Lancaster (Total: 7,377, Canadian: 542, Group 537)

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

Wikipedia Wikipedia

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED303

s/n ED303

Avro

ED 303

Merlin

Known Units: ;106

Delivered to No. 467 (Australian) Sqn Nov 1942. Transferred to No. 106 Sqn. Fitted with new Merlin 22s Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Hamburg 27/28 Jul 1943. This was the second of the 4 raids that constituted the Battle of Hamburg. It was the 8th aircraft of 21 lost that night, probably to a night fighter. Crew were on their 2nd operation.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED304

s/n ED304

Avro

ED 304

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED305

s/n ED305

KM RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 305

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED306

s/n ED306

Avro

ED 306

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED307

s/n ED307

KM RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 307

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED308

s/n ED308

WS RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 308

Merlin

Known Units: 57 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED309

s/n ED309

KM RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 309

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED310

s/n ED310

LS RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 310

Merlin

Known Units: 15 Sqn;15 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED311

s/n ED311

OL RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 311

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED312

s/n ED312

OL RAF Roundel F

Avro

ED 312

Merlin

Known Units: 83 Sqn

Delivered to No. 83 Sqn (OL-F) Nov 1942. On operation to Stettin 20/21 Apr 1943, the crew baled out over Sweden aftre battle damage and were interned before being returned to the UK. The aircraft crashed at Klagshamn, Sweden
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED313

s/n ED313

Avro

ED 313

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED314

s/n ED314

QR RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 314

Merlin

Known Units: 61 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED315

s/n ED315

Avro

ED 315

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED316

s/n ED316

Avro

ED 316

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED317

s/n ED317

QF RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 317

Merlin

Known Units: 625 Sqn; PNTU

Started at No. 1656 CU, then to No, 101 Sqn (SR-Q), then to No. 100 Sqn. Finally with No. 625 Sqn (CF-W). Missing from operation to Berlin 24/25 Mar 1944.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED318

s/n ED318

KM RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 318

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED319

s/n ED319

Avro

ED 319

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED320

s/n ED320

Avro

ED 320

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED321

s/n ED321

CF RAF Roundel U

Avro

ED 321

Merlin

Known Units: 101;625

Started with No. 101 Sqn in Dec 1942 as SR-K, but also carried SR-E and SR-D codes. Transferred to No. 625 Sqn (CF-U) in late 1943. Missing on operation to Dusseldorf 3/4 Nov 1944. 371 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED322

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED323

s/n ED323

LS RAF Roundel D

Avro

ED 323

Merlin

Known Units: 1661 HCU;15 Sqn

Originally with 97 Sqn (OF-O), then to No. 1661 CU (GP-O) May 1943, then to No. 15 Sqn (LS-D) Dec 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 27/28 Jan 1944. 745 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED324

s/n ED324

Avro

ED 324

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED325

s/n ED325

PH RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 325

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED326

s/n ED326

PH RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 326

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED327

s/n ED327

Avro

ED 327

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED328

s/n ED328

SR RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 328

Merlin

Known Units: 101 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED329

s/n ED329

EM RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 329

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED330

s/n ED330

EM RAF Roundel F

Avro

ED 330

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED331

s/n ED331

Avro

ED 331

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED332

s/n ED332

Avro

ED 332

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED334

s/n ED334

Avro

ED 334

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED347

s/n ED347

WS RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 347

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED348

s/n ED348

KM RAF Roundel M

Avro

ED 348

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED350

s/n ED350

Avro

ED 350

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED351

s/n ED351

KM RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 351

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn

Delivered to No. 44 Sqn (KM-Y) Dec 1942. Missing on operation to Duisburg 8/9 Apr 1943. 176 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED352

s/n ED352

Avro

ED 352

Merlin

Known Units: 49;57

To No. 49 Sqn Dec 1942 then transferred to No. 57 Sqn Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Turin 4/5 Feb 1943. 54 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED353

s/n ED353

Avro

ED 353

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED354

s/n ED354

AR RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 354

Merlin

Known Units: 460 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED355

s/n ED355

KM RAF Roundel D

Avro

ED 355

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn

Delivered to No. 44 Sqn (KM-D) Dec 1942. Lost on operation to Nienburg 17/18 Dec 1942 on first operation (4 operational hours).
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED357

s/n ED357

PH RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 357

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn

Delivered to No. 12 Sqn Dec 1942. Took part in the squadron's first Lancaster operation (Gardening) 3/4 Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Dusseldorf 11/12 Jun 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED358

s/n ED358

Avro

ED 358

Merlin

Known Units: 106

With No. 106 Sqn from Dec 1942. It had 3 major repairs during its lifetime. Missing from operation to Leipzig 20/21 Oct 1943. 300 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED359

s/n ED359

Avro

ED 359

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED360

s/n ED360

Avro

ED 360

Merlin

Known Units: 467;106

Delivered to No. 467 (Australian) Sqn Dec 1942. During its time with 467, there was one fatality, RCAF Flight Sergeant Alvin J. Broemeling, rear gunner, who died as a result of faulty oxygen equipment on 16 Jan 1943. Transferred to No. 106 Sqn Feb 1943. Crashed near Wisbech on operation to Cologne 9 Jul 1943. Mason says on return from the sortie, RAF Commands website suggests that the aircraft may have been in trouble after setting out (took off 2225 8 July from Syerston. Crashed 0140 9 July). 354 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-01-15 to 1943-01-16

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, England
Delivered to No. 467 Australian Squadron (Recidite Adversarius Atque Ferociter) in Dec 1942. RAF Bottesford Lancaster I aircraft ED 360 on a raid to Berlin, Germany. Rear gunner FS AJ Broemeling (RCAF) failed to respond on the intercom and was found unconscious, probably due to failure of his oxygen mask. His issued mask was found to be faulty and he was given the spare mask carried aboard instead. The spare mask was an older version prone to freezing and it is believed to have malfunctioned at the 19,000 ft altitude and temperatures about -50C that the aircraft was flying. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Thiele RNZAF, quickly dived to a lower altitude then put the bomber on auto pilot while still in the target area to assist in pulling Flight Sergeant Broemeling out of his turret, but despite continuous artificial respiration being applied by the rest of the crew (Sergeant Bovis RAF, Sergeant Metcalfe RAF, Sergeant Sheekey RAF, Sergeant Gillman RAF and Sergeant Everard RAF). The aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire several times but managed to limp back to Botteford. FS Broemeling was declared dead when the aircraft landed (A. Storr). Lancaster I ED 360 was shot down six months later, flying with 106 Sqn, on July 9, 1943.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED361

s/n ED361

Avro

ED 361

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED362

s/n ED362

Avro

ED 362

Merlin

Known Units: 100

Dekivered to No. 100 Sqn (HW-E, later HW-E2) from No. 32 MU 12 Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Cologne 28/29 Jun 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED363

s/n ED363

PO RAF Roundel E

Avro

ED 363

Merlin

Known Units: ;467


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Cologne Germany 1943-06-29 to 1943-06-29

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, Leicesershire, England
467 Australia Squadron. Lancaster aircraft ED 363 (PO-E) crashed in Roermond, Holland. Two RAAF, and four RAF members of the crew were also killed. Target - Cologne, Germany. W/O T.W.J. Copeland (RCAF), FS. RI Gates (RAAF), Sgt's G.R.C. Cayless (RAF), J.G. Hole (RAF), and H.H. Mooney (RAF) were also killed. Two RAF members of the crew, Sgt.'s E. Pike and D. Dolby were taken Prisoners Of War.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED364

s/n ED364

UG RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 364

Merlin

Known Units: 1654 HCU

Originally with No. 467 (Australian) Sqn, then transferred to No. 207 Sqn (EM-H), then to No. 1654 CU and finally to No. 622 Sqn. Missing on operation to Berlin 30/31 Jan 1944. 398 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED365

s/n ED365

EM RAF Roundel U

Avro

ED 365

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn

Delivered to No. 207 Sqn (EM-U) Jan 1943. Missing on mission to Hamburg, 3/4 Mar 1943. 82 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED366

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED367

s/n ED367

PO RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 367

Merlin

Known Units: ;467

With No. 467 (Australian) Sqn. First aircraft lost by this squadron. Failed to return from operation to Duisburg 8/9 Jan 1943
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Duisburg Germany 1943-01-08 to 1943-01-09

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, England
467 (Australian) Squadron. Lancaster aircraft ED 367, first aircraft lost by 467 Sqn, failed to return from operations over enemy territory. Five RCAF members, P/O's R.T. Hanbidge, A.M. Wark, FS's S.V. Woyce, D.H. Powell, and H.A. Horton were killed. RAF Sgt.'s E Florey and J. Humphries were also killed.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED368

s/n ED368

WB RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 368

Merlin

Known Units: PNTU; BCIS


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED369

s/n ED369

AR RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 369

Merlin

Known Units: 460 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED370

s/n ED370

AR RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 370

Merlin

Known Units: ;460

Originally with No. 101 Sqn, as SR-D, SR-J and SR-B. Passed to No. 103 Sqn and then to No. 460 (Australian) Sqn. Missing on operation to Berlin 26/27 Nov 1943. 250 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-11-26 to 1943-11-26

460 () Sqn (RAAF) RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England
460 Australia Squadron (Strike And Return). Lancaster aircraft ED 370, part of a combined force of 443 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes, went missing during an attack against Berlin, Germany. Returning crews reported heavy flak over Berlin and night fighters while homeward bound. Killed were RCAF Sgt. G.D. Arnott (air gunner) and Flt. Sgt. N.W. McNair (bomb aimer); RAAF Flt. Sgt. E.J. Stones (pilot); and RAF Sgt's. R.G. Jones (flight engineer), K.G. Smith (navigator), W. Belton (wireless operator / air gunner), and J.H. McIvor (air gunner).

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED371

s/n ED371

Avro

ED 371

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED372

s/n ED372

OL RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 372

Merlin

Known Units: 83 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED373

s/n ED373

SR RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 373

Merlin

Known Units: 101 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED374

s/n ED374

Avro

ED 374

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED375

s/n ED375

Avro

ED 375

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED376

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED377

s/n ED377

SR RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 377

Merlin

Known Units: 101 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED378

s/n ED378

Avro

ED 378

Merlin

Known Units: ;1662

To No. 1662 Conversion Unit 5 April 1943. Missing from training flight 14 Aug 1943
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED379

s/n ED379

Avro

ED 379

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED380

s/n ED380

Avro

ED 380

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED381

s/n ED381

Avro

ED 381

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED382

s/n ED382

WB RAF Roundel M

Avro

ED 382

Merlin

Known Units: 101 Sqn; BCIS


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED383

s/n ED383

LS RAF Roundel C

Avro

ED 383

Merlin

Known Units: 15 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED384

s/n ED384

Avro

ED 384

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED385

s/n ED385

Avro

ED 385

Merlin

Known Units: ;106

Delivered to No. 57 Sqn Dec 1942, then to No. 20 MU, then No. 106 Sqn Aug 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 3/4 Sep 1943. 99 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED386

s/n ED386

PH RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 386

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED387

s/n ED387

Avro

ED 387

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED388

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED389

s/n ED389

Avro

ED 389

Merlin

Known Units: ;103


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED390

s/n ED390

Avro

ED 390

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED391

s/n ED391

Avro

ED 391

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED392

s/n ED392

Avro

ED 392

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn;12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED393

s/n ED393

Avro

ED 393

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED394

s/n ED394

VN RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 394

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn;50 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED395

s/n ED395

LS RAF Roundel M

Avro

ED 395

Merlin

Known Units: 15 Sqn;15 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED396

s/n ED396

Avro

ED 396

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster serial ED404

s/n ED404

ED 404

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster serial ED405

s/n ED405

ED 405

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster serial ED406

s/n ED406

ED 406

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster serial ED407

s/n ED407

ED 407

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED408

s/n ED408

PH RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 408

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn

Delivered to No. 12 Sqn (PH-A) 2 Apr 1943. Missing on Gardening sortie 28/29 Apr 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED409

s/n ED409

VN RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 409

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED410

s/n ED410

Avro

ED 410

Merlin

Known Units: 101 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED411

s/n ED411

Avro

ED 411

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED412

s/n ED412

Avro

ED 412

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED413

s/n ED413

EM RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 413

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED414

s/n ED414

Avro

ED 414

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED415

s/n ED415

Avro

ED 415

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED416

s/n ED416

EA RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 416

Merlin

Known Units: 49 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED417

s/n ED417

Avro

ED 417

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED418

s/n ED418

EM RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 418

Merlin

Known Units: 207

Delivered to No. 207 Sqn (EM-G) 29 Dec 1942. Missing on operation to Duisburg 12/13 May 1943. 230 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED419

s/n ED419

Avro

ED 419

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED420

s/n ED420

Avro

ED 420

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED421

s/n ED421

Avro

ED 421

Merlin

Known Units: ;460


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-08-23 to 1943-08-23

460 () Sqn (RAAF) RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England
460 Australia Squadron (Strike And Strike Again). Lancaster ED 421 took off from RAF Binbrook at 2055 hours on 23 August 1943 to attack Berlin. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Casualties included RAF Sgt's. W.A. Finlay (flight engineer) and T. Smale (air gunner); RAAF Flt. Sgt's. J.G. Collins (wireless operator / air gunner) and J. Marsh (air gunner). Taken Prisoners of War were RAAF Flt. Sgt's. K. Gay (navigator), J.C. Munro (bomb aimer), and A.T. Richards (pilot).

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED422

s/n ED422

Avro

ED 422

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED423

s/n ED423

Avro

ED 423

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED424

s/n ED424

Avro

ED 424

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn;12 Sqn;626 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED425

s/n ED425

A5 RAF Roundel U

Avro

ED 425

Merlin

Known Units: 3 LFS


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED426

s/n ED426

EA RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 426

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED427

s/n ED427

Avro

ED 427

Merlin

Known Units: ;49

Delivered to No. 49 Sqn Dec 1942. Missing on operation to Plzen 16/17 Apr 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED428

s/n ED428

Avro

ED 428

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED429

s/n ED429

Avro

ED 429

Merlin

Known Units: ;50


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED430

s/n ED430

GI RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 430

Merlin

Known Units: 622 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED431

s/n ED431

Avro

ED 431

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED432

s/n ED432

Avro

ED 432

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED433

s/n ED433

KM RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 433

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED434

s/n ED434

Avro

ED 434

Merlin

Known Units: ;49


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Oberhausen Germany 1943-06-14 to 1943-06-15

(B) Sqn (RAF) Fiskerton

Battle of the Ruhr

An all Lancaster force of 197, guided by 6 Oboe Mosquitoes made a successful attack on Oberhausen. Despite the target being cloud-covered, accurate sky-marking enabled the bombers to do considerable damage. Twelve Lancasters lifted from Fiskerton's runway, the last one away by 22.32hrs. The crews found themselves engaged in a savage battle from both flak and fighters which resulted in Bomber Command losing 17 aircraft.

