The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engine heavy bomber used by the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces during World War II. Of the 7,377 aircraft built, 3,736 were lost during the War (3,249 in action and 487 in ground accidents). Today 17 remain in complete form, two of which are airworthy, and eight of which are in Canada. Only four of the surviving 17 – KB839, KB882, R5868, and W4783 – flew operational sorties over Continental Europe during the War.

1. Serial Numbers Hack
2. Raf Lancaster Serial Numbers Online
3. Software Serial Numbers

• 1Surviving aircraft

The RAF maintains a number of independent flights, some on a permanent basis, others on an ad-hoc basis as required. For a full list, see List of Royal Air Force aircraft independent flights. Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - 6 x Spitfire (various Marks), 2 x Hurricane, 1 x Lancaster, 1 x Dakota, 2 x Chipmunk - (RAF Coningsby). On the evening of Saturday August 12th 1944 an Avro Lancaster (serial number LM658) took off from it's base at RAF Waltham near Grimsby, Lincolnshire in Eastern England bearing the squadron code HW-W of RAF 100 Squadron, Bomber Command (1 group) as part of an airborne offensive of 379 heavy bombers heading for heart of the Nazi Reich.

Surviving aircraft[edit]

Surviving aircraft by manufacturer[edit]

Manufacturer	Number produced	Number surviving
Avro	3,673	0
Armstrong Whitworth	1,329	0
Austin	330	4
Metropolitan-Vickers	1,080	2
Vickers-Armstrongs	535	1
Victory (Canada)	430	10
7,377	17

Surviving aircraft[edit]

