To our Canadian friends

Canadian content:

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The Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds team visited the Canadian Warplane Heirtage Museum a couple of weeks ago. Pictured is part of the team with the Museum's Avro Lancaster bomber. The Lanc is one of only two in the world in flying condition. You can even pay to get a ride in the Lanc (if you have deep pockets). The Museum is in Hamilton, Ontario, and is well worth a visit:

https://www.warplane.com/

Craig
 

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Canadian content:

The Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds team visited the Canadian Warplane Heirtage Museum a couple of weeks ago. Pictured is part of the team with the Museum's Avro Lancaster bomber. The Lanc is one of only two in the world in flying condition. You can even pay to get a ride in the Lanc (if you have deep pockets). The Museum is in Hamilton, Ontario, and is well worth a visit:

https://www.warplane.com/

Craig

Ohhhhh, it's VERA!

She's currently the only airworthy Lancaster in the world. Our Lanc (PA 474) is currently in bits as she is undergoing quite hefty routine maintenance at Duxford, hopefully back next year. PA 474 came back home for her 80th birthday last year, to the airfield where she was built in 1945 - there wasn't a dry eye in the house when those big old wheels touched down.

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Photos taken last June at Broughton, North Wales.


(Who started me talking about aeroplanes?...:D)
 
It would be nice if Vera could come over from Canada 'on tour' again, perhaps when East Kirkby's "Just Jane" is flight worthy again in a few years' time. Three Lancasters together, twelve merlin engines thrumming... now that would be a spectacle.
 
It would be nice if Vera could come over from Canada 'on tour' again, perhaps when East Kirkby's "Just Jane" is flight worthy again in a few years' time. Three Lancasters together, twelve merlin engines thrumming... now that would be a spectacle.
I was chatting with a volunteer at the Canadian museum and we touched on this topic. He thought it was highly unlikely that they would make another overseas trip. A key reason is cost. He said the Lanc uses more fuel just to taxi from the hangar to the runway than a typical car burns in a year. The museum used to get some government funding but now gets nothing. It would take deep pockets to fund a long trip like that.

Another issue is that the aircraft is over 80 years old! She is well-maintained but the trip over and back would be more flying hours than she now gets in 3 or 4 years. A sizeable maintenance crew would have to travel with her. There would almost certainly be issues to deal with and it is not like parts are in stock, ready to deliver.

For example, we were told that the tires (tyres) on the main landing gear needed to be replaced last year. The tires had to be custom made as the original molds were thrown away decades ago. The cost was $90,000 CAD...each!

Craig
 
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