (OW-B); returned to Canada on 15.6.45 to #664 Wing, Tiger Force at Greenwood, N.S.; converted to Mk.10MR in 1950; issued to #407(MR) in 1952 as code 'RX995'.
On 26.5.1953 KB-995 left for San Diego with spares for another squadron aircraft that had become unserviceable during an exercise that #407 was participating in. It never arrived.
The following is taken from the "407 Squadron History" edited by Tom Procter:
"Details are sketchy, but it appears that the crew had been waiting most of the day for the weather to clear before departing Comox. When they finally did get a chance to leave late that day, their orders were to take a route over the mountains to Tofino, then turn south on the 125th meridian at or below 2000 feet in VFR weather conditions. Basically, they were to remain clear of cloud. This route would keep them over the Pacific, well clear of land until they turned landward towards Arcata airfield, their first stop. For some reason the Captain elected to fly south on the 124 degree 30 minute meridian, 30 minutes east of their previously proposed route. This change reduced the distance from shore. What followed is pure speculation, but accident investigators believe that the crew encountered bad weather. Instead of turning seaward to avoid land, they climbed to 4000 feet in an effort to get above it. It is also suspected that all of the navigation equipment was not turned on as the aircraft began to drift eastward over land and into the mountains. This much is known, because that fateful night Lancaster KB-995, in heavy rain, struck the east side of a 4100 foot mountain at the 4000 foot level.
"A search for KB-995 began immediately by all the crews involved in the exercise. They staged their search from North Bend, Oregon and on 30 May, 1953 the wreckage was found. KB-995 had crashed on Iron Mountain in Oregon. The entire crew of ten was killed instantly. They were (P) F/O Elsden (Kenneth Edgar), (Co/P) F/O H.C.Maddick, (RO) F/O J.Bourgeois, (RO) F/O J.Brownie, (RO) F/O C.J.Williams, (N) F/O R.J.Calder, (N) F/O D.G.Ellis, (FE)Cpl D.G.Spence, (Cr)LAC W.Waldron, (Cr)LAC J.Haroldson.
"To honour the memory of the crew, a cairn funded by local citizens, was erected near the crash site."



    KB996              C/N #37297        code.. EQ-P/RX996
          photos
Flown to England in May.45; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn in Jun.45 as code 'EQ-P'; returned to Canada on 15.6.45; attached to #664(HB) Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #407(MR) in 1957 as code 'RX996'; served until SOC 2.6.60


    KB997              C/N #37298        code.. LQ-C/AGM
Flown to England; issued to #405(B) Sqdrn in May.45 as code 'LQ-C'; returned to Canada on 17.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; converted to Mk.10MR in 1948; issued to #2 O.T.U. as VC-AGM; served until SOC 23.6.55; scrap


    KB998              C/N #37299        code.. EQ-G
Flown to England; issued to #408(B) Sqdrn in Jun.45 as code 'EQ-G'; returned to Canada on 15.6.45; attached to #664 Wing, Tiger Force; Placed in storage (47) at Medicine Hat, Alta.; SOC 28.1.48


    KB999              C/N #37300        code.. VR-M/LQ-M/AGM        nose art.. 'Malton'
          photos
A gift from Victory Aircraft, "Malton Mike" being the 300th a/c built; Flown to England in Apr.45; too late for the war; issued to #419(B) Sqdrn as code 'VR-M'; reissued to #405(B) for return to Canada as code 'LQ-M' arriving on 19.6.45; attached to #664(H.B.) Wing, Tiger Force, Greenwood, N.S.; Converted to Mk.10MR in 1950; issued in 1952 to #405(MR) as code VC-AGM; involved with Arctic Ice Patrol; crashed (believed to be the a/c that crash landed on the edge of Hudson Bay requiring the crew to survive on the desolate shore for two days when the weather cleared for rescue); DBR SOC 22.10.53


    FM100              C/N #3301        no code
Flown to England on 10.4.45 to #20 M.U.Aston Downs, Gloucestershire; held in storage until late 1945; transferred to #32 & #22 M.U.; held in storage for the R.A.F. SOC 2.1.47; scrapped


    FM101              C/N #3302        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; to various MU's until returned to Canada on 18.8.45; sent to Camp Borden on 9.8.46 for Class Instruction #A515; SOC 25.3.48


    FM102              C/N #3303        code.. AF-?/XV102
          photos
Test flown in Apr.1945; flown to England in May; held at #32(MU); returned to Canada on 9.8.45; converted to 10MR about 1949; went into service with #2 O.T.U. at Greenwood in 1950; Used by #404(MR) during 1951-52; returned to O.T.U. and crashed at Quebec City on 22.July.1952 killing six persons; Collided mid-air with an RCAF Vampire. The forward fuselage and tail broke apart after impact. The cockpit burned out but the engines and wings survived although little remains today. The tail section wasn't located until the 1970's. Located only 500 yards away from the main wreckage, it was SCRAPPED! by a dealer in 1992...SOS 16.8.52


    FM103              C/N #3304        no code
Flown to England by Jun.45, held in storage at #32(MU).Lyneham, Wilts. RAF; returned to Canada on 14.8.45; flown by crew from #419(B)Squadron; storage at Vulcan; SOC 16.1.47


