i have a vid of VERA doing a night ramp run at the CWHM about a week before she went to the UK, she was painted as another Lanc called ROPEY as a memorial ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MYNdkGPEd2Q.html
I was at the Canadian Warplane Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada for the first flight of VRA, the Andrew Mynarski VC Memorial Lancaster. There were so many emotions going on it was difficult to sort them out, but I know for sure I was in tears when she took off for the first time. I had heard a Spitfire in the air before, but never 4 in close formation. She was simply majestic, and I will never forget that afternoon. God bless all who Served.
I'm from Hamilton, Ontario. I remember the day when the Lancaster fuselage was dropped off at Mt Hope airport. At the time, it was hard to believe they'd ever get it flying again. But the volunteers at the Canadian Warplane Heritage museum did a magnificent job.
Burlington here To tell you she follows the 407 into south west crosses over towards the lift bridge and rides the lake The a turn in towards Mt Hope.The house faces towards the lake So all you know is ROAAAAAaAaAaaarrrrrr And by the time you have the phone in your hand...shes gone lol
My sister works in the museum and was telling me today that Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden has just donated $750,000 to buy 4 new merlin engines for Vera
My gracious, those things sure used a long takeoff run here. Were they carrying Grand Slams in their payload bays? Jokes aside, what an amazing sight, two of the only flying examples of one of the most famous bombers in history flying together. It reminds me of when we had the B-29s Doc and Fifi finally fly together here in the US a few years back.
I did the photography for their visit to Teesside Airport in 2014 and got to speak to VeRAs Pilot, Don Schofield. Such a lovely man and loved our chat, the fact he and his crew flew her all the way from Ontario to Coningsby was a miracle in itself. Such a thrill to see two Lancs in the air at a former Lancaster Airbase, RAF Middleton St George
I live under 1 of the flightpaths to RAF Conningsby and I was very lucky to see both Lancs take off & land quite a few times that summer. I sadly couldn’t attend Lincs Aviation museum at East Kirkby when they also had their Lanc doing taxi runs while ‘Vera & Thumper’ flew over, but I’ve seen footage from friends and it looked amazing.
I visited UK from New Zealand in 2018. Friends I was staying with took me to a classic car show that was on an old WW2 airfield. I was in the process of photographing up close some old cars when a Lancaster with a Spitfire & Hurricane escort flew over. That was the fastest lens change I have ever done & the sound of all those Merlin engines running together is something I hope I never loose. What a delightful surprise
Fantastic footage, and what a sound! These 2 featured at the Eastbourne airshow of 2014, and we had the great pleasure of having them flying low, directly over our house on their way to and from, on 3 consecutive days. Along with their 2 escorting Spitfires, the noise was thunderous, and at the time made me think " now multiply that by several hundred". It must have struck awe and fear into the hearts of anyone hearing that.
Those hearing them leaving our shores (Britain) must have heard salvation and pride those hearing them coming heard something else…..sow the wind reap the whirlwind….
@@phaasch : no I didn’t until about 1 minute ago, thank you. They flew over my house in the way to Eastbourne as well might not have been the same year but one definitely did….seemed to me it was low (we’re on a hill north of Bexhill) and agree about the sound. Both my parents were adolescents during the war and both vividly remember the sound of hearing bombers I suspect coming and going.
A marvelous sight to see, I remember one taking off from Manchester in the 80s and the noise was astoundingly wonderful, one cannot imagine what it must have sounded like with hundreds in the sky.
@@Saxondog especially if you're underneath, much like the sound of a v 1 or ju88 A10 you know something is coming and it isn't going to be nice what ever side you're on
I’m from Birmingham uk… when I was a kid in the 80s a lancaster from the memorial flight flew over the park I was playing on….I always remember chasing after it… loads of excited kids…. Remembering back.. I could have been in the war years just the same as people viewed it back then…
@@Durgesuth Nice images. I was born in Brum , September 1941.during an Air raid, according to my mom. When I was about 3, we lived about 7 miles from Castle Bromwhich, where the Spitfires were made. I was sat in my Pushchair in the Garden, on a clear sunny day, when 3 Spitfires roared low over our house. I've since concluded that they probably were piloted by those very brave ladies of the ATA.--heading for RAF bases down south.
Great video. I've seen VR-A several times here in Winnipeg. It's amazing how fast they lift off, but it makes sense when you consider they have no bombs or ammunition on board. My father-in-law was with the RCAF flying out of RAF Croft in Yorkshire with 434 squadron. He was a tail gunner in Halifaxes and Lancasters. 24 trips in the Halifax and 10 trips in the Lanc. They converted to Lancs in Dec, 44 I think. It was a privilege to have got to know him and to have heard his stories. He celebrated his 21'st birthday coming back to Canada on the Queen Marry. He died in 2020 at age 96.
I live near Croft in North Yorkshire and there is a memorial close by the former airfield with the statue of an airman gazing into the sky. The servicemen who served there will not be forgotten. On a lighter note I learned to drive there as it is now a motorsport centre.
I'm lucky enough to see and hear Vera several times over my home each summer. This video is a sad reminder of all of the aircrews who took off in their various aircraft but never returned and that's mostly the point of keeping these flying.
