Lancaster - UK

The Avro Lancaster is the most famous and successful RAF heavy bomber of WW2. The first production Lancaster flew on October 31, 1941, with No. 44 Squadron at Waddington being the first RAF unit to receive the new aircraft for operations on Christmas Eve. A total of 7,377 Lancasters were built between 1941 and 1946 but, short of the reverence of the aircraft today, most were scrapped after the war.

Capable of carrying a maximum bomb load of 22,000lb at speeds of up to 275mph at 15,000 feet, the performance of the Lancaster was simply outstanding. Its performance, combined with its ruggedness, reliability and its sheer charisma, endeared it to both its crews and spectators of today.