    FM104              C/N #3305        code.. CX-104
          photos
Lancaster FM 104 was manutacted by Victory Aircraft Limited late in 1944. In January of 1945 it was sent over to England to Number 32 Maintenance Unit(MU) to have the gun turrets and radar equipment installed. All Canadian Lancasters were being shipped minus radar equipment so that the latest developments could be installed before they went into squadron service. FM 104 was kept back as a reserve for 408 and 428 bomber squadrons (two of the RAF's Canadian squadrons) at Number 32 Maintenance Unit and was never active with any squadron before May when the war in Europe ended. By June of 1945 it was back in Canada and flown back to Canada on 10.6.45 as part of Tiger Force, #661Wing,Yarmouth, N.S. no squadron code. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia as part of the build up of 408 and 428 squadrons RCAF to be part of Canada's "Tige;r Force" for the continuing war against Japan in tbe Pacific but the war with Japan ended in August before the squadrons saw any service and FMI04 was never officially taken on strength (it was never issued a squadron code). FM 104 was officially banded over to tbe RCAF by the Mutual Aid Board on August 13 1945. The Mutual Aid Board was in charge of the allocation of wartime production during tbe war and of retuming equipment to the participating countries after the war. Upon it's return, FM 104 was originally , slated to be put in storage but that order was changed and by November 1945 it was converted to a Search and Rescue configuration (Lancaster Mk.10SR) and posted to #10 Rescue Unit at Argentia Newfoundland. In April 1951 #FM104 was again converted into a Maritime Reconnaissance role by adding a rear facing cameras, a radar operaters station in the rear section and long range fuel tanks in the former bomb bay (Lancaster Mk.10MR) for anti-submarine patrol and posted to 107 Unit of Maritime Air Command and based out of Torbay, Newfoundland. FM 104 served this role until January of 1957 when it was again reconfigured to Search and Rescue markings code 'CX104' (Aug.1959-Aug.61) though it is unclear how much of the equipment was modified. The first a/c in this unit to have white fuselage top. when converted to Mk.10MR
In February of 1957 FMl04 participated in the Operation Nimble Bat 2 .Four of Canada's Sabre squadrons serving with tbe NATO forces in Europe were replaced witb CF-100's and tbe Lancasters followed along on tbe flight across tbe Nortb Atlantic in case any of the aircraft had to ditch in the ocean. , "Nimble Bat 2" was the second of the squadrons to make the crossing. On tbe inside of the fuselage of FMI04 is penciled a note about "Nimble Bat 2" giving a list of the crew, a description of the weather and a few personal "comments" about the flight. Also penciled on tbe inside oftbe aircraft is a note about locating a downed Bell belicopter, presumably in the Nortb, on June 29,1958. Finally in August 1959 it was again reconfigured to Maritime Patrol (Lancaster Mark 10MP) still serving witb 107 Unit Maritime Air Command. FM 104 was also part of Canada's role in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Lancaster FM 104 was finally struck off strength on February 10 1964 wben the RCAF decided to retire all Lancasters from service, not because the Lancaster was no longer capable, but because after 20 years of service tbe airframes were wearing out and parts for the aging Merlin engines were becoming scarce. Tbe Lancaster's Maritime reconnaissance duties were taken over by the newer Argus and Neptune aircraft. It is interesting to note that the RCAF was near the last Air Force in tbe world to operate tbe Lancaster.
The honor of the world's last flight of a service Lancaster goes to No. 408 squadron RCAF who flew it's last photo Lancaster in April 1964, eight short days before the official retirement party for the Lanc. Was present at the Lancaster retirement at Downsview 1.4.64 SOC10.9.64. Bought by Air Force Assoc. Toronto. Placed in Coronation Park 'Ontario Place'(1965) maintain by the RCAF Assoc and the Air Cadets. In 1990 was tranferred to Heritage Toronto and the Ontario Government supplied the material to repaint. The RCAFA held a rededication ceremony with 500+ veterns and Air Cadet Squadrons, government officals and the media. After 30 Years the Heritage Toronto held a competition to find an indoor home, the Toronto Aerospace Museum was selected, removed in 1999 and moved to Toronto Aerospace Museum for static display(99).
Lancaster FM 104 was sold to tbe Royal Canadian Air Force Association Toronto Region wbo were looking (or an aircraft to mount at Coronation Park as part of of Coronation Park's Memorial . program) or tbe Toronto waterfront. The park had originally been set up after World War One as a memorial to the Canadians who gave their lives in the Great War and the city expanded that dedication to include those Canadians wbo gave their lives in World War Two. The Lancaster was a perfect choice not only because of it's high recognition, but also because it was made in the area during the war. FM 104 took part in the Official Retirement of the Lancaster celebration at RCAF Station Downsview on April 9th 1964. It was then later put on display at that years CNE on concrete pads outside of the International Building then stored for the winter during which time many of the interior parts were removed by souvenir hunters. Finally in 1965; FM104 was repainted in the Colours of a World War Two 6th Bomber Group(Canadian) aircraft serving in Europe aud mounted on it's pillar across from the CNE grounds, on Lakeshore Boulevard.
104 was maintained by the RCAFA with the help of the Toronto Air Cadets units until they were advised they could no longer perform the maintenance themselves and responsibility for Lancaster FM 104 was transferred to Heritage Toronto. In 1990, the RCAFA approached then Ontario Premier David Peterson about the condition of tbe aircraft and he supplied paint for the Toronto Historical Board to repaint the Lancaster. At the completion, the RCAFA held a rededication ceremony to the attendance of 500+ veterans plus numerous Air Cadet Squadrons, government officials and the media.
After 30 years outdoors corrosion, metal fatigue and vandals were threatening to destroy FM104 for good so Heritage Toronto held a competition to find an indoor bome for it. Tbe Toronto Aerospace Museum was selected and with the support of many volunteers and sponsors FM104 removed from its pedestal and moved to tbe Museum.s main building at the former CFB Toronto (formerly RCAF Station, Downsvew) were it was retired some 36 years previous.
During September 2018, the British Columbia Aviation Museum in Sydney acquired Lancaster FM104. It is currently under restoration.