Of those missing: Sergeant Frost (ED434) and crew had been shot down by a German night fighter flown by Hauptmann Hans-Dieter Frank I./NJG1. The aircraft fell to the ground 2 kilometers East of Dodewaard, Holland at 01.13hrs. The pilot and flight engineer survived to become POW's in Stalag 357, Kopernikus; the remainder of the crew are buried in Uden War Cemetery.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED435

s/n ED435

EA RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 435

Merlin

Known Units: 49 Sqn;49 Sqn

Delivered to No. 49 Sqn (EA-G, later EA-K) Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 29/30 Mar 1943. 75 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED436

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED437

s/n ED437

GP RAF Roundel W

Avro

ED 437

Merlin

Known Units: 3 LFS;1661 HCU


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED438

s/n ED438

Avro

ED 438

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED439

s/n ED439

Avro

ED 439

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED440

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED441

s/n ED441

Avro

ED 441

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED442

s/n ED442

Avro

ED 442

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED443

s/n ED443

Avro

ED 443

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED444

s/n ED444

EA RAF Roundel C

Avro

ED 444

Merlin

Known Units: 49

Delivered to No. 49 Sqn 31 Dec 1942. Missing on operation to Berlin 17/18 Jan 1943. 11 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED445

s/n ED445

Avro

ED 445

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED446

s/n ED446

Avro

ED 446

Merlin

Known Units: ;101


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED447

s/n ED447

SR RAF Roundel Q

Avro

ED 447

Merlin

Known Units: ;101


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing 1943-01-31 to 1943-01-31

101 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor

101 Squadron RAF (Mens agitat molem) RAF Holme-on-spalding Moor. Lancaster Mk I aircraft ED 447 SR-Q was shot down by marine flak units on an operation to Hamburg Germany. First hit by 8/M Flak Abt 808 unit near Ijmuiden at 02:09 AM and then shot down by II Zug 2/Res Flak Abt 242 and 5/Res Flak Abt 242 units. The Lancaster crashed at Aalsmeerderweg Rijk, Noord-Holland, Netherlands at 02:17 AM with the loss of the entire crew.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Ralph Patrick Campbell (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 2 Frank James Belanger (RCAF ), Warrant Officer Class 2 Gordon James Hutchinson (RCAF), Sergeant Samuel David Wall (RAFVR), Sergeant John Charles Jacques (RAFVR), Sergeant Wilfred Eric Debeurier (RAFVR) and Sergeant John Leslie Emery Barden (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part 1 1 January - 22 June, page 21

unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

unvetted Source Results

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED448

s/n ED448

Avro

ED 448

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED449

s/n ED449

Avro

ED 449

Merlin

Known Units: ;50

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn. 9 Jan 1943. Missing on mission to Essen 12/12 Mar 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED450

s/n ED450

Avro

ED 450

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED451

s/n ED451

Avro

ED 451

Merlin

Known Units: ;106


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED452

s/n ED452

Avro

ED 452

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED453

s/n ED453

Avro

ED 453

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED467

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED468

s/n ED468

Avro

ED 468

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED469

s/n ED469

Avro

ED 469

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED470

s/n ED470

Avro

ED 470

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED472

s/n ED472

Avro

ED 472

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED473

s/n ED473

LS RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 473

Merlin

Known Units: 15 Sqn;15 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED474

s/n ED474

GI RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 474

Merlin

Known Units: 622 Sqn;622 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED475

s/n ED475

Avro

ED 475

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED476

s/n ED476

WS RAF Roundel M

Avro

ED 476

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED477

s/n ED477

WS RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 477

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED478

s/n ED478

Avro

ED 478

Merlin

Known Units: 50

With No. 50 Sqn Jan 1943. Aircraft ditched in the North Sea whilst jettisoning its bombs after a return from the target Frankfurt 10/11 Apr 1943. 143 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED479

s/n ED479

WS RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 479

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED480

s/n ED480

WS RAF Roundel U

Avro

ED 480

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn

Delivered to No. 9 Sqn (WS-U) 21 Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Gelsenkirchen 9/10 Jul 1943. 250 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED482

s/n ED482

Avro

ED 482

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED483

s/n ED483

VN RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 483

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED484

s/n ED484

Avro

ED 484

Merlin

Known Units: 50

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Lorient 13/14 Feb 1943. 39 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED485

s/n ED485

Avro

ED 485

Merlin

Known Units: ;156

Built as Mk. III, converted to Mk. I at No. 156 Sqn. Missing on mission to Wilhelmshaven 19/20 Feb 1943. 53 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Wilhelmshaven Germany 1943-02-19 to 1943-02-19

156 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) RAF Warboys

156 Squadron (We Light The Way), Pathfinder Force, RAF Warboys. Lancaster BII aircraft ED 485 was lost without a trace during an operation over the naval yards at Wlihelmshaven, Germany. The Lancaster may have been shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Paul Gildner of the Stab IV/NJG-1, crashing into the North Sea, North of Vlieland, Friesland, Netherlands with the loss of the entire crew

Pilot Officer H W Welch (RCAF), Pilot Officer T E Case (RCAF), Pilot Officer P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Pilot Officer E Cuthbert (RNZAF), Pilot Officer H A McLennan DFM (RAAF), Sergeant E P G Bayliss (RAFVR) and Sergeant J W Denby (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action

The missing have no known graves and all are commemorate d on the Runnymede Memorial

Several of the crew members of Lancaster ED 245 had been involved in the crash of 156 Squadron Wellington III aircraft X3811, which encountered icing conditions and was abandoned over England after a fire started

Flight Sergeant T E Case (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant H W Welch (RCAF) were slightly injured, Flight Sergeant P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Sergeant H A McLennan (RAAF) and Sergeant E Cuthbert (RNZAF) survived, safe. However, the Wellington crashed into the village of Somersham, Huntingdon, England, where it destroyed several houses on High Street and killed 11 people on the ground: Pauline Margaret Cattanach, Vera Cattanach, Juliana Davies, Annie Maria Holdich, Alice Lamb, William Francis Lamb, Violet Ewing Moule, Eliza Nightingale, Elizabeth Richardson, Ena Joyce Stroud and Elsie May Taylor

Several of the crew members of Lancaster ED 245 had previously been involved in the crash of 156 Squadron Wellington III aircraft X3811, which encountered icing conditions and was abandoned over England

Flight Sergeant T E Case (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant H W Welch (RCAF) were slightly injured, Flight Sergeant P Y C Tremblay (RCAF), Sergeant H A McLennan (RAAF) and Sergeant E Cuthbert (RNZAF) survived, safe. However, the Wellington crashed into the village of Somersham, Huntingdon, England, where it destroyed several houses on High Street and killed 11 people on the ground: Pauline Margaret Cattanach, Vera Cattanach, Juliana Davies, Annie Maria Holdich, Alice Lamb, William Francis Lamb, Violet Ewing Moule, Eliza Nightingale, Elizabeth Richardson, Ena Joyce Stroud and Elsie May Taylor

unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

unvetted Source Results

unvetted Source Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlielandin: 7 killed I Bureau of...

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED486

s/n ED486

Avro

ED 486

Merlin

Known Units: ;50

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn Jan 1943. Aircraft crashed soon after take-off en route to Dusseldorf 27 Jan 1943. Aircraft had flown 14 hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED488

s/n ED488

VN RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 488

Merlin

Known Units: ;50

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn (VN-N) 12 Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Cologne 2/3 Feb 1943. 18 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED489

s/n ED489

WS RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 489

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED490

s/n ED490

WS RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 490

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED491

s/n ED491

Avro

ED 491

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED492

s/n ED492

WS RAF Roundel W

Avro

ED 492

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Wilhelmshaven Germany 1943-02-18 to 1943-02-19

9 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Waddington

9 Squadron (Per noctum volamus) RAF Waddington. Lancaster III aircraft ED 492 WS-W was reported as involved in a mid-air collision with another Lancaster near the target area of Wilhelmshaven, Germany by there is also a claim from heavy flak battery Marine Flak Abt 282 at Hooksiel, Germany. The Lancaster crashed at Schreiersort, near Wangerland, Germany with the loss of four aircrew members killed

Flight Sergeant Ernest John Walter Davis (RAFVR), Sergeant James Storey Aird (RAFVR), Sergeant Alfred Thomas Berwick (RAFVR) and Sergeant Ralph William Darlington (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Sergeant Howard Wallace Fullard (RCAF), Warrant Officer James Vaughan (RAFVR) and Warrant Officer John Arthur Jones-Ford (RAFVR) all survived to become Prisoners of War

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part One - 1 January - 22 June by Theo Boiten, page 29

Bombers First and Last by Gordon Thorburn, page 377

unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED493

s/n ED493

WS RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 493

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED494

s/n ED494

WS RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 494

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED495

s/n ED495

WS RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 495

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED496

s/n ED496

Avro

ED 496

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED497

s/n ED497

Avro

ED 497

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED498

s/n ED498

EM RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 498

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn;207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED500

s/n ED500

Avro

ED 500

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED501

s/n ED501

WS RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 501

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED502

s/n ED502

WS RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 502

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED503

s/n ED503

Avro

ED 503

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED504

s/n ED504

Avro

ED 504

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED520

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED521

s/n ED521

Avro

ED 521

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED522

s/n ED522

PH RAF Roundel U

Avro

ED 522

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED523

s/n ED523

Avro

ED 523

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED524

s/n ED524

PO RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 524

Merlin

Known Units: ;467


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Essen Germany 1943-04-03 to 1943-04-03

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, England
467 Australia Squadron. Lancaster aircraft ED 524 was shot down at Dusseldorf, Germany. Six RAF members of the crew, F/0.s T. Dring, H. North, J. Stewart, Sgt.s W.Johnson, D.J. Robinson, L.T. Fulcher, and S/L. A. Paape were also killed.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED525

s/n ED525

Avro

ED 525

Merlin

Known Units: ;467


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Wilhelmshaven Germany 1943-02-19 to 1943-02-19

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesofrd, England
467 Australia Squadron. Lancaster aircraft ED 535 failed to return from an attack against Wilhelmshaven, Germany. F/0, W.K. Komaiko, and five RAF members of the crew, Sgt.s R. Bailey, R. King, G. McLoughlin, J. Turner, and F/L. J. Michie were also killed.

Bombing Wilhelmshaven Germany 1943-02-19 to 1943-02-20

467 () () RAF Bottesford, England
467 Australia Squadron. Lancaster aircraft ED 525 failed to return from an attack against Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RCAF F/0 W.K. Komaiko and Flt Sergeant H.L. Brown, and five RAF members of the crew, Sgt.s R. Bailey, R. King, G. McLoughlin, J. Turner, and F/L. J. Michie were killed.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED526

s/n ED526

PO RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 526

Merlin

Known Units: ;467

To No. 467 Sqn 23 Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Nuremburg 25/25 Feb 1943. 40 Operational hours
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Nuremberg Germany 1943-02-25 to 1943-02-25

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, England

467 Squadron RAAF (Recidite adversarius atque ferocitea) RAF Bottesford. Lancaster BIII ED 526 PO-J was shot down by flak during an operation against targets in Nuremburg, Germany. The Lancaster crashed near Weisendorf, Bayern, Germany with the loss of the entire crew

Warrant Officer 2nd Class J L B Larin (RCAF), Warrant Officer 2nd Class R S Woolley (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant O G Rowcroft (RAAF), Warrant Officer M P Stewart (RAAF), Sergeant E O'Kane (RAFVR), Sergeant R Wiggins (RAFVR) and Sergeant R M Wylie (RAFVR) were all killed in action

unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

unvetted Source Allied Losses and Incidents: All Commands

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED527

s/n ED527

Avro

ED 527

Merlin

Known Units: ;50

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn 26 Jan 1943. Crashed on first operation in French Morocco following a raid on Turin 4/5 Feb 1943. 5 operational hours. Last heard of at 2305 transmitting 'Making forced landing in position 3610N 0520W.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Turin Italy 1943-02-05 to 1943-02-05

(B) Sqn (RAF) Skellingthorpe

188 aircraft - 77 Lancasters - 55 Halifaxes - 50 Stirlings - 6 Wellingtons - 3 Lancasters lost.

156 aircraft reached and bombed Turinn, causing serious and widespread damage. The brief local report states that 29 people were killed and 53 injured. source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

50 Squadron (From Defence To Attack). Target - Turin, Italy. Lancaster aircraft ED 527 crashed north-east of Fez, near Ajnoul at Taza, French Morocco.Warrant Officer L.A. Cumming, Sergeant M.S. Napier and four of the crew, not Canadians, were also killed

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED528

s/n ED528

Avro

ED 528

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED529

s/n ED529

Avro

ED 529

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED530

s/n ED530

Avro

ED 530

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED531

s/n ED531

Avro

ED 531

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED532

s/n ED532

Avro

ED 532

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED533

s/n ED533

EM RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 533

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED534

s/n ED534

Avro

ED 534

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED535

s/n ED535

Avro

ED 535

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED536

s/n ED536

Avro

ED 536

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED537

s/n ED537

EM RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 537

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED538

s/n ED538

Avro

ED 538

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED539

s/n ED539

Avro

ED 539

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED540

s/n ED540

Avro

ED 540

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED541

s/n ED541

Avro

ED 541

Merlin

Known Units: 467

Delivered to No. 467 (Audtralian) Sqn 26 Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 3/4 Sep 1943. 383 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-09-04 to 1943-09-04

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire, England
467 Australia Squadron. Lancaster aircraft ED 541 was shot down near Doberitz, Germany whilst engaged in night operations over Berlin, Germany. RCAF FS's. C.M. Niven and R. Lesser, and non-Canadians Sgt.s O.H. Hodges (RAF), L.A. Saunders, (RAAF), F/L. R. Carmichael (RAAF), F/0.s P.E. Henley (RAF), and R.T.J. Bilney (RAF), were killed.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED542

s/n ED542

Avro

ED 542

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED543

s/n ED543

PO RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 543

Merlin

Known Units: ;467


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Pilsen Czechoslovakia 1943-05-13 to 1943-05-14

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) Bottesford UK

467 Australia Squadron. Lancaster aircraft ED 543 missing, presumed over target, presumed enemy action. Sergeants W.G. Berry (RAF), H.W. Cox (RAF), B.G. Hickling (RAF), M.B. Squires (RAF), and Flying Officer E.F. Heard (RAF) were also killed. One other member of the crew, not Canadian, missing believed killed.

addendum 2: See page 292. The target was Pilsen, Germany and the other member of the crew to be killed WU P/O. K. Mahoney (RAAF).

unvetted Source Air Crew Remembered

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED544

s/n ED544

Avro

ED 544

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED545

s/n ED545

Avro

ED 545

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED546

s/n ED546

Avro

ED 546

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED547

s/n ED547

PO RAF Roundel M

Avro

ED 547

Merlin

Known Units: 467

Delivered to No. 467 Sqn 28 Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 29/30 Dec 1943. 511 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-30 to 1943-12-30

467 () ()
Delivered to 467 Australia Squadron 28 Jan 1943. Lancaster aircraft ED 547 crashed five miles south-east of the target Berlin, Germany during night operations. Killed were RCAF Flt. Sgt. F.A. Spencer; five RAF members of the crew, F/0. F. Allen, Sgt. S. Allom, D. Wetherell, R. Yale, R. Evans; and P/O. B. Tait (RAAF).