Serial	Geographic location	Institutional location	Status	History	Photo
FM104	Sidney, British Columbia	British Columbia Aviation Museum	Under restoration to airworthiness	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England in January 1945. Kept in reserve at No. 32 Maintenance Unit for 408 Squadron RCAF and 428 Squadron. Returned to Canada 10 June 1945 in expectation of use with Tiger Force against Japanese. Converted in November 1945 to Mk.10SR and assigned to No. 10 RU at Naval Station Argentia. Converted to Mk.10MR in April 1951 and assigned to 107 Unit at RCAF Torbay. Struck off 10 February 1964.[1] Displayed at Canadian National Exhibition in 1964. Purchased by RCAF Association and put on display in Coronation Park in 1965. Ownership transferred to Heritage Toronto in 1990. Moved to Toronto Aerospace Museum (later the Canadian Air and Space Museum) in 1999. Following the museum's closure in 2011, the plane went into storage. In June 2018 obtained by the British Columbia Aviation Museum.[2] Will be restored to airworthy status in post-war Maritime Command configuration. Restoration to be carried out by the museum in conjunction with Victoria Air Maintenance Ltd.
FM136	Calgary, Alberta	The Hangar Flight Museum	Static display	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England June 1945 but returned to Canada 29 August 1945. Served as RCAF Maritime Reconnaissance plane with 404 Squadron at RCAF Greenwood and 407 Squadron at RCAF Comox.[1] Flown to RCAF Fort Macleod in 1961 for scrap. Purchased in 1961 by Lynn Garrison and put on display in 1962 at entrance of Calgary Municipal Airport as a memorial to those who trained under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Transferred to Calgary Aerospace Museum in 1992. Wears livery of KB895, which flown by Calgary's Ronnie Jenkins.[3]
FM159	Nanton, Alberta	Bomber Command Museum of Canada	Static display	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England in May 1945 and returned to Canada in September 1945. Served as RCAF Maritime Reconnaissance plane from 1953 to 1958 with 103 Squadron at RCAF Greenwood and 407 Squadron at RCAF Comox.[1] Flown to RCAF Vulcan in 1960 for scrapping. Purchased that year and moved to Nanton, Alberta for display. Has undergone gradual restoration since the formation of the Nanton Lancaster Society in 1986. All four engines now run. Wears livery of ND811 in honour of Ian Bazalgette VC.[4]
FM212	Windsor, Ontario	Canadian Historical Aircraft Association	Under restoration for display	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Returned to factory, by then owned by Avro Canada, in 1948 and converted to Mk.10P. Served with 9 Squadron, 418 Squadron, and 408 Squadron. Struck off 9 October 1964.[1] Stored at RCAF Dunnville. Sold to City of Windsor, Ontario and moved on barge. Placed on display on plinth in Jackson Park. Currently undergoing restoration by Canadian Historical Aircraft Association.[5]
FM213	Hamilton, Ontario	Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum	Airworthy	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Stored in Trenton, Ontario from 1945 to 1950. Converted to Mk.10MR by de Havilland Canada. Served with 405 Squadron at RCAF Greenwood and 107 Rescue Unit at RCAF Torbay. Struck off 30 June 1964.[1] Stored at RCAF Dunnville. Purchased by and displayed at Royal Canadian Legion in Goderich, Ontario. Purchased by Canadian Warplane Museum and moved to Hamilton in November 1979. After restoration, flown for first time on 11 September 1988. Wears livery of KB726 of 419 Squadron in honour of Andrew MynarskiVC. Along with PA474 one of only two airworthy Lancasters.[6]
KB839	Greenwood, Nova Scotia	Greenwood Military Aviation Museum	Static display	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England 1 January 1945. Assigned to 431 Squadron as SE-G, and then to 419 Squadron as VR-D 'D Daisy.' Flew 26 sorties. Returned to Canada 5 June 1945. Sent to Avro Canada and converted to Mk.XAR. Served with 405 Squadron and 408 Squadron until 1961.[1] Stored at RCAF Dunnville. Flown to Greenwood, Nova Scotia in 1964 and mounted on pedestal. Later transferred to Military Aviation Museum. Wears livery of JB226 of 405 Squadron, which was lost 18 November 1943.[7]
KB882	Trenton, Ontario	National Air Force Museum of Canada	Under restoration for display	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England in 24 February 1945. Assigned to 431 Squadron without code, and then to 428 Squadron as NA-R 'Rabbit Stew.' Flew 19 sorties. Returned to Canada 2 June 1945. Stored in Alberta. Sent to Avro Canada in 1952 and converted to Mk.10P. Served with 408 Squadron at RCAF Rockcliffe. Struck off 26 May 1964.[1] Purchased in 1964 by City of Edmundston, New Brunswick. Ownership transferred to National Air Force Museum in Trenton, Ontario. Was moved in September 2017. Restoration work began immediately and will be completed by 1 April 2024, the 100th anniversary of the RCAF. Will be restored as post-War Mk.10AR.[8]
KB889	Duxford, Cambridgeshire	Imperial War Museum Duxford	Static display	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England 3 January 1945. Assigned to 428 Squadron as NA-I. Did not fly any sorties and returned to Canada 4 June 1945. Converted to Mk.10P by Avro Canada. Served with 408 Squadron at RCAF Torbay. Struck off 21 May 1965.[1] Sold to Age of Flight in Niagara Falls, Ontario in May 1964 and put on display at Niagara Falls Museum in 1965. Sold to Ken Short in 1968. Was transported to the airport at Oshawa, Ontario and reassembled in 1969-70. Purchased by Douglas Arnold and sent to England in 1984. Restored using parts from Avro Lincoln RF342. Sold to Imperial War Museum in 1986. Went on display in November 1994. Wears original livery.[9]