    FM105              C/N #3306        no code
Flown to the U.K. 19.4.45; stored at #32 M.U. Lyneham & #20(MU), Wiltshire; flown back to Canada 21.7.45; placed in storage at Penhold, Alta.; SOC 27.1.48; scrap.


    FM106              C/N #3307        no code
Flown to the U.K. on 26.4.45; stored at #32 M.U. Lyneham Wilts.; In Jun.45 was flown by #12 Ferry Unit and overstressed during dive recovery on 11.8.45; SOC 28.8.45


    FM107              C/N #3308        no code
Flown to England in Apr.45; to various MU's', stored until SOC; 2.6.47; scrapped.


    FM108              C/N #3309        no code
Flown to England in Apr.45; to various MU's; stored until SOC 2.6.47; scrapped.


    FM109              C/N #3310        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Apr.45; first to #32 M.U. Lyneham, Wilts. in Jun.45; then moved to #20 M.U. Aston Down, Glos. in Oct.45; Stored until SOC 7.5.47; scrapped.


    FM110              C/N #3311        code.. LQ-R
Flown to the U.K. and issued to #405(B) Squadron in May.45 at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorks; returned to Canada on 17.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood; to Avro Canada converted to Mk10MR in 1950; issued to #2 O.T.U.; SOC 23.1.55; scrapped.


    FM111              C/N #3312        no code
Flown to the U.K. by #12 Ferry Unit into #32(M.U) Lyneham, Wilts. in Apr.45; Flew back to Canada on 10.8.45; went into storage at Lethbridge in Sept.45; SOC 15.4.48; scrapped.


    FM112              C/N #3313        no code
Flown to England; stored at #20 M.U. Aston down, Glos.; Stored by the RAF until SOC 7.5.47


    FM113              C/N #3314        no code
Flown to England; stored at #20 M.U. Aston Down, Glos.; Stored until SOC 7.5.47


    FM114              C/N #3315        no code
Flown to England; stored at #20 M.U. Aston Down, Glos.; stored by RAF until SOC 7.5.47


    FM115              C/N #3316        code.. LQ-Z/AFS
          photos
Flown to the U.K.; issued to #405(B) Squadron in May.45; returned to Canada on 17.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; stored; then converted to MK10MR in Sep.48; Issued to #405(MR) Sqdrn. as code VC-AFS; Reissued to #404(MR) Sqdrn (1953) but crashed at Greenwood 9.10.53 DBR SOC 6.11.53


    FM116              C/N #3317        no code
Flown to England on 2.5.45; to #32 M.U. Lyneham, Wilts in Jul.45; moved to #20 M.U. Aston Down, Wilts. in Oct.45; stayed with the RAF until SOC 2.6.47; scrapped.


    FM117              C/N #3318        no code
Flown to the U.K. 30.4.45; on to #20 M.U. Aston Down, Glos.; Stored by RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM118              C/N #3319        no code
          photos
Built at Victory Aircraft Ltd. by Apr.45; Arrived in England that same month; held at #32 M.U. Lyneham, Wilts.; returned to Canada on 10.8.45; Stored; then issued to Canadian Army Currie Barracks, Calgary for parachute training (fuselage) in 1947; later to CGB Shilo where it was used for target practice; SOC 22.3.48, portions now held by Nanton Lancaster Air Museum (floor has been sent to Toronto for their restoration of FM104; cockpit section to England)


    FM119              C/N #3320        no code
Flown to England in Apr.45 to #32M.U. Lyneham Wilts.; later to #20M.U. Aston Down, Glos.; Storage until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM120              C/N #3321        codes.. LQ-J/EQ-J/AFM/MN120
          photos    -    read more
Built by Victory Aircraft Ltd. In Apr.45; flown to England and first assigned to #405(B) Squadron; transferred to #408(B) at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorks. by Jun.45; flown home to Canada on 17.6.45 for use with Tiger Force,#664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; into storage; then converted to Mk.10P and issued to #405(MR) Sqdrn. as 'AF-M' by Jul.50; then transferred to #408(P) Sqdrn. as code 'MN120'; served until SOC 28.9.62


    FM121              C/N #3322        no code
Flown to England on 24.4.45; stored at 218(MU) Colerne, Glos.; after hostilities was moved to #39 (MU) RAF; Stored until SOC 3.6.47; scrapped.


    FM122              C/N #3323        code.. LQ-L/MN122
          photos
Flown to England in May.45; assigned to #405(B) Squadron at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorks.; Flown back to Canada on 17.6.45. for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; stored at Penhold, Alta. until 1950; converted to Mk.10P in June; transferred to #408(P) as code 'MN122'; retired on 25.9.62; SOC 29.9.62


    FM123              C/N #3324        code.. LQ-L
Flown to England arriving on 25.4.45 at #419(B) Squadron at Middleton St George,Yorks.; Not on operations; then assigned to #405(B) Sqdrn.;flown home to Canada on 11.8.45 for use as spare with Tiger Force; stored at Penhold, Alta.; SOC 16.1.47


    FM124              C/N #3325        no code
Held at #32(MU) Lyneham, Wilts until 12.8.45 when it arrived in Canada; to Camp Borden on 25.3.47 as Class Instruction #A552; disposed of; SOC 27.8.54


    FM125              C/N #3326        no code
Flown to England on 5.5.45 and held at #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts until Oct.45; after hostilities held at #39(MU) RAF for storage until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM126              C/N #3327        code.. VR-?
Arrived at #419(B) Squadron at Middleton St George, Durham by May.45; not on operations; flown back to Canada as spare; placed in storage for a short while then transferred to Camp Borden on 19.3.47 as Ground Instruction Machine #551B used for Engine run-ups; SOC 5.3.54