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED548

s/n ED548

Avro

ED 548

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn;12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED549

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED550

s/n ED550

EM RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 550

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED551

s/n ED551

WS RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 551

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED552

s/n ED552

SR RAF Roundel Q

Avro

ED 552

Merlin

Known Units: 101 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED553

s/n ED553

Avro

ED 553

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED554

s/n ED554

EM RAF Roundel Q

Avro

ED 554

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED555

s/n ED555

HW RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 555

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn

Delivered to No. 100 Sqn 29 Jan 1943. Missing on operation to Leipzig 20/21 Oct 1943. 367 operational hours. At different times, the aircraft was coded HW-A and HW-E.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED556

s/n ED556

Avro

ED 556

Merlin

Known Units: ;100

Started with No. 100 Sqn (HW-B), transferred to No. 9 Sqn, then returned to No. 100 Sqn with same code letter. Missing on operation to Krefeld 21/22 Jun 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED557

s/n ED557

Avro

ED 557

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED558

s/n ED558

Avro

ED 558

Merlin

Known Units: ;9

Delivered to No. 9 Sqn (WS-N) 5 Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Bochum 12/13 Jun 1943. 272 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED559

s/n ED559

Avro

ED 559

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED560

s/n ED560

Avro

ED 560

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED561

s/n ED561

Avro

ED 561

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED562

s/n ED562

HW RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 562

Merlin

Known Units: 550 Sqn;100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED563

s/n ED563

HW RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 563

Merlin

Known Units: ;100

Delivered to No. 100 Sqn (HW-G) Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Pilzen 16/17 Apr 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED564

s/n ED564

Avro

ED 564

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED565

s/n ED565

Avro

ED 565

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED566

s/n ED566

WS RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 566

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn

Delivered to No. 9 Sqn (WS-P) 6 Feb 1943. Later re-coded WS-J. Missing on operation to Duisburg 9/10 Apr 1943. 85 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED567

s/n ED567

Avro

ED 567

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED568

s/n ED568

HW RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 568

Merlin

Known Units: 100

Delivered to No. 100 Sqn (HW-T) 4 Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Duisburg 8/9 Apr 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED569

s/n ED569

EM RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 569

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn

Delivered to No. 207 Sqn (EM-B) 20 Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Cologne 28/29 Jun 1943. 219 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED583

s/n ED583

Avro

ED 583

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED584

s/n ED584

EA RAF Roundel U

Avro

ED 584

Merlin

Known Units: 49 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED585

s/n ED585

VN RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 585

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED586

s/n ED586

EM RAF Roundel F

Avro

ED 586

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED587

s/n ED587

HW RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 587

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED588

s/n ED588

WS RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 588

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn;9 Sqn

The crew of Lancaster aircraft ED 588 were engaged in a night bomb attack against Konigsberg, Germany when they crashed at Vittsjo, Sweden and the bomb load exploded. Sergeants R.W. Bysouth (RAF), W.R. Campbell (RAF), R.H. Clifford (RAF), F.G. Plowman (RAF), Flying Officer A.H. Carver (RAF), and one other member of the crew, not Canadian, were also killed.

There is a Claim by Maj Werner Husemann Stab I/NJG3 -East of Halsingborg (LG - LH): 3,300m at 00:48. in the (Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 4 - Theo Boiten), Not verified. (Source John Jones UK)

last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED589

s/n ED589

WS RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 589

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED590

s/n ED590

Avro

ED 590

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED591

s/n ED591

UG RAF Roundel L

Avro

ED 591

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn;1654 HCU


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED592

s/n ED592

Avro

ED 592

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED593

s/n ED593

RC RAF Roundel C

Avro

ED 593

Merlin

Known Units: 5 LFS


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED594

s/n ED594

Avro

ED 594

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED595

s/n ED595

MG RAF Roundel Q

Avro

ED 595

Merlin

Known Units: 7 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED596

s/n ED596

Avro

ED 596

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED597

s/n ED597

Avro

ED 597

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED598

s/n ED598

Avro

ED 598

Merlin

Known Units: 156

With A.V. Roe & CO. at Ringway Feb 1943. Then to Signals Intelligence Unit April 1943 for trials with H2S radar equipment. To No. 156 Sqn (PFF) May 1943. Missing on operation to Hamburg 29/30 Jul 1943. This was on the 3rd night of the "Battle of Hamburg". The aircraft was 8th shot down by fighter attack on that night. Crew were on 14th op, some on second tour.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED599

s/n ED599

Avro

ED 599

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED600

s/n ED600

EM RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 600

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED601

s/n ED601

Avro

ED 601

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED602

s/n ED602

OL RAF Roundel F

Avro

ED 602

Merlin

Known Units: 83 Sqn

At Ringway Feb 1943. Moved to No. 467 (Australian) Sqn, then to No. No. 83 Sqn (OL-F), then to No. 49 Sqn and then No. 619 Sqn. Missing on operation to Karlsruhe 26/27 Sep 1944.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED603

s/n ED603

Avro

ED 603

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED604

s/n ED604

Avro

ED 604

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED605

s/n ED605

Avro

ED 605

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED606

s/n ED606

PO RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 606

Merlin

Known Units: 467 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED607

s/n ED607

Avro

ED 607

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED608

s/n ED608

Avro

ED 608

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED609

s/n ED609

Avro

ED 609

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED610

s/n ED610

LS RAF Roundel C

Avro

ED 610

Merlin

Known Units: 15 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED611

s/n ED611

Avro

ED 611

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED612

s/n ED612

Avro

ED 612

Merlin

Known Units: 103

Delivered to No. 103 Sqn 11 Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Oberhausen, Germany, 14/15 Jun 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED613

s/n ED613

Avro

ED 613

Merlin

Known Units: 61

Delivered to No. 61 Sqn from No. 32 MU Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Essen 25/26 Jul 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED614

s/n ED614

Avro

ED 614

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED615

s/n ED615

Avro

ED 615

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED616

s/n ED616

Avro

ED 616

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED617

s/n ED617

Avro

ED 617

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED618

s/n ED618

SR RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 618

Merlin

Known Units: 101

Delivered to No. 101 Sqn from No. 5 MU 23 Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Duisburg 9/10 Apr 1943, 19 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Duisburg Germany 1943-04-09 to 1943-04-10

101 () Sqn (RAF)
101 Squadron (Mens Agitat Molem). Lancaster aircraft ED 618 missing over enemy-held territory during night operations. FSs S. Grundy D.F.M. (RAF), M.J. Bennett (RAF), Sergeants J. Hence (RAF), D. Gould (RAF), and W.D. O'Brien (RAF), and Flying Officer N.J. Ritchie (RAAF) were also killed.

unvetted Source Photos and Detail

unvetted Source Photos and Detail (German Night Fighter)

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED619

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED620

s/n ED620

EA RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 620

Merlin

Known Units: 49 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED621

s/n ED621

Avro

ED 621

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED622

s/n ED622

Avro

ED 622

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED623

s/n ED623

Avro

ED 623

Merlin

Known Units: 626 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED624

s/n ED624

Avro

ED 624

Merlin

Known Units: 622

Was with No. 1660 Conversion Unit from Apr to Dec 1943, then to No. 622 Sqn. Missing on operation to Berlin 27/28 Jan 1944. 623 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED625

s/n ED625

Avro

ED 625

Merlin

Known Units: ;49


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED626

s/n ED626

Avro

ED 626

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED627

s/n ED627

EM RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 627

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED628

s/n ED628

LS RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 628

Merlin

Known Units: 15 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED629

s/n ED629

PH RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 629

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED630

s/n ED630

Avro

ED 630

Merlin

Known Units: 61 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED631

s/n ED631

KO RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 631

Merlin

Known Units: 115 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED645

s/n ED645

Avro

ED 645

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED646

s/n ED646

PM RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 646

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED647

s/n ED647

HW RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 647

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED648

s/n ED648

WS RAF Roundel D

Avro

ED 648

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED649

s/n ED649

Avro

ED 649

Merlin

Known Units: 106

Delivered to No. 106 Sqn 22 Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Oberhausen 14/15 Jun 1943. 217 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED650

s/n ED650

SR RAF Roundel L

Avro

ED 650

Merlin

Known Units: 101

Delivered to No. 101 Sqn (SR-L) 20 Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Krefeld 21/22 Jun 1943. 172 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED651

s/n ED651

Avro

ED 651

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED652

s/n ED652

Avro

ED 652

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED653

s/n ED653

Avro

ED 653

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED654

s/n ED654

WS RAF Roundel W

Avro

ED 654

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED655

s/n ED655

DX RAF Roundel W

Avro

ED 655

Merlin

Known Units: 57 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED656

s/n ED656

WS RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 656

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED657

s/n ED657

Avro

ED 657

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED658

s/n ED658

Avro

ED 658

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED659

s/n ED659

Avro

ED 659

Merlin

Known Units: ;101


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED660

s/n ED660

Avro

ED 660

Merlin

Known Units: ;101

Delivered to No. 101 Sqn (SR-V) from 32 MU. Recoded SR-Ubar. Missing 23 May 1943 on mission to Dusseldorf 25/26 May 1943. 85 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED661

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED662

s/n ED662

Avro

ED 662

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED663

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED664

s/n ED664

Avro

ED 664

Merlin

Known Units: 460 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED665

s/n ED665

KM RAF Roundel L

Avro

ED 665

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn

Delivered to No. 44 Sqn (KM-L) from No. 5 MU 20 Apr 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 31 Aug/1 Sep 1943. 172 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED666

s/n ED666

WS RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 666

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED667

s/n ED667

Avro

ED 667

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED668

s/n ED668

Avro

ED 668

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED688

s/n ED688

HW RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 688

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED689

s/n ED689

WS RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 689

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn

Delivered to No. 9 Sqn (WS-K) 12 Apr 1943. Missing on operation to Cologne 3/4 Jul 1943. 146 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Cologne Germany 1943-07-03 to 1943-07-04

9 (B) Sqn (RAF) Bardney

Battle of the Ruhr

Lancaster aircraft ED 689 lost during night operations against Cologne, Germany. Flying Officer J.B. Reeves (USA) and W/O G.F. Dohaney were killed. The other six crew, not Canadians, are missing and also believed killed.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED690

s/n ED690

Avro

ED 690

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED691

s/n ED691

Avro

ED 691

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED692

s/n ED692

Avro

ED 692

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED693

s/n ED693

Avro

ED 693

Merlin

Known Units: 50

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn 28 Feb 1943. Missing on operation to Plzen 13/14 Aug 1943. 149 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED694

s/n ED694

WS RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 694

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED695

s/n ED695

PO RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 695

Merlin

Known Units: ;467


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Dusseldorf Germany 1943-05-26 to 1943-05-26

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire, England
467 Australia Squadron. Target - Dusseldorf, Germany. Lancaster aircraft ED 695 lost whilst engaged in operations over enemy-held territory. RCAF member Flt. Sgt. A.F. Birkbeck and RAF member Pilot Officer K.R. Langhorne were killed. Five of the non-Canadian crew were taken Prisoner of War: Sgt's. R.A. Avann, S.G. Keirs, and W.V. Morris, Pilot Officer P.R. Collins, and Flying Officer R.S. Giddey. Giddy of Gordon, Australia, was the pilot of the aircraft and following is his report of the event. "On this night we had made our way to the target corkscrewing all the way over enemy territory, dropped our bombs then set course for base. Our flight plan called for us to corkscrew out from the target and back to the Dutch coast. When Pilot Officer Collins (Nav.) told us we were over the coast I straightened out and put the nose down into a steep dive thinking we were safe and out of range. It was then the night fighter got us. There was a terrific crash and we were on fire. As we were over the North Sea it would be useless to parachute so I gave orders for ditching and the crew members took their positions. The two gunners, Langhorne and Birkbeck were the only ones not to acknowledge my order which leads me to believe that they must have been killed by the first burst from the night fighter. The smoke and flames obscured the instrument panel and owing to the red glow inside the aircraft I could not distinguish the horizon. I was finally able to see a few houses and realized we had turned back to the Dutch coast. I lifted the nose then flattened out, cut the four engines and as we lost air speed I pulled the control column right back thus stalling the plane and causing it to hit tail first. The initial hit wasn't too bad but the second, when it finally came, was horrific. All five of the crew abandoned the aircraft and took refuge in a barn. We eventually left the area, one at a time, but were captured very soon after. I was free the longest as I didn't get captured until August 8, 1943."

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED696

s/n ED696

WS RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 696

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn

Delivered to No. 9 Sqn (WS-T) 2 Mar 1943. Missing on mission to Kiel 4/5 April 1943. 47 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED697

s/n ED697

Avro

ED 697

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED698

s/n ED698

Avro

ED 698

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED699

s/n ED699

WS RAF Roundel L

Avro

ED 699

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED700

s/n ED700

WS RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 700

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED701

s/n ED701

Avro

ED 701

Merlin

Known Units: 103 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED702

s/n ED702

Avro

ED 702

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED703

s/n ED703

Avro

ED 703

Merlin

Known Units: ;61

Aircraft of No. 61 Squadron. Missing on raid to Munich 9/10 Mar 1943. (Robertson and Holmes say that ED 703 ditched SW of Scilly Isles on 13/14 April 1943?)
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED704

s/n ED704

UG RAF Roundel M

Avro

ED 704

Merlin

Known Units: 1654 HCU;1654 HCU;1654 HCU


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED705

s/n ED705

Avro

ED 705

Merlin

Known Units: 100

Delivered to No. 100 Sqn (HW-P, later HW-H and HW-Y) 14 Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Hamburg 2/3 Aug 1943. This was the fourth and final raid of the Battle of Hamburg Jul/Aug 1943. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and was the 7th aircraft lost on that night. The crew were on their 18th operation.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED706

s/n ED706

Avro

ED 706

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED707

s/n ED707

Avro

ED 707

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED708

s/n ED708

Avro

ED 708

Merlin

Known Units: 106

Delivered to No. 106 Sqn 9 Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Hamburg 27/28 Jul 1943. This was the second raid of the "Battle of Hamburg" Jul/Aug 1943. The aircraft was the 16th or 17th shot down that night , either by Ofw. Kubisch, gunner in Major Lent's Bf 110 of IV/NGJ1 or the Ju 88 of Lt Stock of IV NJG3. The crew were on their 8th operation (Middlebrook).
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED709

s/n ED709

Avro

ED 709

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED710

s/n ED710

Avro

ED 710

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED711

s/n ED711

Avro

ED 711

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED712

s/n ED712

Avro

ED 712

Merlin

Known Units: 50

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn 12 Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Wuppertal 24/25 Jun 1943. 117 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED713

s/n ED713

Avro

ED 713

Merlin

Known Units: 103 Sqn;576 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED715

s/n ED715

GT RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 715

Merlin

Known Units: 156 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED716

s/n ED716

KM RAF Roundel F

Avro

ED 716

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED717

s/n ED717

QR RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 717

Merlin

Known Units: 61 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED718

s/n ED718

QR RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 718

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED719

s/n ED719

EA RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 719

Merlin

Known Units: 49

Delivered to No. 49 Sqn (EA-K) 12 Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Mannheim 9/10 Aug 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED720

s/n ED720

Avro

ED 720

Merlin

Known Units: ;106

Delivered to No. 106 Sqn 12 Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Cologne 8/9 Jul 1943. 249 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED721

s/n ED721

WS RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 721

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn

Delivered to No. 49 Sqn Mar 1943. Transferred to No. 9 Sqn (WS-S) Oct 1943. Missing on operation to Brunswick 14/15 Jan 1944.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED722

s/n ED722

QR RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 722

Merlin

Known Units: 61 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED723

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED724

s/n ED724

PM RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 724

Merlin

Known Units: 103 Sqn;103 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED725

s/n ED725

Avro

ED 725

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED726

s/n ED726

EA RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 726

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED727

s/n ED727

Avro

ED 727

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED728

s/n ED728

Avro

ED 728

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED729

s/n ED729

Avro

ED 729

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED730

s/n ED730

Avro

ED 730

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED731

s/n ED731

Avro

ED 731

Merlin

Known Units: 166 Sqn

Delivered to No. 103 Sqn Mar 1943. Transferred to No. 166 Sqn (AS-T2) in Sept 1943. Lost on mission to Berlin 24/25 Mar 1944. 576 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED732

s/n ED732

Avro

ED 732

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED733

s/n ED733

Avro

ED 733

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED734

s/n ED734

Avro

ED 734

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED735

s/n ED735

AJ RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 735

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

Originally to No. 44 Sqn (KM-K), then to No. 617 Sqn (AJ-R). Took part in the raids on the Antheor Viaduct 16/17 Sep 1943 and 11/12 Nov 1943. Lost on returning to England from Rabat, Morocco 17 Nov 1943. 338 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Ferry Flight In transit to Coningsby 1943-11-17 to 1943-11-18

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Rabat, Morocco

The aircraft, piloted by Flight Lieutenant EEG Youseman DFC, had landed at Blida, Algeria , after the raid on the Antheor Viaduct , on the rail line between France and Italy, on the night of 11/12 November. It subsequently moved to Rabat, Morocco before setting off to return to Coningsby, its base in England . It was routed round the Iberian peninsula and across the Bay of Biscay. However, it ditched in the Atlantic with the loss of all of the crew. It is believed that there were 3 army officers on board as well as the crew.