KB944	Ottawa, Ontario	Canada Aviation and Space Museum	Static display	Built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England 8 March 1945 as Mk. X. Assigned to 425 Squadron as KW-K. Did not fly any sorties and returned to Canada 15 June 1945. Stored at BCATP Fort Macleod. Converted to Mk.10S by Fairey Aviation, Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. Served with 404 Squadron at RCAF Greenwood. Struck off January 1957.[1] Stored at RCAF Dunnville. Restored by RCAF. Purchased by National Aviation Museum in May 1964. Wears livery of KB760 of 428 Squadron.
KB976	Polk City, Florida	Fantasy of Flight	Dismantled and in storage	Built by Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Flown to England 24 May 1945. Assigned to 405 Squadron as LQ-K. Did not fly any sorties. Returned to Canada 17 June 1945. Converted to Mk.10AR. Served with 408 Squadron. Struck off 26 May 1964.[1] Purchased in April 1964 by Lynn Garrison of Calgary, Alberta. Sold in 1969 to Northwestern Air Services and used as water bomber in St. Albert, Alberta. Purchased in September 1974 by Sir William J.D. Roberts and flown to Scotland in June 1975. Damaged in hangar collapse, August 1987. Sold in 1993 to Kermit Weeks and placed in storage at Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida. Includes sections from KB994.[10] In 2015 Weeks wrote that he has no plans to restore the plane.[11]
NX611	East Kirkby, Lincolnshire	Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre	Under restoration to airworthiness	Built by Austin Motors in Birmingham as Mk. VII. Stored at RAF Llandow after War. One of 22 Lancasters sold in April 1952 to French Aéronautique navale. Sent to Nouméa, New Caledonia in 1962. Given by French to Historical Aircraft Preservation Society in 1964. After overhaul in Sydney, arrived at Biggin Hill 13 May 1965. Moved to Lavenham in Suffolk and sold to Rt Hon Lord Lilford in 1972. It was the gate guardian of RAF Scampton replacing R5868.[12] Purchased by Fred and Harold Panton in September 1983. Restoration underway to airworthy status.
NX622	Bull Creek, Western Australia	Aviation Heritage Museum	Static display	Built by Austin Motors in Birmingham as Mk. VII. One of 22 Lancasters sold in April 1952 to French Aéronautique navale. Used until 1962. Donated to RAAF Association in 1962.[13] Wears livery of LL847, which was shot down 18 December 1944.
NX664	Paris	Musée de l’air et de l’espace	Under restoration for display	Built by Austin Motors in Birmingham as Mk. VII. Stored at Llandow after the war. One of 22 Lancasters sold in April 1952 to Aéronautique navale. Crash landed at Mata Utu, Wallis and Futuna in 1963. Recovered by Ailes Anciennes in 1984. Currently undergoing full restoration. Will wear French livery.[14]
NX665	Auckland	Museum of Transport and Technology	Static display	Built by Austin Motors in Birmingham as Mk. VII. One of 22 Lancasters sold in April 1952 to Aéronautique navale. Used until 1964. Placed on display in Auckland in 1964. Acquired in 1978 by MOTAT. Moved indoors in 1980s.[15]
PA474	Horncastle, Lincolnshire	RAF Coningsby	Airworthy	Built by Vickers-Armstrongs in Chester as Mk. I. Placed in storage after War. Assigned to 82 Squadron in 1948 as photo reconnaissance plane in Africa. Loaned to Flight Refuelling Ltd. in August 1952, and College of Aeronautics at Cranfield [16] in late 1952. Passed to Air Historical Branch in 1964. Restored at RAF Waddington and transferred to Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1973. New spar in 1995. Along with FM213, one of only two airworthy Lancasters in the world.[17]
R5868	London	Royal Air Force Museum London	Static display	Built by Metropolitan-Vickers in Manchester as Mk. I. Delivered to 83 Squadron, RAF Scampton, 29 June 1942 as OL-Q 'Queen.' Transferred to the Australian 467 Squadron September 1943 as PO-S 'Sugar.' Completed 137 combat sorties and then participated in food supply and POW repatriation (Operation Exodus). Marked as 'non-effective' but kept in storage as being of particular note due to the number of missions completed. Struck off 16 March 1956 and transferred to Air Historical Branch.[18] Sent to RAF Fulbeck in 1958 for storage. In April 1959 moved to RAF Scampton for display. Painted in 83 Squadron markings in 1960. Remained Gate Guardian at Scampton until allotted to RAF Museum in August 1970. Following restoration moved to Hendon in March 1972 and repainted with 467 markings. Moved to new Bomber Command Museum hall at Hendon in August 1982.[18]
W4783	Canberra	Australian War Memorial	Static display	Built by Metropolitan-Vickers in Manchester as Mk. I. Assigned to 460 Squadron 22 October 1942 as AR-G 'George.' Flew first sortie 6 December 1942, and eighty-ninth and final sortie 20 April 1944. Flown to Australia 11 October 1944 and arrived 8 November in Brisbane. Flown in Eastern Australia in 1945 as part of Third Victory Loan Drive.[19] Left at RAAF Base Fairbairn until 1955. Moved to AWM in 1950s. Repainted in 1978. Removed from display in 1999 and given full restoration by at Treloar Technology Centre. Put back on display in ANZAC Hall in December 2003.[20]

