Air Shows: August 2014

Monday, 25 August 2014

RAF Waddington, Lancaster Bombers Fly together

The only two Lancaster bombers still flying came together this year as a "special salute" to all the veterans of Bomber Command.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, based in Lincolnshire, and home to PA 474, hosted the Lancaster from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.

The two aircrafl took part in a series of events during August.

The Avro Lancaster is one of World War Two's most-recognisable British aircraft.

'Once in a lifetime'

It is most famous as the aircraft involved in the Dambuster raids, which saw 19 Lancasters attack German dams with Sir Barnes Wallis's "bouncing bombs" in 1943.

A total of 55,573 airmen of Bomber Command died in WWII. Their average age was 22.

RAF Coningsby's Sqn Ldr Dunc Mason said: "To see these two aircraft flying at events together will be a unique sight and also an opportunity to truly commemorate those who paid the ultimate sacrifice."

The Canadian Lancaster arrived in England on 8 August after stopping en-route in Greenland and Iceland.

Sqn Ldr (Ret) David G. Rohrer, of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, said: "It's been something that has been in the back of our minds for many years and we always thought it would be very special to have the only two flying Lancaster bombers coming together."

He added: "To see these two airplanes with fighter escorts flying over the English countryside will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The Lancaster bomber was designed by Roy Chadwick who was born in Farnworth, near Widnes, in 1893
The aircraft is best known for its part in attacking German dams in 1943
A total of 7,300 Lancaster bombers were built - 430 in Canada
The owners of a second Lincolnshire-based Lancaster bomber which featured in Dr Who and takes passengers for taxi rides are hoping to renovate it to an airworthy condition over the next few years
In 2012, the BBMF's Lancaster was repainted with a Disney Thumper logo in tribute to the Dambusters squadron

RAF Waddington

Thumper and Vera

The Vulcan leads the Lancasters home

RAF Waddington, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's Lancaster ' VERA'

RAF Waddington, The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster PA 474 'Thumper'

RAF Waddington, Avro Vulcan XH558

Avro Vulcan XH558 (civil aircraft registration G-VLCN) The Spirit Of Great Britain is the only airworthy example of the 134 Avro Vulcan V bombers that were operated by the Royal Air Force from 1953 until 1984. Vulcan XH558 served with the RAF between 1960 and 1985 in the bomber, maritime reconnaissance and air-to-air refuelling roles. The RAF operates XH558 as a display aircraft .

It is operated by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust as a display aircraft, funded entirely by charitable donations and the UK Heritage Lottery Fund.It is registered with the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority as G-VLCN but has an exemption to fly in Royal Air Force markings as XH558.

RAF Waddington, AWACS

AWACS E-3 Sentry.

This 'Airborne Warning and Control System' aircraft is based on a Boeing 707

RAF Waddington, XM607 Vulcan

XM607 Vulcan B.2.

Another Vulcan currently in good exterior condition is XM607, the gate guardian at RAF Waddington. A Black Buck veteran, XM607 has been well looked-after by the RAF and over the years has acted as a spares ship for more lively Vulcans. The undercarriage bays are sealed with wooden planks and the cockpit entrance hatch was seized shut for many years so the cockpit was very complete until fairly recently, when the hatch was finally freed. Since then and with the requirement for a new building at her old spot near the entrance to the station, she has been moved around a fair bit (handy for the annual airshow, where she could usually be found on display by one of the hangars), and now has a 'final' resting place on a purpose built hardstanding opposite the WAVE viewing area on the A15 side of the station. XM607, in common with several other Vulcans, donated many parts towards the restoration of XH558. She has been immortalised in an excellent book titled 'Vulcan 607' - well worth a read!
- See more at: http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/vulcan/survivor.php?id=55#sthash.eLDMo5Il.dpuf