Avro Lancaster - PA474

PA474 is one of only two Lancasters remaining in airworthy condition out of the 7377 that were built – the other being in Canada. She was built in Chester in mid-1945 and was earmarked for the ‘Tiger Force’ in the Far East. However, the war with Japan ended before she could take part in any hostilities. She was therefore assigned to Photographic Reconnaissance duties with 82 Squadron in East and South Africa. While operating with 82 Squadron, PA474 had her turrets removed and carried the identification letter ‘M’.

On return to the United Kingdom PA474 was loaned to Flight Refuelling Ltd at Tarrant Rushton to be used as a pilotless drone. However, before the conversion started, the Air Ministry decided to use a Lincoln aircraft instead and PA474 was transferred to the Royal College of Aeronautics where she was used for trials on the Handley Page Laminar Flow wing. The trial wings were mounted vertically on the upper rear fuselage.

In 1964 she was adopted by the Air Historical Branch (AHB) for future display in the proposed RAF Museum at Hendon and was flown to Wroughton where she was painted in a camouflage paint scheme, though without squadron markings. During this period PA474 also took part in 2 films, ‘Operation Crossbow’ and ‘The Guns of Navarone’. Later in 1964 she was moved to RAF Henlow in preparation for display at the RAF Museum. The first unit to be equipped with Lancasters was 44 Squadron and in 1965 the Commanding Officer of this unit, which was now flying Vulcans from RAF Waddington, sought permission from the AHB for PA474 to be transferred to the care of the Squadron. An inspection found that the aircraft was structurally sound and permission was granted for PA474 to make a single flight from Henlow to Waddington.

At Waddington a restoration programme on PA474 began, that would take several years to complete. By 1966 work was progressing well and both the front and rear turrets were in place. Permission to fly PA474 regularly was granted in 1967, although restoration continued. The aircraft eventually joined the Battle of Britain Flight in November 1973 prompting the change of the Unit’s name to the ‘Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’. Restoration work on various parts of the aircraft has continued ever since. A mid-upper turret was discovered in Argentina and was brought to Britain aboard HMS HAMPSHIRE and fitted to PA474 in 1975, the same year that the aircraft was adopted by the City of Lincoln. During the winter of 1995/6 PA474 received a brand new main spar, extending her life for the foreseeable future.

Since 2000 the aircraft has been painted in the markings originally worn by Lancaster III EE176 ‘QR-M’ (‘Mickey the Moocher’ of 61 Squadron, based at Skellingthorpe. EE176 was one of only 35 Lancaster centurions - aircraft that flew and survived in excess of 100 missions. ‘Mickey’ is believed to have flown between 115 and 128 missions against targets including Berlin (15 missions), Cologne, Dortmund, Brunswick and the breakout at Caen. The nose art features ‘Mickey the Mouse’ pulling a bomb trolley and 112 bomb symbols as shown on a wartime photograph of EE176. Three poppy symbols have been added denoting PA474’s poppy-drop flights to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VE-Day and VJ-Day in 1995 and the poppy-drop conducted in 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day. The original QR-M survived the War but like so many other ‘Lancs’ that had served their country well, it was unceremoniously scrapped.