    FM127              C/N #3328        no code
Flown to England; placed with #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts. in May.45; flown back to Canada on 5.8.45; placed in storage at Ft.Macleod until SOC 16.1.47; scrap


    FM128              C/N #3329        code.. VR-?
          photos
Passed through #32(MU); Attached to #419(B) Squadron by May.45; no operations; flown back to Canada on 13 .6.45; not assigned a letter therefore must have been a spare; stored until converted by Avro Canada in 1947 to a Mk.10MR; assigned to #404(MR) Squadron coded 'VC-AF?' ;SOC 8.5.56; scrap


    FM129              C/N #3330        no code
Flown into #218(MU) Colerne, Glos.In May.45; moved to #39(MU) for storage with the RAF until SOC 3.7.47; scrap


    FM130              C/N #3331        code.. EQ-M
Assigned to #408(B) Squadron in May.45; flew back to Canada on 17.6.45 for use with Tiger Force, #664(HB) Wing, Greenwood, N.S.; placed in storage at Claresholm, Alta.; SOC 22.1.47; scrap


    FM131              C/N #3332        no code
Arrived at #218(MU) Colerne, Glos.on 11.5.45; held until the end of war then transferred to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. RAF storage; SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM132              C/N #3333        no code
Built May.45; To #218(MU) Colerne, Glos. Aug.45; To #39(MU) Sep.45 storage until scrapped; SOC 3.6.47


    FM133              C/N #3334        no code
1st to #5(MU); #20(MU); for storage until scrapped SOC 7.8.47


    FM134              C/N #3335        no code
First to #5(MU); #20(MU); for storage until scrapped SOC 7.8.47


    FM135              C/N #3336        no code
Flown to England on 17.5.45; 1st to #5(MU) on 17.5.45; #32(MU) & #22(MU) for storage until scrapped SOC2.6.47


    FM136              C/N #3337        code.. RX136
          photos
Built in May.45; Delivered to England in Jun.45 to #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts; issued to #419(HB) squadron for use with Tiger Force on 29.8.45 but to late for that force; stored at Pearce,Alta.; Converted Mk.10MR; issued to #404(MP)Sqdrn.Greenwood, N.S.; later transferred to #407(MR) Sqdrn.Comox, B.C. as code 'RX136' (1952-59); stored at Ft. Macleod, Alta.; put on the C.C.A.Reg as CF-NJQ; placed on a pedestal at Calgary International Airport in the early 60's coded 'VN-N' of #50(B) Sqdrn RAF; put under the care of the AeroSpace Museum, Calgary and removed from the pedestal in Apr.92 and repainted to wartime camouflage with code 'NA-P' of #428(B) Sqdrn RCAF; now displayed in the aircraft park of the museum. It is owned by the City of Calgary.


    FM137              C/N #3338        no code
1st to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos.; #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. for storage until scrapped; SOC 7.8.47


    FM138              C/N #3339        no code
1st to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos.; #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. for storage until scrapped SOC 7.8.47


    FM139              C/N #3340        no code
1st to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos; #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. for storage until scrapped SOC 7.8.47


    FM140              C/N #3341        no code
Flown to England on 17.5.45; 1st to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos. on 17.5.45; then to #218(MU) Colerne, Glos.; Return to Canada by crews from #419(B) Sqdrn. on 23.8.45; into storage until 1950; converted to Mk.10MP; issued to #404(MR) squadron at Greenwood, N.S.; SOC 28.9.55; scrapped


    FM141              C/N #3342        no code
Flown to England; 1st to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos. on 17.5.45; #32(MU) Lyneham, Wilts. & #22(MU) for storage until scrapped; SOC 2.6.47


    FM142              C/N #3343        no code
Flown to England; 1st to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos. on 17.5.45; #32(MU) St.Athan, Glamorgan, & #22(MU) for storage until scrapped; SOC 7.5.47


    FM143              C/N #3344        no code
Flown to England; 1st to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos. on 17.5.45; #32(MU) St.Athan, Glamorgan, & #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. for storage, crashed on way to #20(MU); wreckage stored at #20 (MU); scrapped SOC 7.5.47


    FM144              C/N #3345        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's'; stored until SOC 2.6.47; scrap


    FM145              C/N #3346        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's'; stored until SOC 2.6.47; scrap


    FM146              C/N #3347        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's'; stored until SOC 2.6.47; scrap


    FM147              C/N #3348        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's'; stored until SOC 2.6.47; scrap


    FM148              C/N #3349        code FCD
Flown to England in Jun.45; held at #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts.; returned to Canada on 25.8.45; into storage until converted to Mk.10SR; issued to WEE Flt, C.E.P.E. at Rockcliffe as code VC-FCD' for winter trials; also used by A.A.S. Trenton, Ont.; SOC 9.1.58; scrapped at Greenwood.


    FM149              C/N #3350        no code
Flown to England in May.45 to various MU's'; stored until SOC 7.5.47; sold.


    FM150              C/N #3351        no code
Flown to England in May.45 to various MU's'; stored until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM151              C/N #3352        no code
Flown to England on 3.6.45 to various MU's'; stored until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM152              C/N #3353        no code
Flown to England on 3.6.45 and held at #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts.; held at #39(MU) RAF Colerne,Glos. in storage until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM153              C/N #3354        no code
Flown to the U.K. on 3.6.45; held at #218(MU) Colerne, Glos.;returned to Canada on 23.8.45; held in storage until SOC 19.1.48; scrap


    FM154              C/N #3355        no code
Flown to England in May.45 and held at #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts. in Jul.45.; held at #39(MU) RAF St.Athan, Glamorgan in Sep.45 for storage until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM155              C/N #3356        no code
Flown to England; placed in storage with #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts in Jul.45.; Returned to Canada on 26.8.45 for spare with #419(B) Squadron in Tiger force at Yarmouth, N.S.; placed in storage until 27.1.48; scrap