Known wrecks[edit]

In addition to the 17 complete surviving planes, there are a small number of known complete or near-complete Lancaster wrecks.

Serial	Location	Coordinates	History	Photo
DV202	Germany	54°08′47″N13°46′39″E / 54.146389°N 13.777500°E	Built by Metropolitan-Vickers as Mk. I. Served with 44 Squadron as KM-Z. Shot down in August 1943 on a raid against Peenemünde and crashed in a small lake in the target area. The wreckage remains undisturbed and visible just short of the threshold of Peenemünde Airport. Some parts, including an engine, were recovered and are on display at the Historisch-Technisches Museum Peenemünde.
FM221	Canada	74°42′28″N94°58′37″W / 74.707740°N 94.976978°W	Built by Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Crashed on takeoff in 1950. Wreckage remains in situ but has severely deteriorated due to a combination of extreme weather, souvenir hunters and bulldozing of the wreckage after the crash.
KB965	Canada	82°29′47″N62°22′20″W / 82.496345°N 62.372146°W	Flown to England and issued to 405(B) Squadron, returned to Canada on 17 June 1945. Crashed on 31 July 1950 during the establishment of the weather station at Alert, Nunavut, killing all 9 on board. The tail of the aircraft along with much of the wing and all four engines is visible today 500 metres south of the main station complex.
KB999	Canada	61°14′00″N95°29′00″W / 61.2333°N 95.4833°W(approx.)	Built by Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. It was the 300th Canadian-built Lancaster and the final build of the first order of Victory planes. At the factory the plane was named 'Malton Mike' after Air Vice Marshal Clifford 'Black Mike' McEwen, and given nose art by Albert 'Muff' Mills. Flown to England and assigned to 419 Squadron as VR-M. Did not fly any sorties. Reassigned to 405 Squadron as LQ-M for return to Canada that June. In 1950 converted to Mk. 10MR. On 22 August 1953 flew with 408 Squadron from RCAF Rockcliffe to HMC NRS Churchill, but after getting lost during an electrical storm ditched in a lake west of what is now Arviat, Nunavut. Wreck remains in situ but has been broken up by ice action.
NF920	Sweden	67°00′31″N19°43′45″E / 67.008722°N 19.729083°E	Built by Armstrong Whitworth as Mk. I. Served with 617 Squadron as KC-E. It was damaged by flak attacking the Tirpitz in October 1944 and was forced to make an emergency landing near Porjus in Norrbottens län in the north of Sweden. The crew unsuccessfully attempted to burn the aircraft; the wreckage still lies in situ. NF920 is the only surviving Lancaster to have flown with 617 'Dambuster' Squadron. A group is currently raising funds to recover the wreckage from its site and return the plane to Britain.[1]

References[edit]

Notes

1. ^ ^abcdefghij'Canadian Built Avro Lancasters'. Bomber Command Museum of Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
2. ^https://bcam.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NEWS-RELEASE-July-24-2018.pdf
3. ^'Avro Lancaster Mk X'. The Hangar Flight Museum. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
4. ^'Bazalgette Lancaster FM-159'. Bomber Command Museum of Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
5. ^'Lancaster FM212'. Canadian Historical Aircraft Association. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
6. ^'Avro Lancaster Mk. X'. Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
7. ^'Lancaster'. Greenwood Military Aviation Museum. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
8. ^'Lancaster KB882'. National Air Force Museum of Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
9. ^Ellis 2008, p. 23
10. ^'Lancaster KB976 - The Full Story: Introduction'. Time Fades Away. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
11. ^'Fantasy of Flight'. www.facebook.com. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
12. ^Ellis 2008, p. 134
13. ^'History of Lancaster NX611'. Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
14. ^'Lancaster WU 21'. Ailes Anciennes le Bourget (in French). Retrieved 16 July 2017.
15. ^'Avro 683 Lancaster VII'. MOTAT Aircraft Collection. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
16. ^'History and Heritage'. Cranfield University. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
17. ^'Lancaster PA474'. RAF. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
18. ^ ^abSimpson, Andrew (2005). 'Individual History Avro Lancaster B.Mk.1 R5868/7325M Museum Accession Number 74/A/12'(PDF). RAF Museum.
19. ^''G for George' operational record'. The Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
20. ^'Avro Lancaster Mk I Bomber 'G for George' : 460 Squadron, RAAF'. The Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 16 July 2017.

Serial Numbers Hack

Bibliography

• Ellis, Ken (2008). Wrecks and Relics. Manchester, UK: Crecy Publishing. ISBN978-0-85979-134-2.

