© Darren Harbar
Lancaster BI PA474
Lancaster BI PA474 is one of only two Lancasters remaining in airworthy condition out of the 7,377 that were built. PA474 was built at the Vickers-Armstrong Broughton factory at Hawarden, completed on 31 May 1945. The war in Europe had ended a few weeks earlier so the aircraft was modified for Far East operations against the Japanese as part of the‘ Tiger Force’ and was first flown in this configuration in August 1945. Combat operations in the Far East also ended before the aircraft could be deployed and instead it was stored with just three hours and ten minutes on the airframe. From September 1948 to February 1952, after conversion to PR1 standard, PA474 conducted aerial survey mapping work in East and South Africa with 82 Squadron, accumulating 2,000 airframe hours, before being returned to the UK.
The Lancaster was then loaned to Flight Refuelling Ltd at Tarrant Rushden with the intention of converting it into a pilotless target drone. Fortunately, the drone conversion was cancelled and the Lancaster was saved from a fate which would almost certainly have prevented it from being here today. Instead, PA474 was allocated to Cranfield College of Aeronautics in 1954 where she was modified as a platform for testing experimental aerofoil sections. It served in this capacity at Cranfield for 10 years, which kept the aircraft airworthy, although it flew only some 100 hours during that time. In April 1964 PA474 was adopted by the Air Historical Branch for display as a static exhibit in the proposed RAF Museum. She was flown to Henlow for storage in the open air, to await the opening of the new museum.
In 1965 the CO of No 44 Sqn – the first unit ever to be equipped with Lancasters and then flying Avro Vulcans at Waddington- gained permission for PA474 to be transferred into the care of the Sqn. An inspection found that the aircraft was structurally sound and permission was granted for PA474 to make a single flight from Henlow to Waddington on 18 August 1965. After refurbishment, PA474 joined the BBMF in 1973, initially at Coltishall, moving with the Flight to Coningsby in 1976. PA474 was officially adopted by the City of Lincoln in 1975, and permission was granted for the aircraft to display the coat of arms and the name of the City on its nose, which it will always do, regardless of which colour scheme it wears. PA474 is currently undergoing maintenance away from the Flight, and will return in a new livery.