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

Lancaster Bomber

Wikipedia

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Lancaster Mk.I/III ED588

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)