Avro Lancaster PA474
| Company type | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation, Military aviation |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Founder | Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd |
| Headquarters | Broughton (manufacturing) , United Kingdom |
| Products | Heavy bomber aircraft |
| Parent | Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight |
Avro Lancaster PA474 is a heavy bomber from the Second World War, powered by four engines, and currently operated by the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight as a commemorative symbol honoring all personnel of RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War.
This aircraft, PA474, is one of merely two Lancasters worldwide that remain airworthy. The other operational Lancaster is owned and flown by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.
History
Constructed in 1945 as a B Mk 1 (B1) model by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd at their Broughton facility near Chester, PA474 was originally intended to join the British Tiger Force for strategic bombing missions in the Far East. However, with the conclusion of hostilities against Japan, this aircraft was surplus to requirements and placed into storage. After removal of its gun turrets, it was reassigned to Photographic Reconnaissance tasks with 82 Squadron operating in East and South Africa.
Following its squadron service, PA474 was loaned to Flight Refuelling Limited for use as an unmanned drone. This plan was later abandoned in favor of an Avro Lincoln, leading to PA474’s transfer to the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield, Bedfordshire. There, it served as a testbed for experiments involving the Handley Page laminar flow wing design, with test wings mounted vertically above the rear fuselage.
In 1964, responsibility for PA474 passed to the Air Historical Branch with a view to potential exhibition within the proposed RAF Museum. During this period, the aircraft featured in two motion pictures: Operation Crossbow and The Guns of Navarone. Initially stored at Wroughton and subsequently Henlow, PA474 was relocated in 1965 to RAF Waddington following a request from 44 Squadron. There it underwent restoration to its wartime configuration, including reinstalling both front and rear turrets.
The aircraft joined the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1973. A mid-upper turret recovered from Argentina was installed in 1975. In the winter of 1995, PA474 received a new main spar to prolong its operational lifespan.
On 7 May 2015, a fire occurred in its starboard outer engine during flight; nonetheless, it made a safe landing at RAF Coningsby. After extensive repairs addressing damage to engine number four, it resumed flying on 12 October 2015. Subsequent announcements projected that with ongoing maintenance efforts, PA474 could remain airworthy until at least 2065.
Routine and major servicing along with overhauls are carried out by the Duxford-based Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo), specialists in historic aircraft preservation. Most recently, PA474 spent ten months under their care during maintenance completed in 2021.