    FM156              C/N #3357        no code
Flown to England in May.45 and held at #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts.; into storage at #39(MU) St.Athan, Glamorgan, Wales. in Sep.45 until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM157              C/N #3358        no code
Arrived at #218(MU) Colerne Wilts. on 11.8.45; transferred to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. in Sep.45 RAF storage; SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM158              C/N #3359        no code
Flown to England on 30.5.45 and held at #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts.; into storage at #39(MU) St.Athan, Glamorgan, Wales in Oct.45 until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM159              C/N #3360        code.. RX159
          read more



    FM160              C/N #3361        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts.; Later to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos.; Storage until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM161              C/N #3362        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to #32(MU) Lyneham Wilts.; Later to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos.; Storage until SOC 2.6.47; scrap


    FM162              C/N #3363        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Jun.45 on to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos.; Stored by RAF until SOC3.6.47; scrap


    FM163              C/N #3364        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Jun.45; on to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos.; Stored by RAF until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM164              C/N #3365        no code
1st to #5(MU) in Jun.45, #218(MU), #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. For storage until scrapped; SOC 7.5.47


    FM165              C/N #3366        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Jun.45; then moved to #39(MU) Colerne, Wilts. in Aug.45 for storage with the RAF until SOC 28.3.47; scrap


    FM166              C/N #3367        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Jun.45; then moved to #39(MU) Colerne, Wilts. in Aug.45 for storage with the RAF until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM167              C/N #3368        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Jun.45; then moved to #39(MU) from Aug.45 for storage with the RAF until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM168              C/N #3369        no code
Flown to the U.K. 13.6.45; #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos.; Storage until scrapped SOC 7.5.47


    FM169              C/N #3370        code.. 2K-L
Flown to the U.K. 12.6.45; to #1668 (HCU) Heavy Conversion Unit, Bottesford, with code '2K-L' until Sep.45; placed in storage by the RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM170              C/N #3371        no code
Flown to the U.K. on 7.6.45; then moved to #20(MU), #32(MU), #39(MU), #218(MU) from Aug.45 for storage with the RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM171              C/N #3372        no code
Flown to the U.K. on 7.6.45; then moved to #20(MU), #32(MU), #39(MU), #218(MU) from Aug.45 for storage with the RAF until SOC 7.5.47;scrap


    FM172              C/N #3373        no code
          photos
flown to England June, 1945; assigned at #313(FTU) Ferry Training Unit; returned to Canada in November, 1945; storage; modified to Mk.10MR in 1950; assigned to #404 Squadron as AF-172 based at Greenwood, Nova Scotia; SOC 13.9.55


    FM173              C/N #3374        code.. AFF/AF173
flown to U.K. June, 1945; assigned to #313(FTU) Ferry Training Unit; returned to Canada Nov.45; stored until 1950; converted to Mk.10MR, held various squadrons; marked AF-173 with #404 Squadron. During 1950-55 was with #405(MR) Squadron with code 'VC-AFF'; SOC 13.9.55


    FM174              C/N #3375        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's'; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM175              C/N #3376        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's'; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM176              C/N #3377        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Jun.45; then various MU's from Aug.45 for storage with the RAF until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM177              C/N #3378        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's'; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM178              C/N #3379        no code
Flown to the U.K. in Jun.45; then various MU's from Aug.45 for storage with the RAF until SOC 3.6.47; scrap


    FM179              C/N #3380        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM180              C/N #3381        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM181              C/N #3382        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM182              C/N #3383        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM183              C/N #3384        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45 to various MU's; stored with RAF until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM184              C/N #3385        code.. CF-CMX
          photos
Converted to Lancaster XPP specifications as a long-range passenger and transport aircraft -registered as CF-CMX; used by Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. One of the last four Lancaster XPP's, this aircraft featured much improved heating and passenger facilities; sold to Skyways and leased to Onzeair Ltd. of Karachi, India as AP-ACL


    FM185              C/N #3386        code.. CF-CMY
          photos
Converted to Lancaster XPP specifications as a long-range passenger and transport aircraft -registered as CF-CMY; used by Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. One of the last four Lancaster XPP's, this aircraft featured much improved heating and passenger facilities; sold to Flight Refueling Ltd. on U.K.Reg. as G-AKDP; used on the Berlin Airlift as a fuel transport tanker; crashed in Germany 10.5.49


    FM186              C/N #3387        code.. CF-CMZ
          photos
Converted to Lancaster XPP specifications as a long-range passenger and transport aircraft -registered as CF-CMZ; used by Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. One of the last four Lancaster XPP's, this aircraft featured much improved heating and passenger facilities; sold to Flight Refueling Ltd. on U.K.Reg. as G-AKDR; used on the Berlin Airlift as a fuel transport tanker; scrapped c.1950


    FM187              C/N #3388        code.. CF-CNA
          photos
Converted to Lancaster XPP specifications as a long-range passenger and transport aircraft -registered as CF-CNA; used by Canadian Government Trans-Atlantic Air Service (CGTAS) for mail and VIP service between Dorval and Preswick. They carried ten passengers and crossed the Atlantic in about twelve and half-hours. One of the last four Lancaster XPP's, this aircraft featured much improved heating and passenger facilities; sold to Flight Refueling Ltd.; on U.K.Reg. as G-AKDS; used on the Berlin Airlift as a fuel transport tanker scrapped c.1950