There were 3 Canadians in the crew: Pilot Officers L Plishka and AM Laughiand DFM and Warrant Officer Class 1 JB O'Grady. With the exception of Flight Sergeant R Florence DFM (RNZAF), the remainder of the crew (Flight Lieutenant EEG Youseman DFC Pilot Officer S Whittingham DFM and Flying Officer W Grimes DFM) were in the RAF.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED736

s/n ED736

Avro

ED 736

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED737

s/n ED737

PO RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 737

Merlin

Known Units: 467 Sqn;467 Sqn;467 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Cologne Germany 1943-06-17 to 1943-06-17

467 () () RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire, England
467 Australia Squadron. Lancaster ED737 took off 2215 16 June 1943 from Bottesford. Shot down by a night-fighter. Casualties included RAF Sgt's. R.L. Godden, K.M. Taylor, N.M. Turnbull, and Flying Officer A. Smith (pilot), and RAAF Flying Officer G.H. Joseph. Sgt. E.V. Doan (RCAF), Flt. Sgt. J.E. Binnie (RAF), and Sgt. E. Lancake (RAF) were taken Prisoners of War.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED749

s/n ED749

HW RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 749

Merlin

Known Units: 300 Sqn;100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED750

s/n ED750

HW RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 750

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED751

s/n ED751

Avro

ED 751

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED752

s/n ED752

Avro

ED 752

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED753

s/n ED753

Avro

ED 753

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED754

s/n ED754

Avro

ED 754

Merlin

Known Units: ;97

Delivered to No. 97 Sqn (OF-A) Mar 1943. Missing on operation to St Nazaire, 28/29 Mar 1943. 20 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED756

s/n ED756

UG RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 756

Merlin

Known Units: 1654 HCU;1654 HCU


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED757

s/n ED757

Avro

ED 757

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED758

s/n ED758

EM RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 758

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn

Served with No. 57 Sqn from March 1943 to Sep 1943, then transfer to No. 630 Sqn, finally to No. 207 Sqn (EM-V). Missing from mission to Berlin 30/31 Jan 1944. 452 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED759

s/n ED759

Avro

ED 759

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED760

s/n ED760

Avro

ED 760

Merlin

Known Units: ;100

With No. 100 Sqn. Missing on operation to Frankfurt 10/11 Apr 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED761

s/n ED761

Avro

ED 761

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED762

s/n ED762

Avro

ED 762

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED763

s/n ED763

AJ RAF Roundel D

Avro

ED 763

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED764

s/n ED764

Avro

ED 764

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED765

s/n ED765

Avro

ED 765

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED767

s/n ED767

Avro

ED 767

Merlin

Known Units: 576 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED768

s/n ED768

PO RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 768

Merlin

Known Units: 467

Delivered to No. 467 (Australian) Sqn Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Dusseldorf 25/26 May 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Dusseldorf Germany 1943-05-26 to 1943-05-26

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire, England
467 Australia Squadron. Hit by Flak and crashed 0209 26 May 1943 at _s-Gravenwezel (Antwerpen) 11 km ENE from the centre of Antwerpen where those killed are buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery. Casualties included RAF Sgt's. T. Chalmers and B. Spencer, and RAAF Flt. Sgt. J. M. Parsons. Taken Prisoners of War were RAF Sgt's J.P. Egan, R.A. Hunt, and N.J. Vaulkhard, and RCAF Sgt. J.F. Selman.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED770

s/n ED770

Avro

ED 770

Merlin

Known Units: 57

Delivered to No. 57 SqnMar 1943. Missing on operation to Stettin 20/21 Apr 1943. 60 operational hours. [Mason gives aircraft lost at Pilzen 16/17 Apr 1943].
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED771

s/n ED771

Avro

ED 771

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED772

s/n ED772

Avro

ED 772

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED774

s/n ED774

Avro

ED 774

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED775

s/n ED775

Avro

ED 775

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED776

s/n ED776

Avro

ED 776

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED777

s/n ED777

DX RAF Roundel Q

Avro

ED 777

Merlin

Known Units: 57 Sqn

Delivered to No. 57 Sqn (DX-Q) Mar 1943. Transferred to No. 630 Sqn Nov 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 2/3 Dec 1943. 396 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED779

s/n ED779

DX RAF Roundel U

Avro

ED 779

Merlin

Known Units: 57 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED780

s/n ED780

Avro

ED 780

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED781

s/n ED781

Avro

ED 781

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED782

s/n ED782

Avro

ED 782

Merlin

Known Units: 61

Delivered to No. 61 Sqn Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Hamburg 29/30 Jul 1943. 250 operational hours. They were shot down on the third night of the Battle of Hamburg, Jul/Aug 1943 and were 5th aircraft lost that night out of a total of 31 shot down or crashed. The crew were on their 23rd operation (Middlebrook).
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED783

s/n ED783

KM RAF Roundel F

Avro

ED 783

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn

Delivered to No. 44 Sqn (KM-F) Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Essen 30 Apr/1 May 1943. 58 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED784

s/n ED784

Avro

ED 784

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED785

s/n ED785

Avro

ED 785

Merlin

Known Units: ;49

With No. 49 Sqn. Missing on mission to Cologne 16/17 Jun 1943
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED786

s/n ED786

HW RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 786

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED799

s/n ED799

WS RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 799

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED800

s/n ED800

Avro

ED 800

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED801

s/n ED801

Avro

ED 801

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED802

s/n ED802

EM RAF Roundel M

Avro

ED 802

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED803

s/n ED803

Avro

ED 803

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED804

s/n ED804

UV RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 804

Merlin

Known Units: 460 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED805

s/n ED805

Avro

ED 805

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED806

s/n ED806

WS RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 806

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED807

s/n ED807

Avro

ED 807

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED808

s/n ED808

GI RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 808

Merlin

Known Units: 622 Sqn;622 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED809

s/n ED809

CF RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 809

Merlin

Known Units: 625 Sqn

Delivered to No. 101 Sqn (SR-W) Mar or Apr 1943. Transferred to No. 625 Sqn (CF-T) Oct 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 26/27 Nov 1943. 318 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED810

s/n ED810

VN RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 810

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED811

s/n ED811

Avro

ED 811

Merlin

Known Units: 1660 HCU

Delivered to No. 1660 HCU Mar 1943. Wrecked on its 3rd accident, crashed in poor visibility at Blankney Fen, Lincolnshire 9 Dec 1943. 574 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED812

s/n ED812

Avro

ED 812

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED813

s/n ED813

Avro

ED 813

Merlin

Known Units: ;49

Delivered to No. 49 Sqn Mar 1943. Missing on operation to Dortmund 23/24 May 1943. 63 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED814

s/n ED814

CF RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 814

Merlin

Known Units: 625 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED815

s/n ED815

HW RAF Roundel P

Avro

ED 815

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn

Delivered to No. 100 Sqn (HW-P) Apr 1943. Missing on operation to Schweinfurt 24/25 Feb 1944. 388 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED816

s/n ED816

Avro

ED 816

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED817

s/n ED817

AJ RAF Roundel C

Avro

ED 817

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED818

s/n ED818

PH RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 818

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED819

s/n ED819

Avro

ED 819

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED820

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED821

s/n ED821

Avro

ED 821

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED822

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED823

s/n ED823

Avro

ED 823

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED824

s/n ED824

Avro

ED 824

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED825

s/n ED825

AJ RAF Roundel E

Avro

ED 825

Merlin

Known Units: ;617

As ED 825/G Special Provisioning Lancaster the aircraft was at A&AEE for testing before being flown to Scampton as the spare aircraft on No. 617 Sqn. As AJ-T it was flown on the Dams raid (Operation Chastise) by Flight Lieutenant J. McCarthy to attack the Sorpe dam. Later, Later, modified back to a standard configuration, as AJ-E it flew operations against the Antheor Viaduct, Italy.11/12 Nov 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

SOE SOE operation 1943-12-10 to 1943-12-11

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Tempsford

This was one of four aircraft and crews seconded to the Special Operations Executive to work with 138 and 161 Squadrons flying from Tempsford on supply drops to the French Resistance. Piloted by Flying Officer GH Weeden, they left Tempsford at 20:35 on December 10 for a rendezvous in northern France, but were shot down en route by flak near to Meharicourt . All of the crew were killed.

There were 3 members of the RCAF in the crew: Flying Officer GH Weeden, Flight Sergeant EJ Walters and Warrant Officer 2nd Class R Cummings (Wallters was an American serving in the RCAF). The other members of the crew (Sergeant AW Richardson, Pilot Officer RN Jones, Flight Sergeant RG Howell and Sergeant B Robinson) were all in the RAF.

The aircraft crash site was excavated as part of a UK Channel 5 film about "Johnny" Johnson, who had been the bomb aimer in the aircraft when it attacked the Sorpe Dam.

unvetted Source

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED826

s/n ED826

UG RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 826

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED827

s/n ED827

DX RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 827

Merlin

Known Units: 57 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED828

s/n ED828

VN RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 828

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn

Delivered to No. 50 Sqn (VN-B) Apr 1943. Missing on operation to Bochum 12/13 Jun 1943. 117 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED829

s/n ED829

Avro

ED 829

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED830

s/n ED830

Avro

ED 830

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED831

s/n ED831

WS RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 831

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED832

s/n ED832

EM RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 832

Merlin

Known Units: 207 Sqn

Delivered to 207 Sqn (EM-X) Apr 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 3/4 Sep 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-09-03 to 1943-09-03

207 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Langar

207 Squadron RAF (Semper Paratus) RAF Langar. Lancaster BIII aircraft ED 832 EM-X failed to return from a raid against targets in Berlin, Germany. Lost without a trace, the cause of loss was not determined

Flight Lieutenant T J D Waterman DFC (RCAF), Flying Officer F G C Spanner DFC (RCAF), Group Captain A F McKenna MiD (RAF), Squadron Leader Ian McArtair Huntly-Wood DFC (RAFVR), Flying Officer K J Knight DFC (RAFVR), Flight Sergeant A J C Whitehead (RAFVR) and Flying Officer J L Young DFM (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action

The missing have no known grave and all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial

unvetted Source Royal air Force Serial and Image Database

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED833

s/n ED833

UG RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 833

Merlin

Known Units: 1654 HCU


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED834

s/n ED834

WS RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 834

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED835

s/n ED835

Avro

ED 835

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED836

s/n ED836

WS RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 836

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn;9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED837

s/n ED837

Avro

ED 837

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED838

s/n ED838

WS RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 838

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED839

s/n ED839

Avro

ED 839

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED840

s/n ED840

Avro

ED 840

Merlin

Known Units: 156

Delivered to No. 156 Sqn Apr 1943. Missing on operation to Cologne 16/17 Jun 1943. 61 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED841

s/n ED841

Avro

ED 841

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED842

s/n ED842

Avro

ED 842

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED856

s/n ED856

Avro

ED 856

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED857

s/n ED857

Avro

ED 857

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED858

s/n ED858

Avro

ED 858

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED859

s/n ED859

PG RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 859

Merlin

Known Units: 619 Sqn

Delivered to No. 156 Sqn Apr/May 1943. Transferred to No. 619 Sqn (PG-V) Oct/Nov 1943. Missing on operation to Wesseling 21/22 Jun 1944. This was the aircraft's 71st operation. 630 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED860

s/n ED860

QR RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 860

Merlin

Known Units: 61 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED861

s/n ED861

Avro

ED 861

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED862

s/n ED862

Avro

ED 862

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED863

s/n ED863

Avro

ED 863

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED864

s/n ED864

AJ RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 864

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

Special Provisioning Lancaster ED 864/G. Tested on 16 April 1943, and delivered to No. 617 Sqn (AJ-B) April 1943. The aircraft had 23 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Moehne Dam Germany 1943-05-16 to 1943-05-17

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Scampton

Operation Chastise (Dam Buster)

The aircraft (AJ-B) was piloted by Flight Lieutenant "Bill" Astell DFC. It crashed (it hit an electricity pylon) close to Marbeck, Germany at 00:15 on 17 May 1944 en route to the Moehne Dam as part of the first wave attack of operation CHASTISE, the attack on the German Dams.

Canadians Pilot Officer FA Wile, Flight Sergeant FA Garbas and Warrant Officer Class2 A Garshowitz, and four RAF members of the crew (Flight Lieutenant W Astell DFC, Sergeants I Kinnear, R Bolitho, and Flying Officer D Hopkinson) were all killed.

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians "“ about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet "“ were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed.

The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers.Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered. At first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10 long tons (22,000 lb; 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb and although Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose this was rejected. Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent an explosive device from travelling through the water.

Wallis devised a 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) bomb (more accurately, a mine) in the shape of a cylinder, equivalent to a very large depth charge armed with a hydrostatic fuse, designed to be given a backspin of 500 rpm. Dropped at 60 ft (18 m) and 240 mph (390 km/h) from the release point, the mine would skip across the surface of the water before hitting the dam wall as its forward speed ceased. Initially the backspin was intended to increase the range of the mine but it was later realized that it would cause the mine, after submerging, to run down the side of the dam towards its base, thus maximising the explosive effect against the dam.[7] This weapon was code-named Upkeep.

Testing of the concept included blowing up a scale model dam at the Building Research Establishment, Watford, in May 1942 and then the breaching of the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales in July. A subsequent test suggested that a charge of 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) exploded 30 ft (9.1 m) under water would breach a full-size dam; crucially this weight would be within the carrying capacity of an Avro Lancaster. The first air drop trials were at Chesil Beach in December 1942; these used a spinning 4 ft 6 in sphere dropped from a modified Vickers Wellington, serial BJ895/G; the same aircraft was used until April 1943 when the first modified Lancasters became available. The tests continued at Chesil Beach and Reculver, often unsuccessfully, using revised designs of the mine and variations of speed and height.

Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick adapted the Lancaster to carry the mine. To reduce weight, much of the internal armour was removed, as was the mid-upper (dorsal) gun turret. The dimensions of the mine and its unusual shape meant that the bomb-bay doors had to be removed and the mine hung partly below the fuselage. It was mounted on two crutches and before dropping it was spun by an auxiliary motor. Chadwick also worked out the design and installation of controls and gear for the carriage and release of the mine in conjunction with Barnes Wallis. The Avro Lancaster B Mk IIIs so modified were known as Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning).

In February 1943, Air Vice-Marshal Francis Linnell at the Ministry of Aircraft Production thought the work was diverting Wallis from the development of the Vickers Windsor bomber (which did not become operational). Pressure from Linnell via the chairman of Vickers, Sir Charles Worthington Craven, caused Wallis to offer to resign.[12] Sir Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, after a briefing by Linnell also opposed the allocation of his bombers; Harris was about to start the strategic bombing campaign against Germany and Lancasters were just entering service. Wallis had written to an influential intelligence officer, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham, who ensured that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal, heard of the project. Portal saw the film of the Chesil Beach trials and was convinced.[13] On 26 February 1943, Portal over-ruled Harris and ordered that thirty Lancasters were to be allocated to the mission and the target date was set for May, when water levels would be at their highest and breaches in the dams would cause the most damage.[14] With eight weeks to go, the larger Upkeep mine that was needed for the mission and the modifications to the Lancasters had yet to be designed.

The operation was given to No. 5 Group RAF, which formed a new squadron to undertake the dams mission. It was initially called Squadron X, as the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons. Led by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, a veteran of more than 170 bombing and night-fighter missions, twenty-one bomber crews were selected from 5 Group squadrons. The crews included RAF personnel of several nationalities, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron was based at RAF Scampton, about 5 mi (8 km) north of Lincoln.

The targets selected were the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam, upstream from the Ruhr industrial area, with the Eder Dam on the Eder River, which feeds into the Weser, as a secondary target. The loss of hydroelectric power was important but the loss of water to industry, cities and canals would have greater effect and there was potential for devastating flooding if the dams broke.

Bombing from an altitude of 60 ft (18 m), at an air speed of 240 mph (390 km/h) and at set distance from the target called for expert crews. Intensive night-time and low-altitude training began. There were also technical problems to solve, the first one being to determine when the aircraft was at optimum distance from its target. The Möhne and Eder Dams had towers at each end. A special targeting device with two prongs, making the same angle as the two towers at the correct distance from the dam, showed when to release the bomb. (The BBC documentary Dambusters Declassified (2010) stated that the pronged device was not used, owing to problems related to vibration and that other methods were employed, including a length of string tied in a loop and pulled back centrally to a fixed point in the manner of a catapult.)

The second problem was determining the aircraft's altitude, as barometric altimeters lacked accuracy. Two spotlights were mounted, one under the aircraft's nose and the other under the fuselage, so that at the correct height their light beams would converge on the surface of the water. The crews practised at the Eyebrook Reservoir, near Uppingham, Rutland; Abberton Reservoir near Colchester; Derwent Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District; and Fleet Lagoon on Chesil Beach. Wallis's bomb was first tested at the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The squadron took delivery of the bombs on 13 May, after the final tests on 29 April. At 18:00 on 15 May, at a meeting in Whitworth's house, Gibson and Wallis briefed the squadron's two flight commanders, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay and Sqn Ldr H. M. "Dinghy" Young, Gibson's deputy for the Möhne attack, Flt Lt John V. Hopgood and the squadron bombing leader, Flight Lieutenant Bob Hay. The rest of the crews were told at a series of briefings the following day, which began with a briefing of pilots, navigators and bomb-aimers at about midday.

Formation No. 1 was composed of nine aircraft in three groups (listed by pilot): Gibson, Hopgood and Flt Lt H. B. "Micky" Martin (an Australian serving in the RAF); Young, Flt Lt David Maltby and Flt Lt Dave Shannon (RAAF); and Maudslay, Flt Lt Bill Astell and Pilot Officer Les Knight (RAAF). Its mission was to attack the Möhne; any aircraft with bombs remaining would then attack the Eder.

Formation No. 2, numbering five aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt Joe McCarthy (an American serving in the RCAF), Pilot Officer Vernon Byers (RCAF),[15] Flt Lt Norman Barlow (RAAF), Pilot Officer Geoff Rice[16] and Flt Lt Les Munro (RNZAF), was to attack the Sorpe.

Formation No. 3 was a mobile reserve consisting of aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Cyril Anderson, Flt Sergeant Bill Townsend, Flt Sergeant Ken Brown (RCAF), Pilot Officer Warner Ottley and Pilot Officer Lewis Burpee (RCAF), taking off two hours later on 17 May, either to bomb the main dams or to attack three smaller secondary target dams: the Lister, the Ennepe and the Diemel.

Two crews were unable to make the mission owing to illness.

source: Wikipedia

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED865

s/n ED865

AJ RAF Roundel S

Avro

ED 865

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

Special Provisioning Lancaster ED865/G was delivered to 617 Squadron in April 1943 (AJ-S).
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Sorpe Dam Germany 1943-05-16 to 1943-05-17

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Scampton

Operation Chastise (Dam Buster)

Piloted by Pilot Officer LJ Burpee, the aircraft was outbound during Operation CHASTISE, bound for the Sorpe Dam, Germany. It crashed at 01:53 on May 17 near the night fighter base at Gilze-Rijen, Noord Brabant, the Netherlands . It may have been shot down by light Flak of the 5/gemischte Flak-Abteilung 442 and the 3/leichte Flak-Abteilung 848. Conversely, eye witness accounts suggest that that the pilot was blinded by a searchlight and crashed into trees while trying to avoid it. All the crew were killed

Canadians Pilot Officer LJ Burpee DFM, Warrant Officer JL Arthur and Warrant Officer JG Brady were killed in the crash or the subsequent explosion of their UPKEEP weapon, as were Pilot Officer LG Weller (RAFVR), Sergeants T Jaye (RAFVR), WCA Long (RAFVR) and G Pegler (RAF).

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians "“ about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet "“ were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed.

The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers.Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered. At first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10 long tons (22,000 lb; 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb and although Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose this was rejected. Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent an explosive device from travelling through the water.

Wallis devised a 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) bomb (more accurately, a mine) in the shape of a cylinder, equivalent to a very large depth charge armed with a hydrostatic fuse, designed to be given a backspin of 500 rpm. Dropped at 60 ft (18 m) and 240 mph (390 km/h) from the release point, the mine would skip across the surface of the water before hitting the dam wall as its forward speed ceased. Initially the backspin was intended to increase the range of the mine but it was later realized that it would cause the mine, after submerging, to run down the side of the dam towards its base, thus maximising the explosive effect against the dam.[7] This weapon was code-named Upkeep.

Testing of the concept included blowing up a scale model dam at the Building Research Establishment, Watford, in May 1942 and then the breaching of the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales in July. A subsequent test suggested that a charge of 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) exploded 30 ft (9.1 m) under water would breach a full-size dam; crucially this weight would be within the carrying capacity of an Avro Lancaster. The first air drop trials were at Chesil Beach in December 1942; these used a spinning 4 ft 6 in sphere dropped from a modified Vickers Wellington, serial BJ895/G; the same aircraft was used until April 1943 when the first modified Lancasters became available. The tests continued at Chesil Beach and Reculver, often unsuccessfully, using revised designs of the mine and variations of speed and height.

Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick adapted the Lancaster to carry the mine. To reduce weight, much of the internal armour was removed, as was the mid-upper (dorsal) gun turret. The dimensions of the mine and its unusual shape meant that the bomb-bay doors had to be removed and the mine hung partly below the fuselage. It was mounted on two crutches and before dropping it was spun by an auxiliary motor. Chadwick also worked out the design and installation of controls and gear for the carriage and release of the mine in conjunction with Barnes Wallis. The Avro Lancaster B Mk IIIs so modified were known as Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning).

In February 1943, Air Vice-Marshal Francis Linnell at the Ministry of Aircraft Production thought the work was diverting Wallis from the development of the Vickers Windsor bomber (which did not become operational). Pressure from Linnell via the chairman of Vickers, Sir Charles Worthington Craven, caused Wallis to offer to resign.[12] Sir Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, after a briefing by Linnell also opposed the allocation of his bombers; Harris was about to start the strategic bombing campaign against Germany and Lancasters were just entering service. Wallis had written to an influential intelligence officer, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham, who ensured that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal, heard of the project. Portal saw the film of the Chesil Beach trials and was convinced.[13] On 26 February 1943, Portal over-ruled Harris and ordered that thirty Lancasters were to be allocated to the mission and the target date was set for May, when water levels would be at their highest and breaches in the dams would cause the most damage.[14] With eight weeks to go, the larger Upkeep mine that was needed for the mission and the modifications to the Lancasters had yet to be designed.

The operation was given to No. 5 Group RAF, which formed a new squadron to undertake the dams mission. It was initially called Squadron X, as the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons. Led by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, a veteran of more than 170 bombing and night-fighter missions, twenty-one bomber crews were selected from 5 Group squadrons. The crews included RAF personnel of several nationalities, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron was based at RAF Scampton, about 5 mi (8 km) north of Lincoln.

The targets selected were the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam, upstream from the Ruhr industrial area, with the Eder Dam on the Eder River, which feeds into the Weser, as a secondary target. The loss of hydroelectric power was important but the loss of water to industry, cities and canals would have greater effect and there was potential for devastating flooding if the dams broke.

Bombing from an altitude of 60 ft (18 m), at an air speed of 240 mph (390 km/h) and at set distance from the target called for expert crews. Intensive night-time and low-altitude training began. There were also technical problems to solve, the first one being to determine when the aircraft was at optimum distance from its target. The Möhne and Eder Dams had towers at each end. A special targeting device with two prongs, making the same angle as the two towers at the correct distance from the dam, showed when to release the bomb. (The BBC documentary Dambusters Declassified (2010) stated that the pronged device was not used, owing to problems related to vibration and that other methods were employed, including a length of string tied in a loop and pulled back centrally to a fixed point in the manner of a catapult.)

The second problem was determining the aircraft's altitude, as barometric altimeters lacked accuracy. Two spotlights were mounted, one under the aircraft's nose and the other under the fuselage, so that at the correct height their light beams would converge on the surface of the water. The crews practised at the Eyebrook Reservoir, near Uppingham, Rutland; Abberton Reservoir near Colchester; Derwent Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District; and Fleet Lagoon on Chesil Beach. Wallis's bomb was first tested at the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The squadron took delivery of the bombs on 13 May, after the final tests on 29 April. At 18:00 on 15 May, at a meeting in Whitworth's house, Gibson and Wallis briefed the squadron's two flight commanders, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay and Sqn Ldr H. M. "Dinghy" Young, Gibson's deputy for the Möhne attack, Flt Lt John V. Hopgood and the squadron bombing leader, Flight Lieutenant Bob Hay. The rest of the crews were told at a series of briefings the following day, which began with a briefing of pilots, navigators and bomb-aimers at about midday.

Formation No. 1 was composed of nine aircraft in three groups (listed by pilot): Gibson, Hopgood and Flt Lt H. B. "Micky" Martin (an Australian serving in the RAF); Young, Flt Lt David Maltby and Flt Lt Dave Shannon (RAAF); and Maudslay, Flt Lt Bill Astell and Pilot Officer Les Knight (RAAF). Its mission was to attack the Möhne; any aircraft with bombs remaining would then attack the Eder.

Formation No. 2, numbering five aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt Joe McCarthy (an American serving in the RCAF), Pilot Officer Vernon Byers (RCAF),[15] Flt Lt Norman Barlow (RAAF), Pilot Officer Geoff Rice[16] and Flt Lt Les Munro (RNZAF), was to attack the Sorpe.

Formation No. 3 was a mobile reserve consisting of aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Cyril Anderson, Flt Sergeant Bill Townsend, Flt Sergeant Ken Brown (RCAF), Pilot Officer Warner Ottley and Pilot Officer Lewis Burpee (RCAF), taking off two hours later on 17 May, either to bomb the main dams or to attack three smaller secondary target dams: the Lister, the Ennepe and the Diemel.

Two crews were unable to make the mission owing to illness.

source: Wikipedia

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED866

s/n ED866

OF RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 866

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED867

s/n ED867

PO RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 867

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn;467 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED868

s/n ED868

OF RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 868

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED869

s/n ED869

KM RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 869

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED870

s/n ED870

VN RAF Roundel I

Avro

ED 870

Merlin

Known Units: 50 Sqn

Originally with No. 97 Sqn (OF-T), transferred to No. 50 Sqn (VN-I) Sep 1943. Missing on operation to Mailly-le-Camp 3/4 May 1944. 538 flying hours, 59 operations
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED871

s/n ED871

WS RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 871

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED872

s/n ED872

PH RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 872

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED873

s/n ED873

Avro

ED 873

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED874

s/n ED874

Avro

ED 874

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED875

s/n ED875

OF RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 875

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn

Delivered to 97 Sqn (OF-R) in May 1943. Transferred to No. 166 Sqn Sept 1943. Crashed near Caistor, Lincs on return from operation to Hanover 27/28-Sep 1943
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED876

s/n ED876

OL RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 876

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED877

s/n ED877

GT RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 877

Merlin

Known Units: ;156


last update: 2025-June-06

Bombing Dortmund Germany 1943-05-04 to 1943-05-05

156 (PFF) Sqn (RAF)

Hit by Flak at 19,000 feet over the target and sent down out of control. Information sourced from Mike Lee, Nephew of Pilot Officer Richard John Lee who was killed in this crash.

Operatins Record Books 156 Squadron Summary ORB

Operatins Record Books 156 Squadron Detail ORB

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED878

s/n ED878

PM RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 878

Merlin

Known Units: 103 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED879

s/n ED879

Avro

ED 879

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED880

s/n ED880

OF RAF Roundel D

Avro

ED 880

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED881

s/n ED881

PM RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 881

Merlin

Known Units: 103 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED882

s/n ED882

Avro

ED 882

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED883

s/n ED883

HW RAF Roundel V

Avro

ED 883

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED884

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED885

s/n ED885

Avro

ED 885

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED886

s/n ED886

AJ RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 886

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

Special Provisioning Lancaster ED 886/G was delivered to No. 617 Sqn 23 Apr 1943. It was part of the Dam-busting raid of 16/17 May 1943, as AJ-O, piloted by Pilot Officer Bill Townsend. It it believed that they attacked the Bever dam, rather than the Ennepe which was their intended target. The aircraft was modified back to the original standard configuration.
last update: 2025-February-05

SOE SOE supply drop 1943-12-10 to 1943-12-11

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Tempsford

This was one of four aircraft and crews seconded from 617 Squadron to the Special Operations Executive to work with 138 and 161 Squadrons flying from Tempsford on supply drops to the French Resistance. Piloted by Warrant Officer GF Bull, they left Tempsford at 21:12 on December 10 for a rendezvous in northern France, but were shot down en route by flak near to at Terramesnil near to Doullens .

There was one Canadian in the crew, Flight Sergeant DM Thorpe. He was killed, along with Sergeant JMcL Stewart, RAF. Four members of the crew, all RAF (Warrant Officer GF Bull, Flight Sergeant Batey, Sergeants CC Wiltshire and CM Chamberlain), bailed out successfully, although injured. The 7th member of the crew, Flight Sergeant JH McWilliams, RAF, successfully evaded capture.