Operation: Aircraft test flight

Date: 4th October 1943

Unit: No. 100 Squadron

Type: Avro Lancaster III

Serial: ED583

Code: HW-K

Base: RAF Grimsby

Location: North Thoresby, Lincolnshire, England

Pilot: F/O. Thomas H. Morgan DFC T-190798 USAAF Age 23. Killed

Pilot: W/O. John Thomas Goozee 552903 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Pilot: Sgt. Ralph Frederick Worsey 1392269 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Charles Alexander Green 1622553 RAFVR Age 20. Killed.

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Walter Edward James Giles DFM. 1194020 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Nav: Sgt. John Alexander Baker 1395957 RAF Age ? Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. John Hill Rogers 1545048 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Frederick Bristow 1268417 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Not the usual crew of ED 583 - all volunteered to test the aircraft. Took off from RAF Grimsby at 12.05 hrs to air test the outer starboard engine and to gain as much height as possible. At approximately 12.50 hrs the aircraft broke up in the air over North Thoresby. 7 miles south of Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. Scattering debris over a wide area with some of it destroying a chapel in the village and damaging a number of houses. Fortunately with no loss of life on the ground. All the 8 crew members were killed and are buried in various cemeteries within the United Kingdom, having been claimed by their next of kin.

Above L-R: F/O. Morgan DFC, Sgt. Rogers and Sgt. Empire earth 2 free download deutsch vollversion. Giles DFM. (see credits)

Tommy Morgan joined the RCAF training School in Brandon, Manitoba on the 15th April 1941. He was a Sergeant when he later joined the USAAF (No reasons found for this) and eventually came to fly Lancaster's with 100 Squadron. At the end of May/early June 1943 he was promoted to Flying Officer.

Around the time of his 27th mission over Germany he received the DFC and his Fl/Eng. Jim Giles the DFM for an exploit over Germany - these details have yet to be sourced.

On the 4th October 1943 Tommy volunteered to flight test ED583. The weather was cloudy but conditions considered satisfactory for the test. The aircraft suffered severe structural failure.

Above Lancaster ED583 HW-K (see credits)

The final moments have been described as a steep dive, almost vertical, with no tail and outer portions of the wings missing.

Tommy had completed his operational tour and had written to his girlfriend Irene, only days before his death to say that he had finished with flying.

The regular crew of ED583 all survived the war.

Burial Details:

F/O. Thomas H. Morgan DFC. Cambridge American Cemetery. Son of Susan 'Tudie' Hurley Morgan (Father died when Tommy was 2) of St. Helens, Oregon, USA.

W/O. John Thomas Goozee. Islington Cemetery and Crematorium. Sec. P. Block. 6, Grave 7427P. Son of John Donovan and Mary Ann, of Kingsbury, husband of Doris May Goozee, of Kenton, Harrow. England.

Sgt. Ralph Frederick Worsey. Woolwich Cemetery. Sec. 2. Grave 175. Son of Frederick John and Kate Louisa, of Plumstead.

Raf Lancaster Serial Numbers Online

Sgt. Charles Alexander Green. Hull Eastern Cemetery Compt. 169. Grave 75. Son of Charles Alexander and Lillian Green, of Hull, England.

Sgt. Walter Edward James Giles DFM. Oxford (Rose Hill) Cemetery. Sec. G.1. Grave 19. Son of Mrs. M. E. Giles, of New Marston, Oxford, England.

Sgt. John Alexander Baker. Lambeth (Tooting) Cemetery. Sec. 0.3. Coll. Grave 647. Screen Wall, Panel 1. Son of John and Minnie Elizabeth Baker, of Vauxhall.

Software Serial Numbers

Sgt. John Hill Rogers. Upton. (Holy Ascension) Churchyard. Upton-By-Chester Old ground. Grave 320. Son of Harry and Gladys R. Rogers, of Chester, England. Buried with his grandmother, Edith Barbara (Poppy) Gilbert.

Sgt. William Frederick Bristow. Camberwell New Cemetery. Square 82. Coll. Grave 7879. Screen Wall. Panel 2. Son of Frederick and May, husband of Annie of East Dulwich, England.

This research together with the photographs have been supplied to us by Mr Dave Barnet (Village Councillor, North Thoresby Village) and Mr Shaun McGuire for which we are very grateful. Also to Mike McQuaid for grave photo of Sgt. Rogers (November 2015). Thanks to Mike McQuaid for providing the Sgt. Green's gravestone image, courtesy of Wayne Bywater.