List of Avro Lancaster operators

The list below details the various operators of the Avro Lancaster:

Argentina

Argentine Air Force

Between May 1948 and August 1949, the Argentine Air Force acquired 15 Lancasters (serial numbers B-031 to B-045), which had been previously used by the RAF.

Australia

Royal Australian Air Force

• No. 460 Squadron RAAF
• No. 463 Squadron RAAF
• No. 467 Squadron RAAF

Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force

• No. 6 Group RCAF (Active during wartime until 1945)
  • 405 Squadron
  • 408 Squadron
  • 419 Squadron
  • 420 Squadron
  • 424 Squadron
  • 425 Squadron
  • 426 Squadron
  • 427 Squadron
  • 428 Squadron
  • 429 Squadron
  • 431 Squadron
  • 432 Squadron
  • 433 Squadron
  • 434 Squadron
• 10 Group/Maritime Air Command (Operational after 1947)
  • 103 Rescue Unit
  • 2 Maritime (M) Operational Training Unit
  • 404 Maritime Reconnaissance/Patrol Squadron
  • 405 Maritime Reconnaissance/Patrol Squadron
  • 407 Maritime Reconnaissance/Patrol Squadron
• CFB Rockcliffe (Postwar period)
  • 408 Aerial Photography/Arctic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • 413 Aerial Photography Squadron

Egypt

Royal Egyptian Air Force

France

Aeronavale – Beginning in 1952, 54 aircraft were transferred from the Royal Australian Air Force

• Escadrille 5S
• Escadrille 9S
• Escadrille 10S
• Escadrille 55S
• Escadrille 56S

Poland

Polish Air Forces operating in exile from Great Britain

• No. 300 Polish Bomber Squadron "Ziemi Mazowieckiej"

Soviet Union

Soviet Naval Aviation

Out of six Avro Lancasters that made emergency landings near Yagodnik airfield close to Arkhangelsk during raids on the German battleship Tirpitz, the Soviets managed to restore two. These former 617 Squadron Lancasters were briefly utilized for transport and extended reconnaissance missions before being withdrawn due to spare parts shortages.

Sweden

Swedish Air Force

• Försökscentralen (Swedish Test Establishment) at Malmen near Linköping acquired one Lancaster I (ex-RAF RA805), designated Tp 80 and assigned SwAF/n 80001. Modified by Avro for jet engine testing, this aircraft was delivered from the UK in May 1951. This sole Swedish Lancaster was lost in a crash in 1956.

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force

• No. 7 Squadron RAF
• No. 9 Squadron RAF
• No. 12 Squadron RAF
• No. 15 Squadron RAF
• No. 18 Squadron RAF
• No. 20 Squadron RAF
• No. 35 Squadron RAF
• No. 37 Squadron RAF
• No. 38 Squadron RAF
• No. 40 Squadron RAF
• No. 44 Squadron RAF
• No. 49 Squadron RAF
• No. 50 Squadron RAF
• No. 57 Squadron RAF
• No. 61 Squadron RAF
• No. 70 Squadron RAF
• No. 75 Squadron RAF
• No. 82 Squadron RAF
• No. 83 Squadron RAF
• No. 90 Squadron RAF
• No. 97 Squadron RAF
• No. 100 Squadron RAF
• No. 101 Squadron RAF
• No. 103 Squadron RAF
• No. 104 Squadron RAF
• No. 106 Squadron RAF
• No. 109 Squadron RAF
• No. 115 Squadron RAF
• No. 120 Squadron RAF
• No. 138 Squadron RAF
• No. 148 Squadron RAF
• No. 149 Squadron RAF
• No. 150 Squadron RAF
• No. 153 Squadron RAF
• No. 156 Squadron RAF
• No. 160 Squadron RAF
• No. 166 Squadron RAF
• No. 170 Squadron RAF
• No. 178 Squadron RAF
• No. 179 Squadron RAF
• No. 186 Squadron RAF
• No. 189 Squadron RAF
• No. 195 Squadron RAF
• No. 203 Squadron RAF
• No. 207 Squadron RAF
• No. 210 Squadron RAF
• No. 214 Squadron RAF
• No. 218 Squadron RAF
• No. 224 Squadron RAF
• No. 227 Squadron RAF
• No. 231 Squadron RAF
• No. 279 Squadron RAF
• No. 514 Squadron RAF
• No. 541 Squadron RAF
• No. 550 Squadron RAF
• No. 576 Squadron RAF
• No. 582 Squadron RAF
• No. 617 Squadron RAF
• No. 619 Squadron RAF
• No. 621 Squadron RAF
• No. 622 Squadron RAF
• No. 625 Squadron RAF
• No. 626 Squadron RAF
• No. 630 Squadron RAF
• No. 635 Squadron RAF
• No. 683 Squadron RAF

Heavy Conversion Units

• Various Heavy Conversion Units including Nos:
  • 1651,
  • 1653,
  • 1654,
  • 1656,
  • 1657,
  • 1659,
  • 1660,
  • 1661,
  • 1662,
  • 1664,
  • 1665,
  • 1666,
  • 1667,
  • 1668,
  • 1678

Lancaster Finishing Schools

• Nos:
  • 1,
  • 3,
  • 5,
  • 6

Operational Training and Conversion Units

• Nos:
  • 6 Operational Training Unit,
  • 230 Operational Conversion Unit,
  • 236 Operational Conversion Unit

Fleet Air Arm

• 780 Naval Air Squadron

Argentina

• Flota Aérea Mercante Argentina

Canada

• Spartan Air Services
• Trans-Canada Air Lines
• World Wide Airways

United Kingdom

• British European Airways
• British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC)
• British South American Airways
• Cobham plc
• Skyways Limited

See also

• Avro Lancaster

References

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