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED887

s/n ED887

AJ RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 887

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

Special Provisioning Lancaster ED887/G, Delivered to 617 Squadron (AJ-A) 17 April 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing the Moehne Dam 1943-05-16 to 1943-05-17

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Scampton

Operation Chastise (Dam Buster)

The aircraft (AJ-A) was flown by Squadron Leader H Melvin Young, DFC & Bar in the Dams Raid Operation CHASTISE of 16/17 May 1943. The aircraft was the fourth to attack the Moehne Dam , and its UPKEEP bomb was successfully dropped, causing the first breach in the structure. The breach was then enlarged by the UPKEEP of ED906 (AJ-J) captained by Flight LIeutenant DJ Maltby DFC. Young then proceeded to the Eder Dam , where he acted as second in command to Wing Commander Guy Gibson during the attack. After the Eder had been breached by the UPKEEP of Flight Lieutenant LG Knight in ED912 (AJ-N), Young headed for home but the aircraft was shot down into the sea at Castricum-aan Zee, the Netherlands at 02:58 on May 17th. All of the crew perished.

There was one Canadian in the crew, Flying Officer VS MacCausland, All of the others (Squadron Leader Young, Flight Sergeant CW Roberts, and Sergeants LW Nichols, DT Horsfall, GA Yeo and W Ibbotson) were with the RAF.

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians "“ about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet "“ were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed.

The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers.Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered. At first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10 long tons (22,000 lb; 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb and although Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose this was rejected. Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent an explosive device from travelling through the water.

Wallis devised a 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) bomb (more accurately, a mine) in the shape of a cylinder, equivalent to a very large depth charge armed with a hydrostatic fuse, designed to be given a backspin of 500 rpm. Dropped at 60 ft (18 m) and 240 mph (390 km/h) from the release point, the mine would skip across the surface of the water before hitting the dam wall as its forward speed ceased. Initially the backspin was intended to increase the range of the mine but it was later realized that it would cause the mine, after submerging, to run down the side of the dam towards its base, thus maximising the explosive effect against the dam.[7] This weapon was code-named Upkeep.

Testing of the concept included blowing up a scale model dam at the Building Research Establishment, Watford, in May 1942 and then the breaching of the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales in July. A subsequent test suggested that a charge of 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) exploded 30 ft (9.1 m) under water would breach a full-size dam; crucially this weight would be within the carrying capacity of an Avro Lancaster. The first air drop trials were at Chesil Beach in December 1942; these used a spinning 4 ft 6 in sphere dropped from a modified Vickers Wellington, serial BJ895/G; the same aircraft was used until April 1943 when the first modified Lancasters became available. The tests continued at Chesil Beach and Reculver, often unsuccessfully, using revised designs of the mine and variations of speed and height.

Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick adapted the Lancaster to carry the mine. To reduce weight, much of the internal armour was removed, as was the mid-upper (dorsal) gun turret. The dimensions of the mine and its unusual shape meant that the bomb-bay doors had to be removed and the mine hung partly below the fuselage. It was mounted on two crutches and before dropping it was spun by an auxiliary motor. Chadwick also worked out the design and installation of controls and gear for the carriage and release of the mine in conjunction with Barnes Wallis. The Avro Lancaster B Mk IIIs so modified were known as Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning).

In February 1943, Air Vice-Marshal Francis Linnell at the Ministry of Aircraft Production thought the work was diverting Wallis from the development of the Vickers Windsor bomber (which did not become operational). Pressure from Linnell via the chairman of Vickers, Sir Charles Worthington Craven, caused Wallis to offer to resign.[12] Sir Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, after a briefing by Linnell also opposed the allocation of his bombers; Harris was about to start the strategic bombing campaign against Germany and Lancasters were just entering service. Wallis had written to an influential intelligence officer, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham, who ensured that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal, heard of the project. Portal saw the film of the Chesil Beach trials and was convinced.[13] On 26 February 1943, Portal over-ruled Harris and ordered that thirty Lancasters were to be allocated to the mission and the target date was set for May, when water levels would be at their highest and breaches in the dams would cause the most damage.[14] With eight weeks to go, the larger Upkeep mine that was needed for the mission and the modifications to the Lancasters had yet to be designed.

The operation was given to No. 5 Group RAF, which formed a new squadron to undertake the dams mission. It was initially called Squadron X, as the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons. Led by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, a veteran of more than 170 bombing and night-fighter missions, twenty-one bomber crews were selected from 5 Group squadrons. The crews included RAF personnel of several nationalities, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron was based at RAF Scampton, about 5 mi (8 km) north of Lincoln.

The targets selected were the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam, upstream from the Ruhr industrial area, with the Eder Dam on the Eder River, which feeds into the Weser, as a secondary target. The loss of hydroelectric power was important but the loss of water to industry, cities and canals would have greater effect and there was potential for devastating flooding if the dams broke.

Bombing from an altitude of 60 ft (18 m), at an air speed of 240 mph (390 km/h) and at set distance from the target called for expert crews. Intensive night-time and low-altitude training began. There were also technical problems to solve, the first one being to determine when the aircraft was at optimum distance from its target. The Möhne and Eder Dams had towers at each end. A special targeting device with two prongs, making the same angle as the two towers at the correct distance from the dam, showed when to release the bomb. (The BBC documentary Dambusters Declassified (2010) stated that the pronged device was not used, owing to problems related to vibration and that other methods were employed, including a length of string tied in a loop and pulled back centrally to a fixed point in the manner of a catapult.)

The second problem was determining the aircraft's altitude, as barometric altimeters lacked accuracy. Two spotlights were mounted, one under the aircraft's nose and the other under the fuselage, so that at the correct height their light beams would converge on the surface of the water. The crews practised at the Eyebrook Reservoir, near Uppingham, Rutland; Abberton Reservoir near Colchester; Derwent Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District; and Fleet Lagoon on Chesil Beach. Wallis's bomb was first tested at the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The squadron took delivery of the bombs on 13 May, after the final tests on 29 April. At 18:00 on 15 May, at a meeting in Whitworth's house, Gibson and Wallis briefed the squadron's two flight commanders, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay and Sqn Ldr H. M. "Dinghy" Young, Gibson's deputy for the Möhne attack, Flt Lt John V. Hopgood and the squadron bombing leader, Flight Lieutenant Bob Hay. The rest of the crews were told at a series of briefings the following day, which began with a briefing of pilots, navigators and bomb-aimers at about midday.

Formation No. 1 was composed of nine aircraft in three groups (listed by pilot): Gibson, Hopgood and Flt Lt H. B. "Micky" Martin (an Australian serving in the RAF); Young, Flt Lt David Maltby and Flt Lt Dave Shannon (RAAF); and Maudslay, Flt Lt Bill Astell and Pilot Officer Les Knight (RAAF). Its mission was to attack the Möhne; any aircraft with bombs remaining would then attack the Eder.

Formation No. 2, numbering five aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt Joe McCarthy (an American serving in the RCAF), Pilot Officer Vernon Byers (RCAF),[15] Flt Lt Norman Barlow (RAAF), Pilot Officer Geoff Rice[16] and Flt Lt Les Munro (RNZAF), was to attack the Sorpe.

Formation No. 3 was a mobile reserve consisting of aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Cyril Anderson, Flt Sergeant Bill Townsend, Flt Sergeant Ken Brown (RCAF), Pilot Officer Warner Ottley and Pilot Officer Lewis Burpee (RCAF), taking off two hours later on 17 May, either to bomb the main dams or to attack three smaller secondary target dams: the Lister, the Ennepe and the Diemel.

Two crews were unable to make the mission owing to illness.

source: Wikipedia

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED888

s/n ED888

Avro

ED 888

Merlin

Known Units: 103 Sqn;103 Sqn;576 Sqn;576 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED904

s/n ED904

Avro

ED 904

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED905

s/n ED905

PM RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 905

Merlin

Known Units: 550 Sqn;103 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED906

s/n ED906

YF RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 906

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn;617 Sqn; SFS


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED907

s/n ED907

OL RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 907

Merlin

Known Units: 83 Sqn

Delivered to Signals Intelligence Unit Apr 1943 for trials with Mk. III H2S equipment. Then to No. 83 Sqn May 1943. Missing on operation to Cologne 16/17 Jun 1943. 59 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED908

s/n ED908

6O RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 908

Merlin

Known Units: ;SIU;83;NTU;15;582


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED909

s/n ED909

YF RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 909

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn;617 Sqn; SFS


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED910

s/n ED910

AJ RAF Roundel C

Avro

ED 910

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED911

s/n ED911

OF RAF Roundel E

Avro

ED 911

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED912

s/n ED912

AJ RAF Roundel N

Avro

ED 912

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED913

s/n ED913

Avro

ED 913

Merlin

Known Units: 576 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED914

s/n ED914

Avro

ED 914

Merlin

Known Units: ;103


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED915

s/n ED915

Avro

ED 915

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED916

s/n ED916

KM RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 916

Merlin

Known Units: 103

Delivered to No. 103 Sqn Apr 1943. Missing on operation to Bochum 12/13 Jun 1943. 44 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED917

s/n ED917

OF RAF Roundel Q

Avro

ED 917

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED918

s/n ED918

AJ RAF Roundel F

Avro

ED 918

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED919

s/n ED919

Avro

ED 919

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED920

s/n ED920

Avro

ED 920

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED921

s/n ED921

AJ RAF Roundel W

Avro

ED 921

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED922

s/n ED922

Avro

ED 922

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED923

s/n ED923

AJ RAF Roundel T

Avro

ED 923

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED924

s/n ED924

AJ RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 924

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED925

s/n ED925

AJ RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 925

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn;617 Sqn

Special Provisioning Lancaster ED925/G delivered to No. 617 Squadron April 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Moehne Dam Germany 1943-05-16 to 1943-05-17

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Scampton

Operation Chastise (Dam Buster)

The aircraft (AJ-M), piloted by Flight Lieutenant John Hopgood, DFC & Bar, was in the first wave of the attack on the Moehne Dam on the night of 16/17 May 1943. The aircraft was the second to carry out its attack, but was hit by flak as it made its bombing run to drop its Upkeep bomb on the Dam. Hopgood tried to gain height so that the crew could bale out, but only two were successful before the aircraft exploded, at 00:33 on May 17. The aircraft had only been flown for 16 hours.

Flying Officer K Earnshaw (RCAF), Sergeant JW Minchin (RAF), Pilot Officer G Gregory DFM (RAF), and Flight Lieutenant J Hopgood DFC & Bar (RAF) were also killed. P/O. A, Burcher DFM (RAAF) bailed out at near zero feet altitude and was taken Prisoner of War. One Canadian, Pilot Officer JW Fraser, opened his parachute inside the aircraft, was pulled out and was also taken PoW

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians "“ about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet "“ were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed.

The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers.Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered. At first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10 long tons (22,000 lb; 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb and although Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose this was rejected. Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent an explosive device from travelling through the water.

Wallis devised a 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) bomb (more accurately, a mine) in the shape of a cylinder, equivalent to a very large depth charge armed with a hydrostatic fuse, designed to be given a backspin of 500 rpm. Dropped at 60 ft (18 m) and 240 mph (390 km/h) from the release point, the mine would skip across the surface of the water before hitting the dam wall as its forward speed ceased. Initially the backspin was intended to increase the range of the mine but it was later realized that it would cause the mine, after submerging, to run down the side of the dam towards its base, thus maximising the explosive effect against the dam.[7] This weapon was code-named Upkeep.

Testing of the concept included blowing up a scale model dam at the Building Research Establishment, Watford, in May 1942 and then the breaching of the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales in July. A subsequent test suggested that a charge of 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) exploded 30 ft (9.1 m) under water would breach a full-size dam; crucially this weight would be within the carrying capacity of an Avro Lancaster. The first air drop trials were at Chesil Beach in December 1942; these used a spinning 4 ft 6 in sphere dropped from a modified Vickers Wellington, serial BJ895/G; the same aircraft was used until April 1943 when the first modified Lancasters became available. The tests continued at Chesil Beach and Reculver, often unsuccessfully, using revised designs of the mine and variations of speed and height.

Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick adapted the Lancaster to carry the mine. To reduce weight, much of the internal armour was removed, as was the mid-upper (dorsal) gun turret. The dimensions of the mine and its unusual shape meant that the bomb-bay doors had to be removed and the mine hung partly below the fuselage. It was mounted on two crutches and before dropping it was spun by an auxiliary motor. Chadwick also worked out the design and installation of controls and gear for the carriage and release of the mine in conjunction with Barnes Wallis. The Avro Lancaster B Mk IIIs so modified were known as Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning).

In February 1943, Air Vice-Marshal Francis Linnell at the Ministry of Aircraft Production thought the work was diverting Wallis from the development of the Vickers Windsor bomber (which did not become operational). Pressure from Linnell via the chairman of Vickers, Sir Charles Worthington Craven, caused Wallis to offer to resign.[12] Sir Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, after a briefing by Linnell also opposed the allocation of his bombers; Harris was about to start the strategic bombing campaign against Germany and Lancasters were just entering service. Wallis had written to an influential intelligence officer, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham, who ensured that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal, heard of the project. Portal saw the film of the Chesil Beach trials and was convinced.[13] On 26 February 1943, Portal over-ruled Harris and ordered that thirty Lancasters were to be allocated to the mission and the target date was set for May, when water levels would be at their highest and breaches in the dams would cause the most damage.[14] With eight weeks to go, the larger Upkeep mine that was needed for the mission and the modifications to the Lancasters had yet to be designed.

The operation was given to No. 5 Group RAF, which formed a new squadron to undertake the dams mission. It was initially called Squadron X, as the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons. Led by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, a veteran of more than 170 bombing and night-fighter missions, twenty-one bomber crews were selected from 5 Group squadrons. The crews included RAF personnel of several nationalities, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron was based at RAF Scampton, about 5 mi (8 km) north of Lincoln.

The targets selected were the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam, upstream from the Ruhr industrial area, with the Eder Dam on the Eder River, which feeds into the Weser, as a secondary target. The loss of hydroelectric power was important but the loss of water to industry, cities and canals would have greater effect and there was potential for devastating flooding if the dams broke.

Bombing from an altitude of 60 ft (18 m), at an air speed of 240 mph (390 km/h) and at set distance from the target called for expert crews. Intensive night-time and low-altitude training began. There were also technical problems to solve, the first one being to determine when the aircraft was at optimum distance from its target. The Möhne and Eder Dams had towers at each end. A special targeting device with two prongs, making the same angle as the two towers at the correct distance from the dam, showed when to release the bomb. (The BBC documentary Dambusters Declassified (2010) stated that the pronged device was not used, owing to problems related to vibration and that other methods were employed, including a length of string tied in a loop and pulled back centrally to a fixed point in the manner of a catapult.)

The second problem was determining the aircraft's altitude, as barometric altimeters lacked accuracy. Two spotlights were mounted, one under the aircraft's nose and the other under the fuselage, so that at the correct height their light beams would converge on the surface of the water. The crews practised at the Eyebrook Reservoir, near Uppingham, Rutland; Abberton Reservoir near Colchester; Derwent Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District; and Fleet Lagoon on Chesil Beach. Wallis's bomb was first tested at the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The squadron took delivery of the bombs on 13 May, after the final tests on 29 April. At 18:00 on 15 May, at a meeting in Whitworth's house, Gibson and Wallis briefed the squadron's two flight commanders, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay and Sqn Ldr H. M. "Dinghy" Young, Gibson's deputy for the Möhne attack, Flt Lt John V. Hopgood and the squadron bombing leader, Flight Lieutenant Bob Hay. The rest of the crews were told at a series of briefings the following day, which began with a briefing of pilots, navigators and bomb-aimers at about midday.