    FM188              C/N #3389        no code
Arrived at #218(MU) on 11.6.45; transferred to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. in Sep.45 RAF storage; SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM189              C/N #3390        no code
Arrived at #218(MU) Colerne, Glos. on 11.6.45; transferred to #20(MU) Aston Down, Glos. in Sep.45 RAF storage; SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM190              C/N #3391        no code
Flown to the U.K. on 27.6.45; to #5(MU) Kemble, Glos.; hit wall on approach. DBR 3.8.45; sold for scrap 7.5.1947


    FM191              C/N #3392        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM192              C/N #3393        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM193              C/N #3394        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM194              C/N #3395        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM195              C/N #3396        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM196              C/N #3397        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM197              C/N #3398        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM198              C/N #3399        no code
Flown to England in Jun.45; stored at various MU's and scrapped at Hounslow Heath, Sussex.; SOC 7.5.47


    FM199              C/N #3400        code.. MN199
          photos
flown to UK in June, 1945; issued to #313(FTU) Ferry Training Unit; placed with #434(B) Squadron for return to Canada on 20.11.45 to Dartmouth, N.S.; no code; stored until 1950; converted to Mk.10P in Jul.50; issued to #408(P) Squadron with code 'VC-AFK' then 'MN199'; also 'AK199'; SOC 2.6.60


    FM200              C/N #3401        no code
Flown to England on 3.8.45; to #20M.U. Aston Down, Glos; Storage until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM201              C/N #3402        no code
Flown to England on 5.8.45; to #20M.U. Aston Down, Glos; used at Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAAE) Sep.45.; storage until SOC 7.5.47; sold.


    FM202              C/N #3403        no code
Flown to England in Aug.45; to #20M.U. Aston Down, Glos.; storage until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM203              C/N #3404        no code
Flown to England in Aug.45; to #20M.U. Aston Down, Glos.; storage until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM204              C/N #3405        no code
Flown to England on11.8.45; to #20M.U. Aston Down, Glos.; Used at Empire Air Navigation School (1946); storage until SOC 7.5.47; scrap


    FM205              C/N #3406        no code
          photos
Flown to England; placed in various M.U.'s; flown back to Canada Nov. 1945; converted by Avro Canada as Mk.10C test bed for two 3,000 pound thrust Avro Chinook TR.4 Mark II axial-flow turbojets in outer nacelles in 1951; not completed; scrapped in 1956


    FM206              C/N #3407        code.. VC-CQA
          photos
Flown to England in Aug.45; returned to Canada on 19.11.45; to storage; returned to service as 3rd navigational version of Mk.10N issued to Canadian Navigational School, Summerside, PEI.(CNS) with code 'VC-CQA' nickname 'Northern Cross' serving until SOC 28.5.57; then coded 'CQ206'; bought by Ajax Aircraft of Toronto and scrapped ($2000.)


    FM207              C/N #3408        code.. MN207
          photos
Built by Victory Aircraft Ltd. in Jul.45; Flown to England on 22.8.45; the last Lancaster manufactured in Canada delivered overseas; returned to Canada on 19.11.45; placed in storage until Jun.49. Avro (Canada) converted it to Mk.10P standard, the seventh conversion, for use with #413(P) Squadron, #9(T) Group. On the formation of #408(P) Sqdrn. was reissued as code 'MN207'; also marked 'AK-207; SOC 26.9.62; used as spares.


    FM208              C/N #3409        code.. CQB/CQ208/CF-KHH
          photos
Built by Victory aircraft Ltd. in Jul.45.; TOS on 21.8.46 by RCAF; stored until Jun.49; then converted by Avro (Canada) as the 8th Mark10P but was later to be the pattern aircraft for the 10N version; delivered to Central Navigational School (CNS) Summerside, PEI; As code 'VC-CQB' later 'OQ208'; nicknamed 'Polaris'; retired by spring 1957; SOC 28.5.57; sold to Ajax Aircraft of Toronto and registered as CF-KHH as a fuel oil tanker with World Wide Airways Inc


    FM209              C/N #3410        no code
          photos
TOS 21.8.46 in the RCAF as Mk.10U; loaned to Avro (Canada) in the latter part of 1948 and converted to designation Mk.10O (Orenda). The bombadier's position and nose turret removed, the tail turret was replaced by tail-cone and observation windows in each side of the fuselage for photographic test recording. The two outboard Merlin engines were replaced by the various Orenda's with the first test flight on 13.7.50. Don Rogers at the controls. Flying on its jets alone, with the inboard props feathered was as fast as a stock four engine Lancaster bomber. One incident with Mike Cooper-slipper at the controls was at an airshow in which Mike asked the engineer to start the Merlin engines and a mixup occured and the Lanc. became a glider, but the jet engines were started on time. The aircraft became an ideal engine test bed and able to fly on either jet or Merlins or both. The crew of pilot, two engine test observers and a navigator were normal with over 500 hrs logged up till Jul.54; lost in a fire on 24.7.56 in Avro's wartime flight test Hangar at Malton, Ont.


    FM210              C/N #3411        code.. RX210
Built by Victory Aircraft Ltd. Malton, Ont. in Jul.45; TOS 21.8.46; converted Mk.10MR; to #407(MR) as RX-210; disposed at Greenwood; SOC 23.6.55; cannibalized for parts


    FM211              C/N #3412        code.. CQC/DHC
          photos
Taken on Strength 21.8.46; was the second to be converted to Mk.10N; sent to Central Navigation School at Summerside, PEI.; s coded VC-GSX; nicknamed 'Zenith'; Lancaster Zenith that was the first Canadian aircraft to reach the North Pole flew off the ice at Kittigazuit in May 1949 (14 hour flight). It was the Spec"N" Lanc that I believe was still operating from Greenwood as Summerside runways were still being lengthened.; later was code VC-DHC; SOC 8.5.56; last flight on 11 Oct 56 when ferried from SU to Amherst by Doug McGrath, Rod Milroy, and FE Bert Rozer to be scrapped; scrapped at Dartmouth, N.S.