Formation No. 1 was composed of nine aircraft in three groups (listed by pilot): Gibson, Hopgood and Flt Lt H. B. "Micky" Martin (an Australian serving in the RAF); Young, Flt Lt David Maltby and Flt Lt Dave Shannon (RAAF); and Maudslay, Flt Lt Bill Astell and Pilot Officer Les Knight (RAAF). Its mission was to attack the Möhne; any aircraft with bombs remaining would then attack the Eder.

Formation No. 2, numbering five aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt Joe McCarthy (an American serving in the RCAF), Pilot Officer Vernon Byers (RCAF),[15] Flt Lt Norman Barlow (RAAF), Pilot Officer Geoff Rice[16] and Flt Lt Les Munro (RNZAF), was to attack the Sorpe.

Formation No. 3 was a mobile reserve consisting of aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Cyril Anderson, Flt Sergeant Bill Townsend, Flt Sergeant Ken Brown (RCAF), Pilot Officer Warner Ottley and Pilot Officer Lewis Burpee (RCAF), taking off two hours later on 17 May, either to bomb the main dams or to attack three smaller secondary target dams: the Lister, the Ennepe and the Diemel.

Two crews were unable to make the mission owing to illness.

source: Wikipedia

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED926

s/n ED926

Avro

ED 926

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED927

s/n ED927

AJ RAF Roundel E

Avro

ED 927

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

Special Provisioning Lancaster ED927/G delivered to 617 Squadron (AJ-E) on 3rd May 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Sorpe Dam Germany 1943-05-16 to 1943-05-17

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Scampton

Operation Chastise (Dam Buster)

The aircraft AJ-E was piloted by Flight Lieutenant Robert Barlow DFC RAAF, it was in the second wave of aircraft in operation CHASTISE. It was on the way to the Sorpe Dam , flying at low level, when it flew into a complex of high-tension cables and crashed at 23:50 near Haldern, Germany . All of the crew perished in the crash, but the self-destruct mechanism on their UPKEEP bomb failed to activate, so that the Germans were presented with the weapon undamaged.

There was one Canadian casualty, Flying Officer HS Glinz. Of the other members of the crew, Flight Lieutenant Barlow and Flying Officer CR Williams DFC were RAAF officers. Pilot Officer SL Whillis, Flying Officer PS Burgess, Pilot Officer A. Gillespie DFM and Sergeant JRG Liddell were RAF personnel.

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians "“ about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet "“ were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed.

The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers.Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered. At first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10 long tons (22,000 lb; 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb and although Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose this was rejected. Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent an explosive device from travelling through the water.

Wallis devised a 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) bomb (more accurately, a mine) in the shape of a cylinder, equivalent to a very large depth charge armed with a hydrostatic fuse, designed to be given a backspin of 500 rpm. Dropped at 60 ft (18 m) and 240 mph (390 km/h) from the release point, the mine would skip across the surface of the water before hitting the dam wall as its forward speed ceased. Initially the backspin was intended to increase the range of the mine but it was later realized that it would cause the mine, after submerging, to run down the side of the dam towards its base, thus maximising the explosive effect against the dam.[7] This weapon was code-named Upkeep.

Testing of the concept included blowing up a scale model dam at the Building Research Establishment, Watford, in May 1942 and then the breaching of the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales in July. A subsequent test suggested that a charge of 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) exploded 30 ft (9.1 m) under water would breach a full-size dam; crucially this weight would be within the carrying capacity of an Avro Lancaster. The first air drop trials were at Chesil Beach in December 1942; these used a spinning 4 ft 6 in sphere dropped from a modified Vickers Wellington, serial BJ895/G; the same aircraft was used until April 1943 when the first modified Lancasters became available. The tests continued at Chesil Beach and Reculver, often unsuccessfully, using revised designs of the mine and variations of speed and height.

Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick adapted the Lancaster to carry the mine. To reduce weight, much of the internal armour was removed, as was the mid-upper (dorsal) gun turret. The dimensions of the mine and its unusual shape meant that the bomb-bay doors had to be removed and the mine hung partly below the fuselage. It was mounted on two crutches and before dropping it was spun by an auxiliary motor. Chadwick also worked out the design and installation of controls and gear for the carriage and release of the mine in conjunction with Barnes Wallis. The Avro Lancaster B Mk IIIs so modified were known as Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning).

In February 1943, Air Vice-Marshal Francis Linnell at the Ministry of Aircraft Production thought the work was diverting Wallis from the development of the Vickers Windsor bomber (which did not become operational). Pressure from Linnell via the chairman of Vickers, Sir Charles Worthington Craven, caused Wallis to offer to resign.[12] Sir Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, after a briefing by Linnell also opposed the allocation of his bombers; Harris was about to start the strategic bombing campaign against Germany and Lancasters were just entering service. Wallis had written to an influential intelligence officer, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham, who ensured that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal, heard of the project. Portal saw the film of the Chesil Beach trials and was convinced.[13] On 26 February 1943, Portal over-ruled Harris and ordered that thirty Lancasters were to be allocated to the mission and the target date was set for May, when water levels would be at their highest and breaches in the dams would cause the most damage.[14] With eight weeks to go, the larger Upkeep mine that was needed for the mission and the modifications to the Lancasters had yet to be designed.

The operation was given to No. 5 Group RAF, which formed a new squadron to undertake the dams mission. It was initially called Squadron X, as the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons. Led by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, a veteran of more than 170 bombing and night-fighter missions, twenty-one bomber crews were selected from 5 Group squadrons. The crews included RAF personnel of several nationalities, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron was based at RAF Scampton, about 5 mi (8 km) north of Lincoln.

The targets selected were the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam, upstream from the Ruhr industrial area, with the Eder Dam on the Eder River, which feeds into the Weser, as a secondary target. The loss of hydroelectric power was important but the loss of water to industry, cities and canals would have greater effect and there was potential for devastating flooding if the dams broke.

Bombing from an altitude of 60 ft (18 m), at an air speed of 240 mph (390 km/h) and at set distance from the target called for expert crews. Intensive night-time and low-altitude training began. There were also technical problems to solve, the first one being to determine when the aircraft was at optimum distance from its target. The Möhne and Eder Dams had towers at each end. A special targeting device with two prongs, making the same angle as the two towers at the correct distance from the dam, showed when to release the bomb. (The BBC documentary Dambusters Declassified (2010) stated that the pronged device was not used, owing to problems related to vibration and that other methods were employed, including a length of string tied in a loop and pulled back centrally to a fixed point in the manner of a catapult.)

The second problem was determining the aircraft's altitude, as barometric altimeters lacked accuracy. Two spotlights were mounted, one under the aircraft's nose and the other under the fuselage, so that at the correct height their light beams would converge on the surface of the water. The crews practised at the Eyebrook Reservoir, near Uppingham, Rutland; Abberton Reservoir near Colchester; Derwent Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District; and Fleet Lagoon on Chesil Beach. Wallis's bomb was first tested at the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The squadron took delivery of the bombs on 13 May, after the final tests on 29 April. At 18:00 on 15 May, at a meeting in Whitworth's house, Gibson and Wallis briefed the squadron's two flight commanders, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay and Sqn Ldr H. M. "Dinghy" Young, Gibson's deputy for the Möhne attack, Flt Lt John V. Hopgood and the squadron bombing leader, Flight Lieutenant Bob Hay. The rest of the crews were told at a series of briefings the following day, which began with a briefing of pilots, navigators and bomb-aimers at about midday.

Formation No. 1 was composed of nine aircraft in three groups (listed by pilot): Gibson, Hopgood and Flt Lt H. B. "Micky" Martin (an Australian serving in the RAF); Young, Flt Lt David Maltby and Flt Lt Dave Shannon (RAAF); and Maudslay, Flt Lt Bill Astell and Pilot Officer Les Knight (RAAF). Its mission was to attack the Möhne; any aircraft with bombs remaining would then attack the Eder.

Formation No. 2, numbering five aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt Joe McCarthy (an American serving in the RCAF), Pilot Officer Vernon Byers (RCAF),[15] Flt Lt Norman Barlow (RAAF), Pilot Officer Geoff Rice[16] and Flt Lt Les Munro (RNZAF), was to attack the Sorpe.

Formation No. 3 was a mobile reserve consisting of aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Cyril Anderson, Flt Sergeant Bill Townsend, Flt Sergeant Ken Brown (RCAF), Pilot Officer Warner Ottley and Pilot Officer Lewis Burpee (RCAF), taking off two hours later on 17 May, either to bomb the main dams or to attack three smaller secondary target dams: the Lister, the Ennepe and the Diemel.

Two crews were unable to make the mission owing to illness.

source: Wikipedia

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED928

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED929

s/n ED929

AJ RAF Roundel L

Avro

ED 929

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED930

s/n ED930

Avro

ED 930

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED931

s/n ED931

Avro

ED 931

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED932

s/n ED932

YF RAF Roundel C

Avro

ED 932

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn;617 Sqn;83 Sqn; SFS


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED933

s/n ED933

Avro

ED 933

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED934

s/n ED934

AJ RAF Roundel K

Avro

ED 934

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

ED 934/G Special Provisioning Lancaster modified Mk. III to take the Upkeep bouncing bomb for the attack on the German Dams 16/17 May 1943. The aircraft was tested on 29 April 1943 and delivered to No. 617 Sqn 3 May 1943 (AJ-K).
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Sorpe Dam Germany 1943-05-16 to 1943-05-17

617 (B) Sqn (RAF) Scampton

Operation Chastise (Dam Buster)

The aircraft (AJ-K), piloted by Pilot Officer Vernon Byers was assigned to the second wave of Lancasters in operation CHASTISE, to attack the Sorpe Dam . It was shot down while crossing Texel, in the Friesian Islands , at 22:57 on May 16 en route to the target, with the loss of all crew.

Canadians in the crew were Pilot Officer VW Byers and Flight Sergeant J McDowell. Five RAF members of the crew, Sergeants A Taylor, J Wilkinson, C Jarvie, Flying Officer J Warner, and Pilot Officer A Whitaker were also killed.

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians "“ about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet "“ were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed.

The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers.Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered. At first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10 long tons (22,000 lb; 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb and although Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose this was rejected. Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent an explosive device from travelling through the water.

Wallis devised a 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) bomb (more accurately, a mine) in the shape of a cylinder, equivalent to a very large depth charge armed with a hydrostatic fuse, designed to be given a backspin of 500 rpm. Dropped at 60 ft (18 m) and 240 mph (390 km/h) from the release point, the mine would skip across the surface of the water before hitting the dam wall as its forward speed ceased. Initially the backspin was intended to increase the range of the mine but it was later realized that it would cause the mine, after submerging, to run down the side of the dam towards its base, thus maximising the explosive effect against the dam.[7] This weapon was code-named Upkeep.

Testing of the concept included blowing up a scale model dam at the Building Research Establishment, Watford, in May 1942 and then the breaching of the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales in July. A subsequent test suggested that a charge of 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) exploded 30 ft (9.1 m) under water would breach a full-size dam; crucially this weight would be within the carrying capacity of an Avro Lancaster. The first air drop trials were at Chesil Beach in December 1942; these used a spinning 4 ft 6 in sphere dropped from a modified Vickers Wellington, serial BJ895/G; the same aircraft was used until April 1943 when the first modified Lancasters became available. The tests continued at Chesil Beach and Reculver, often unsuccessfully, using revised designs of the mine and variations of speed and height.

Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick adapted the Lancaster to carry the mine. To reduce weight, much of the internal armour was removed, as was the mid-upper (dorsal) gun turret. The dimensions of the mine and its unusual shape meant that the bomb-bay doors had to be removed and the mine hung partly below the fuselage. It was mounted on two crutches and before dropping it was spun by an auxiliary motor. Chadwick also worked out the design and installation of controls and gear for the carriage and release of the mine in conjunction with Barnes Wallis. The Avro Lancaster B Mk IIIs so modified were known as Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning).

In February 1943, Air Vice-Marshal Francis Linnell at the Ministry of Aircraft Production thought the work was diverting Wallis from the development of the Vickers Windsor bomber (which did not become operational). Pressure from Linnell via the chairman of Vickers, Sir Charles Worthington Craven, caused Wallis to offer to resign.[12] Sir Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, after a briefing by Linnell also opposed the allocation of his bombers; Harris was about to start the strategic bombing campaign against Germany and Lancasters were just entering service. Wallis had written to an influential intelligence officer, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham, who ensured that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal, heard of the project. Portal saw the film of the Chesil Beach trials and was convinced.[13] On 26 February 1943, Portal over-ruled Harris and ordered that thirty Lancasters were to be allocated to the mission and the target date was set for May, when water levels would be at their highest and breaches in the dams would cause the most damage.[14] With eight weeks to go, the larger Upkeep mine that was needed for the mission and the modifications to the Lancasters had yet to be designed.

The operation was given to No. 5 Group RAF, which formed a new squadron to undertake the dams mission. It was initially called Squadron X, as the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons. Led by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, a veteran of more than 170 bombing and night-fighter missions, twenty-one bomber crews were selected from 5 Group squadrons. The crews included RAF personnel of several nationalities, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron was based at RAF Scampton, about 5 mi (8 km) north of Lincoln.

The targets selected were the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam, upstream from the Ruhr industrial area, with the Eder Dam on the Eder River, which feeds into the Weser, as a secondary target. The loss of hydroelectric power was important but the loss of water to industry, cities and canals would have greater effect and there was potential for devastating flooding if the dams broke.

Bombing from an altitude of 60 ft (18 m), at an air speed of 240 mph (390 km/h) and at set distance from the target called for expert crews. Intensive night-time and low-altitude training began. There were also technical problems to solve, the first one being to determine when the aircraft was at optimum distance from its target. The Möhne and Eder Dams had towers at each end. A special targeting device with two prongs, making the same angle as the two towers at the correct distance from the dam, showed when to release the bomb. (The BBC documentary Dambusters Declassified (2010) stated that the pronged device was not used, owing to problems related to vibration and that other methods were employed, including a length of string tied in a loop and pulled back centrally to a fixed point in the manner of a catapult.)

The second problem was determining the aircraft's altitude, as barometric altimeters lacked accuracy. Two spotlights were mounted, one under the aircraft's nose and the other under the fuselage, so that at the correct height their light beams would converge on the surface of the water. The crews practised at the Eyebrook Reservoir, near Uppingham, Rutland; Abberton Reservoir near Colchester; Derwent Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District; and Fleet Lagoon on Chesil Beach. Wallis's bomb was first tested at the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The squadron took delivery of the bombs on 13 May, after the final tests on 29 April. At 18:00 on 15 May, at a meeting in Whitworth's house, Gibson and Wallis briefed the squadron's two flight commanders, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay and Sqn Ldr H. M. "Dinghy" Young, Gibson's deputy for the Möhne attack, Flt Lt John V. Hopgood and the squadron bombing leader, Flight Lieutenant Bob Hay. The rest of the crews were told at a series of briefings the following day, which began with a briefing of pilots, navigators and bomb-aimers at about midday.