    FM212              C/N #3413        code.. VC-APA/MN212(EQ-W)
          photos
First flown by test pilot Don Rogers in Aug.45; TOS 21.8.46 in the RCAF; placed in storage until Apr.48; then was the proto-type for converting to Mk.10P by Avro Canada; served with #9 and #418 squadrons with code 'VC-APA' ; later was reissued to #408(P) Sqdrn, Air Transport Command as code 'MN212' serving until 1962 having a total 8100 hrs; flown into storage on 11.3.64 at RCAF Stn. Dunnville, Ont. SOC 9.10.64. Sold to the city of Windsor for the sum of $1250 for a memorial. Brought across Lake Erie to Windsor, Ont. by barge, assembled in Dieppe Park until placed on a plinth in Jackson Park. Dedicated as a centre piece in a memorial garden on 4 Jul.65, volunteers replaced the cockpit canopy in 1995 and painted the entire aircraft in 1997, now cared for by the Canadian Historical Aviation Assoc. (C.Hist.A.A.) of Windsor, Ont. Removed from plinthe in 2005. The association is planning on restoring the aircraft in a yet to be constructed museum building.


    FM213              C/N #3414        code.. AGJ/AGS/CX213
          photos    -    read more
TOS 21.8.45 in the RCAF; stored at Trenton (1945-50); converted to Mk.10MR by DeHav.Canada; issued to #405(MR) at Greenwood as VC-AGJ; suffered a heavy landing on 15.1.52; repaired with parts of KB895; reissued to #107(RU) as code VC-AGS & code 'CX213' at R.C.A.F.Stn. Torbay, Nfld. (Aug.1959-Aug.61); During its service it had an incident occur on 10.10.54 under the command of F/O J.K.Vincer; aircraft was to drop plasma on vessel at night; although the plasma wasn't recovered the parachute & marine marker hit the deck of the ship; an extraordinary feat. The next day another drop was successful in that the plasma was recovered from the sea by lifeboat; SOC 30.6.64; put into storage at Dunnville; sold to R.C. Legion in Goderich, Ont. for the sum of $1200; after the necessary funds were raised was raised on three pylons without structural alterations; After many years in the open air was sold to Canadian Warplane Heritage, Mt.Hope, Ont.; Tranported by #450(Hel) Squadron to Hamilton Int. Airport on 5.11.79; except for minor restoration didn't get to the major job of making it airworthy until 1983 (see 'Mynarski Lanc.' by Bette Page); First flown again on 11.9.88 in wartime colours and marked as 'KB726' as a memorial to P/O A.Mynarski V.C. Since that time has made numerous appearances at airports across Canada & North America and is the only airworthy Lancaster on this side of the Atlantic. It is currently registered as C-GVRA.


    FM214              C/N #3415        code.. AQB/AKB
          photos
TOS 21.8.45; stored until issued to #413(P) Sqdrn. in Apr.48 as code VC-AQB; in Feb.50 was present along with three other photo Lancasters on Exercise 'Sweet Briar' working out of Whitehorse, Yk. for 11 days. Was the third aircraft by Avro Canada to be converted to Mk.10P which included a C-1 autopilot, janitrol heaters, solar navigator in nose fairing, drift meter, new compasses & radios, the installation of a galley & rest station. New electronic equipment included AN/APN LORAN, Rebecca Navigational Devices, & IFF Mk.IIIG; issued to #408(P) as 'MN-214'. In Jul.48 (P) F/L C.D.Bennett and crew flew over Foxe Basin and discovered islands that had previously been uncharted adding 5000 sq.miles to Canadian territory. Crashed and SOC 23.5.50


    FM215              C/N #3416        code.. MN215
          photos
TOS 21.8.45 in RCAF; was the 4th. converted by Avro Canada to Mk.10P; issued to #408(P) Squadron with code 'MN215'; did extensive test on SHORAN; was used for short time at Winnipeg as a SAR aircraft with #111 Composite Unit about Aug. 1959; SOC 28.9.62


    FM216              C/N #3417        code.. APO
          photos
TOS 21.8.46; modified to Mk.10P; issued to #414 Squadron in Jan.48 as code VC-APD; also served with #408 Squadron as 'MN-216'; crashed on take off at Resolute, NWT on August 17, 1950; SOC 17.8.50


    FM217              C/N #3418        code.. AKR
          photos
TOS 21.8.46; converted to Mk10P issued to #408(P) Squadron as VC-AKR; crashed and SOC 2.6.60


    FM218              C/N #3419        code.. APU
          photos
TOS21.8.46; converted to Mk.10P; issued to #413(P) Squadron as 'VC-APU; also served with #408 Squadron as 'MN-218'; on 14.8.48; was 'scrambled' from Goose Bay Labr. to intercept a TCA North Star over the Atlantic which had a double engine failure and provided escort back to Goose Bay successfully. While in use by #413(P) on a photo mission of the north crashed at Resolute Bay, N.W.T while landing and SOC 5.3.52; no injuries.


    FM219              C/N #3420        code.. RX219
TOS 21.8.46; converted to Mk10MP; issued to #407(MR) Squadron as RX219; arrived at Comox on 9.3.55 as the first squadron aircraft equipped with APS-33 radar system; F Sgt. Sid Skinner flew it on its last mission on 12.5.59 with #407(MR) with a crew that had all served in a Wartime Lancaster bombers. As the Vancouver Sun mentioned on 13 May 1959, 'It was such a sight as will never again be seen in western Canada, Fifty-eight thousand lbs of aircraft boiling down the runway, four 12-cylinders engines raging at their task of putting 5,000 h.p., a slamming roar of four propellers & 48 exhaust stacks, and the last Lancaster heaved itself into the air, folding its stork-like under-carriage into the engine nacelles'. This was a Tuesday morning at 9.30 a.m. being the last Lancaster of Maritime Command to fly the Rockies to Calgary; flown by (P)F/L K.Petch, F/L J.Bray, F/L P.Bedson, F/L R.McNabb, F/L G.W.Fisher, F/L L.Coburn, & Sgt H.D.Witwer; SOC 17.5.65 at Dunnville, Ont.; sold to G.Solway of Toronto.

MARTY PLUMSTEAD HAS CONTRIBUTED THE FOLLOWING RE FM219'S DEPARTURE FROM COMOX

As I remember, there was a formal media event with a crew of ex-WW2 members and 219, and they may have even taken off "for Calgary and retirement". I think that took place on 12 May 1959. However, 219 spent the night of 12 May at Comox, because on the morning of 13 May, F/L Tim Huisman, myself and a Flt Eng cranked her up and headed for Calgary. My log book records it as: QQ - YC Last of the Lancs. Time enroute: 3:30

The media event, as I recall, was organized by Lloyd "Coby" Coburn. He was in charge of Sqn Ops Section, and many felt that Coby, a very outspoken character, actually ran the Sqn.

Ken Petch is listed as the pilot. Ken and I flew a lot together, in fact, I checked him out on the Lanc after his arrival from OTU in Summerside. In Fall 1957, Maritime Command was in the midst of conversion to the Neptune and Argus. The OTU at Summerside had stopped training on the Lanc and were doing it on the Neptune for 407 bound crews. So Ken, and several other pilots, arrived at Sqn Neptune trained, but with no Lanc training, so had no aeroplane to fly! And we didn't get Neptunes released from Greenwood until well into the Spring of 1958! Since I had a Cat 1 Multi-engine instructor rating from Training Command, the Chief Pilot asked me to give a conversion course to these pilots.

The reason I mention all this, is that on 28 Feb 1958 was Ken's first local trip on the Lanc. One has to remember that he flew it in WW2, so it wasn't a brand new experience. Anyway, off we go with Ken in the left seat and me in the right seat. I did the take-off and then some manoevres to give Ken a chance to settle in, then I entered the circuit to demonstrate a landing. Just rolling out on base leg, the control wheel suddenly "disconnected" and left me with no aileron control. You're probably aware that the co-pilot's wheel is connected to the pilot side by a chain (bicycle chain?) inside a stout tube. It had come off the sprocket. So, I turned to Ken and said "you have control sir" and he proceeded to carry out a beautiful landing. Of course, Ken Petch was some cool guy and a very skillful pilot. He retired in Victoria, but I have had no contact with him. If he is still with us, he could no doubt remember more about the retirement of 219.



    FM220              C/N #3421        code.. AFK/AF220/SP220/VN220
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; converted to Mk10MP; issued to #404(MR) Squadron at Greenwood as code VC-AFK and SP220; later served with #405 Squadron as VN-220; SOC 23.6.55; scrapped


    FM221              C/N #3422        code.. DDR
          photos
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; was the prototype for Mk.10BR at Avro Canada in Jun.49; to Trenton, Ont. for trials marked VP-DDR; was flying out of Resolute Bay when both port engines failed on final just short of the runway; crashed on 19.9.50; only one person injured


    FM222              C/N #3423        code.. CF-IMF
          photos
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; Converted to Mk.10SR; issued to #103(RU) at Greenwood, N.S.; transferred to Air Armament School (AAS) at Trenton, Ont. (had black & yellow spinners and a Martin Turret); SOC 4.4.56; sold to Spartan Air Survey on 5.4.56 as CF-IMF and flew at least one summer on Arctic Survey. KB907 and KB909 were sold to Spartan at the same time. FM-222 was the only one modified for aerial survey work. It is believed CF-IMG and CF-IMH were used for spare parts to keep CF-IMF flying.


    FM223              C/N #3424        code.. AGO/AG223/VN223/MN223
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F; converted to Mk.10MR; issued to #404 Squadron as SP-223 and to #405 Squadron as VN-223; SOC 17.5.65


    FM224              C/N #3425        code.. AG224/RX224
          photos
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; Converted to Mk10MR; issued to #405(MR) at Greenwood with code AG224; transferred on the formation of #407(BR) as code RX224 at Comox, B.C.; stored in 1960 until SOC 17.5.65; sold to G.Solway of Toronto & scrapped.


    FM225              C/N #3426        code.. RX225
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; converted to Mk.10MR; SOC 23.6.55 at Greenwood, broken up for spares


    FM226              C/N #3427        code.. VN226
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; converted to Mk.10MR; SOC 29.9.55 at Greenwood, broken up for spares


    FM227              C/N #3428        no code
          photos
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; converted to Mk.10MR; SOC 13.9.55 at Greenwood, broken up for spares


    FM228              C/N #3429        no code
TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; converted to Mk.10MR; issued to #103(RU) Search & rescue at Greenwood, N.S.; Reissued to #407(MR); In June 1954 (P) F/O J.Brindle and crew flew on a long-range & VHF test flight on an attempting to land at Cedar Rapids Iowa undershot runway, crew did the necessary repairs and flew back to Comox with-out incident; SOC 12.8.54


    FM229              C/N #3430        code.. AGR
Last produced Lancaster in Canada. TOS 21.8.46 in the R.C.A.F.; converted in 1950 to Mk.10MR; issued to #107(RU) at Torbay, Nfld. afterwords transferred to #405(MR) 'MN-229' & #2(O.T.U.) with code VC-AGR (1954-55) at Greenwood, N.S. also coded AG-229; SOC 13.9.55; scrapped.




Bomber Command Museum of Canada