Formation No. 1 was composed of nine aircraft in three groups (listed by pilot): Gibson, Hopgood and Flt Lt H. B. "Micky" Martin (an Australian serving in the RAF); Young, Flt Lt David Maltby and Flt Lt Dave Shannon (RAAF); and Maudslay, Flt Lt Bill Astell and Pilot Officer Les Knight (RAAF). Its mission was to attack the Möhne; any aircraft with bombs remaining would then attack the Eder.

Formation No. 2, numbering five aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt Joe McCarthy (an American serving in the RCAF), Pilot Officer Vernon Byers (RCAF),[15] Flt Lt Norman Barlow (RAAF), Pilot Officer Geoff Rice[16] and Flt Lt Les Munro (RNZAF), was to attack the Sorpe.

Formation No. 3 was a mobile reserve consisting of aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Cyril Anderson, Flt Sergeant Bill Townsend, Flt Sergeant Ken Brown (RCAF), Pilot Officer Warner Ottley and Pilot Officer Lewis Burpee (RCAF), taking off two hours later on 17 May, either to bomb the main dams or to attack three smaller secondary target dams: the Lister, the Ennepe and the Diemel.

Two crews were unable to make the mission owing to illness.

source: Wikipedia

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED935

s/n ED935

Avro

ED 935

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED936

s/n ED936

AJ RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 936

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED937

s/n ED937

AJ RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 937

Merlin

Known Units: 617 Sqn

.ED 937/G Special Provisioning Lancaster. Specially modified to carry the Upkeep "bouncing bomb", it was delivered from No. 39 MU to No. 617 Sqn (AJ-Z) on14 May 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Bombing Eder Dam Germany 1943-05-16 to 1943-05-17

617 () () Scampton

Operation Chastise (Dam Buster)

This aircraft (AJ-Z, piloted by Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay DFC) was in the first wave of the squadron on operation Chastise (Dam-busting raid), 16/17 May 1943. It is believed to have suffered damage from the explosion of its UPKEEP weapon during the attack on the Eder Dam and was later shot down at 02:36 near Emmerich, Germany on its return journey. All of the crew were killed. The aircraft had flown only 7 hours.

Canadians in the crew were Flying Officer RA Urquhart DFC and Warrant Officer Second Class AP Cottam. Other members of the crew were Squadron Leader H Maudslay, DFC, Sergeants J. Marriott DFM, N Burrows, Pilot Officer MJD Fuller, and Flying Officer W Tytherleigh DFC, all of whom were RAF.

Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians "“ about 600 Germans and 1,000 enslaved labourers, mainly Soviet "“ were killed by the flooding. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September. The RAF lost 53 aircrew killed and 3 captured, with 8 aircraft destroyed.

The mission grew out of a concept for a bomb designed by Barnes Wallis, assistant chief designer at Vickers.Wallis had worked on the Vickers Wellesley and Vickers Wellington bombers and while working on the Vickers Windsor, he had also begun work, with Admiralty support, on an anti-shipping bomb, although dam destruction was soon considered. At first, Wallis wanted to drop a 10 long tons (22,000 lb; 10,000 kg) bomb from an altitude of about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), part of the earthquake bomb concept. No bomber aircraft was capable of flying at such an altitude or of carrying such a heavy bomb and although Wallis proposed the six-engined Victory Bomber for this purpose this was rejected. Wallis realized that a much smaller explosive charge would suffice if it exploded against the dam wall under the water but German reservoir dams were protected by heavy torpedo nets to prevent an explosive device from travelling through the water.

Wallis devised a 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) bomb (more accurately, a mine) in the shape of a cylinder, equivalent to a very large depth charge armed with a hydrostatic fuse, designed to be given a backspin of 500 rpm. Dropped at 60 ft (18 m) and 240 mph (390 km/h) from the release point, the mine would skip across the surface of the water before hitting the dam wall as its forward speed ceased. Initially the backspin was intended to increase the range of the mine but it was later realized that it would cause the mine, after submerging, to run down the side of the dam towards its base, thus maximising the explosive effect against the dam.[7] This weapon was code-named Upkeep.

Testing of the concept included blowing up a scale model dam at the Building Research Establishment, Watford, in May 1942 and then the breaching of the disused Nant-y-Gro dam in Wales in July. A subsequent test suggested that a charge of 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) exploded 30 ft (9.1 m) under water would breach a full-size dam; crucially this weight would be within the carrying capacity of an Avro Lancaster. The first air drop trials were at Chesil Beach in December 1942; these used a spinning 4 ft 6 in sphere dropped from a modified Vickers Wellington, serial BJ895/G; the same aircraft was used until April 1943 when the first modified Lancasters became available. The tests continued at Chesil Beach and Reculver, often unsuccessfully, using revised designs of the mine and variations of speed and height.

Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick adapted the Lancaster to carry the mine. To reduce weight, much of the internal armour was removed, as was the mid-upper (dorsal) gun turret. The dimensions of the mine and its unusual shape meant that the bomb-bay doors had to be removed and the mine hung partly below the fuselage. It was mounted on two crutches and before dropping it was spun by an auxiliary motor. Chadwick also worked out the design and installation of controls and gear for the carriage and release of the mine in conjunction with Barnes Wallis. The Avro Lancaster B Mk IIIs so modified were known as Lancaster B Mark III Special (Type 464 Provisioning).

In February 1943, Air Vice-Marshal Francis Linnell at the Ministry of Aircraft Production thought the work was diverting Wallis from the development of the Vickers Windsor bomber (which did not become operational). Pressure from Linnell via the chairman of Vickers, Sir Charles Worthington Craven, caused Wallis to offer to resign.[12] Sir Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, after a briefing by Linnell also opposed the allocation of his bombers; Harris was about to start the strategic bombing campaign against Germany and Lancasters were just entering service. Wallis had written to an influential intelligence officer, Group Captain Frederick Winterbotham, who ensured that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Charles Portal, heard of the project. Portal saw the film of the Chesil Beach trials and was convinced.[13] On 26 February 1943, Portal over-ruled Harris and ordered that thirty Lancasters were to be allocated to the mission and the target date was set for May, when water levels would be at their highest and breaches in the dams would cause the most damage.[14] With eight weeks to go, the larger Upkeep mine that was needed for the mission and the modifications to the Lancasters had yet to be designed.

The operation was given to No. 5 Group RAF, which formed a new squadron to undertake the dams mission. It was initially called Squadron X, as the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons. Led by 24-year-old Wing Commander Guy Gibson, a veteran of more than 170 bombing and night-fighter missions, twenty-one bomber crews were selected from 5 Group squadrons. The crews included RAF personnel of several nationalities, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The squadron was based at RAF Scampton, about 5 mi (8 km) north of Lincoln.

The targets selected were the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam, upstream from the Ruhr industrial area, with the Eder Dam on the Eder River, which feeds into the Weser, as a secondary target. The loss of hydroelectric power was important but the loss of water to industry, cities and canals would have greater effect and there was potential for devastating flooding if the dams broke.

Bombing from an altitude of 60 ft (18 m), at an air speed of 240 mph (390 km/h) and at set distance from the target called for expert crews. Intensive night-time and low-altitude training began. There were also technical problems to solve, the first one being to determine when the aircraft was at optimum distance from its target. The Möhne and Eder Dams had towers at each end. A special targeting device with two prongs, making the same angle as the two towers at the correct distance from the dam, showed when to release the bomb. (The BBC documentary Dambusters Declassified (2010) stated that the pronged device was not used, owing to problems related to vibration and that other methods were employed, including a length of string tied in a loop and pulled back centrally to a fixed point in the manner of a catapult.)

The second problem was determining the aircraft's altitude, as barometric altimeters lacked accuracy. Two spotlights were mounted, one under the aircraft's nose and the other under the fuselage, so that at the correct height their light beams would converge on the surface of the water. The crews practised at the Eyebrook Reservoir, near Uppingham, Rutland; Abberton Reservoir near Colchester; Derwent Reservoir in the Derbyshire Peak District; and Fleet Lagoon on Chesil Beach. Wallis's bomb was first tested at the Elan Valley Reservoirs. The squadron took delivery of the bombs on 13 May, after the final tests on 29 April. At 18:00 on 15 May, at a meeting in Whitworth's house, Gibson and Wallis briefed the squadron's two flight commanders, Squadron Leader Henry Maudslay and Sqn Ldr H. M. "Dinghy" Young, Gibson's deputy for the Möhne attack, Flt Lt John V. Hopgood and the squadron bombing leader, Flight Lieutenant Bob Hay. The rest of the crews were told at a series of briefings the following day, which began with a briefing of pilots, navigators and bomb-aimers at about midday.

Formation No. 1 was composed of nine aircraft in three groups (listed by pilot): Gibson, Hopgood and Flt Lt H. B. "Micky" Martin (an Australian serving in the RAF); Young, Flt Lt David Maltby and Flt Lt Dave Shannon (RAAF); and Maudslay, Flt Lt Bill Astell and Pilot Officer Les Knight (RAAF). Its mission was to attack the Möhne; any aircraft with bombs remaining would then attack the Eder.

Formation No. 2, numbering five aircraft, piloted by Flt Lt Joe McCarthy (an American serving in the RCAF), Pilot Officer Vernon Byers (RCAF),[15] Flt Lt Norman Barlow (RAAF), Pilot Officer Geoff Rice[16] and Flt Lt Les Munro (RNZAF), was to attack the Sorpe.

Formation No. 3 was a mobile reserve consisting of aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Cyril Anderson, Flt Sergeant Bill Townsend, Flt Sergeant Ken Brown (RCAF), Pilot Officer Warner Ottley and Pilot Officer Lewis Burpee (RCAF), taking off two hours later on 17 May, either to bomb the main dams or to attack three smaller secondary target dams: the Lister, the Ennepe and the Diemel.

Two crews were unable to make the mission owing to illness.

source: Wikipedia

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED938

s/n ED938

OF RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 938

Merlin

Known Units: 625 Sqn;97 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED939

s/n ED939

Avro

ED 939

Merlin

Known Units: ;97

Delivered to No. 97 Sqn 7 May 1943. Missing on operation to Nuremburg 10/11 Aug 1943. 112 flying hours
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED940

s/n ED940

V7 RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 940

Merlin

Known Units: RWE


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED941

s/n ED941

Avro

ED 941

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED942

s/n ED942

PM RAF Roundel B

Avro

ED 942

Merlin

Known Units: 550 Sqn;103 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED943

s/n ED943

Avro

ED 943

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED944

s/n ED944

LE RAF Roundel Z

Avro

ED 944

Merlin

Known Units: 1661 HCU;630 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED945

s/n ED945

PM RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 945

Merlin

Known Units: 103 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED946

s/n ED946

Avro

ED 946

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED947

s/n ED947

Avro

ED 947

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED948

s/n ED948

Avro

ED 948

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED949

s/n ED949

JO RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 949

Merlin

Known Units: 463 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED950

s/n ED950

OF RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 950

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED951

s/n ED951

CF RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 951

Merlin

Known Units: 625 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED952

s/n ED952

Avro

ED 952

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED953

s/n ED953

OF RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 953

Merlin

Known Units: 97 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster serial ED960

s/n ED960

GZ RAF Roundel F

ED 960

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED967

s/n ED967

Avro

ED 967

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED968

s/n ED968

GZ RAF Roundel G

Avro

ED 968

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn

Delivered to No, 12 Sqn (GZ-G) May 1943. Recoded PH-Pbar. The aircraft suffered a structural failure and crashed near Stenigot, Lancashire, 25 Jun 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED969

s/n ED969

Avro

ED 969

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED970

s/n ED970

Avro

ED 970

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED971

s/n ED971

Avro

ED 971

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED972

s/n ED972

PH RAF Roundel R

Avro

ED 972

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED973

s/n ED973

HW RAF Roundel D

Avro

ED 973

Merlin

Known Units: 460;100

Originally with No. 460 (Australian) Sqn, later with No. 100 Sqn (HW-D). Missing on operation to Oberhausen 14/15 June 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED974

s/n ED974

OL RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 974

Merlin

Known Units: 83 Sqn

To Signals Intelligence Unit, then to No. 83 Sqn (OL-Y) May 1943. It had two minor crashes. Missing on operation to Berlin 20/21 Jan 1944. 265 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED975

s/n ED975

WS RAF Roundel Y

Avro

ED 975

Merlin

Known Units: 9 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED976

s/n ED976

Avro

ED 976

Merlin

Known Units: 460;100

Delivered to No. 460 Sqn 15 May 1943. Transferred to No. 100 Sqn (HW-S). Missing on operation to Dusseldorf 11/12 Jun 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED977

s/n ED977

PG RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 977

Merlin

Known Units: 619 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED978

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED979

s/n ED979

Avro

ED 979

Merlin

Known Units: ;619

Delivered to No. 619 Sqn May 1943. Missing on raid to Cologne 28/29 Jun 1943. 71 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED980

s/n ED980

Avro

ED 980

Merlin

Known Units: ;619

Delivered to No. 619 Sqn May 1943. Missing on operation to Oberhausen 14/15 Jun 1943. 32 flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED981

s/n ED981

Avro

ED 981

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED982

s/n ED982

PG RAF Roundel D

Avro

ED 982

Merlin

Known Units: 619 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED983

s/n ED983

Avro

ED 983

Merlin

Known Units: 619

To No. 619 Sqn Jun 1943. Took part in 3 of the 4 raids on Hamburg, Jul/Aug 1943. Crashed near Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire in bad weather on returning from operation to Bochum, 30 Sep 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED984

s/n ED984

OL RAF Roundel A

Avro

ED 984

Merlin

Known Units: 83

Delivered to Signals Intelligence Unit, then to No. 83 Sqn May 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 23/24 Aug 1944. 195 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED985

s/n ED985

Avro

ED 985

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED986

s/n ED986

Avro

ED 986

Merlin

Known Units: 460 Sqn;460 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED987

s/n ED987

Avro

ED 987

Merlin

Known Units: 101 Sqn

Delivered to No. 101 Sqn (AR-Abar) May 1943. Missing on operation to Dusseldorf 11/12 Jun 1943. 31 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED988

s/n ED988

HW RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 988

Merlin

Known Units: 100 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED989

s/n ED989

Avro

ED 989

Merlin

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED990

s/n ED990

Avro

ED 990

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED991

s/n ED991

HW RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 991

Merlin

Known Units: 100

Delivered to No. 100 Sqn (HW-K, later HW-H) May 1943. Missing on operation to Berlin 18/19 Nov 1943. 267 operational hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED992

s/n ED992

DX RAF Roundel O

Avro

ED 992

Merlin

Known Units: 57 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED993

s/n ED993

PH RAF Roundel H

Avro

ED 993

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED994

s/n ED994

Avro

ED 994

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED995

s/n ED995

PH RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 995

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn

Delivered to No. 12 Sqn (PH-X) May 1943. Missing on operation to Hannover 8/9 Oct 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED996

s/n ED996

GZ RAF Roundel J

Avro

ED 996

Merlin

Known Units: 12 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED997

s/n ED997

Avro

ED 997

Merlin

Known Units: ;83

Delivered to Signals Intelligence Unit May 1943 for trials with H2S MK. III. Transferred to No. 83 Sqn 4 Jun 1943. Missing on operation to Krefeld 21/22 Jun 1943. 20 Flying hours.
last update: 2025-February-05

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED998

s/n ED998

Avro

ED 998

Merlin

Known Units:


last update: 2025-June-06

Lancaster Mk.I/III serial ED999

s/n ED999

KM RAF Roundel X

Avro

ED 999

Merlin

Known Units: 44 Sqn


last update: 2025-June-06