Twice a day every day I passed the MoTaT museum in Auckland on my way to and from school then work, and in those days in the space between a shed and the outside fence was a Lancaster bomber (still at the museum I have been told). To me it was, and still is, one of the most beautiful aeroplanes I had/have ever seen and the opportunity to actually watch TWO of them take off and fly is a dream come true. I've seen the Battle of Britain flypast with the Lancaster but you can't appreciate just how truly beautiful and also frightening these aircraft are unless you are at a close range. As kids we all visited the Lancaster with our schools (and the Spitfire in the Auckland War Memorial Museum) but to actually see them at close quarters - even through the lens of your camera - is truly, truly, a magnificent sight and to see them both fly has made the perfect beginning to a new year. Thank you so much for this video, my grandfather was RAF but didn't fly bombers - based in Egypt for the duration of the war manning the barrage balloons, a childhood dream of his - and to me these are still one of, if not THE, most beautiful aeroplanes ever designed and flown.
My uncle flew Lancaster's during WW 2 and on a trip to Germany in 1990 he 2as asked at the hotel if he had visited Germany before His answer puzzled the clerk when he replied Not in Daytime
Lovely! Reminds me of a conversation with a German colleague that I was taking on some farming visits many years ago. 'The last time I visited Norfolk Richard was in a Heinkel. I think this trip is already more successful'.
On a family Holiday to Germany in the early 90s,we were taken to Lübeck by our German friends..as we approached the city's famous gateway, my grandfather,with perfect timing,announced " last time I saw those walls,I had been Shelling the place.." bless him😄
The old tired joke originally goes like that: an old grizzled BEA 747 captain has problems to find the right taxiway at Frankfurt airport in the late 70ies. The controller in the tower is very patient with him and in the end he rather exasperatedly asks him: „have You never been in Frankfurt before?“. The old chap answers: „actually I was but I didn’t stop“😂
My late uncle was a tail gunner in 514 squadron out of waterbeach. Flew 30 operations then returned as gunnery instructor and flew more. He lived to tell the take but rarely did.
I was on the hill between Holcombe and Dawlish when these two came in from the Teign Estuary and swooped low over us. They really are incredible machines and properly scary. It’s amazing we have these two still flying to remind us of what happened 75-80 years ago.
“Vera” resides in my hometown of Hamilton Ontario and never fails to thrill me when she flies over my home which is a pretty regular occurrence. Saw them both fly over Inverary Scotland when I was there a few years ago. Fills you with pride when you know some of the volunteers that brought her back to flying condition
@Davey Creeker, a number of years ago I had the opportunity to tour the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Wonderful museum. Sadly, due to the actions of the current government, I will not be able to visit Canada. Quite a shame. Enjoyed both of my visits.
We saw them at the beach when they came a day late , after the airshow . As we were on the train back , passing the end of the runway , a Spitfire and Hurricane took off over the train ; a minute later both Lancasters drew alongside the train at treetop height and followed us for a few minutes , before banking left over us and heading out over the Irish Sea for their next appearance in NI .
Planes want to fly. You take care of them they'll stay in the air for decades. Look at the B52s who are being flown by the grandchildren of pilots who flew them in Vietnam. Helicopters yeah they don't want to fly hahaha.
I've seen an old WWII picture of Prestwick airport, I think the photographer was standing down near those gates that lead to the tower. Looking out at the aprons there is a sea of parked Lancaster bombers and a few Flying Fortresses. A true wartime scene. Changed days.
I saw the Mynarski Lancaster fly over my house while I was cutting the grass years ago. I was thrilled. Maybe twenty plus years ago. I hope to see her this summer.
My Great Uncle died in one of those. I never knew him, except for the sadness in my grandmother's words. He started his training as a navigator in Canada, flying there from Australia and joining the RAF. His last mission was to Munster during WWII. The plane went down just off the cliffs of Dover on their return run. He's buried with his mates in Cambridge.
my step-father flew Lanc's... rcaf 36 missions dfc..he just passed last month at 100... he preferred the radial engines they first had...me too.....Rest in Peace Bob... and uncle Roger, who died in the turret of his 17....Rest in Peace Roger...L'est we forget...
So cool!! Now, I gather one of them is the 'Manarski' Lancaster? I remember seeing her at Abbotsford, I couldn't get over the size and height, simply amazing.
I believe that barns Wallis was instrument in developing the Lancaster bomber and the bouncing bomb and Talbot bomb . I know his granddaughter personally. She lives in Nottingham. ??
Always breaks my heart that so few of these old girls survived into preservation. Might not be as glamorous when compared to the fighters but just as important.
Vera flew over my house in Belwood years ago. 4 Merlins make an unmistakable sound. A few years later B29 (B50) FiFi flew over it too. Again unmistakable sound of the Wasps.
A magnificent sight and sound, a fitting tribute to all of the flight crews who flew them in anger and never returned, brave men all, does that make three airworthy machines in the world now?.
Two airworthy, plus one on the way. There's been quite a lot of crevice and lamination corrosion to deal with. Duralumin is light and strong but it does rot over the years.
@@monteceitomoocher I think there is a Guy Martin video about it, he was allowed to taxi the aircraft from memory. I came across it a few weeks ago now, well worth watching.
just reading " RAF Pathfinders" by Martyn Chorlton bless the Canadian, Polish, Jamaican, and British airmen so many brave men and the world is still a frigging mess. so so sad xx navy veteran in Suffolk England .
A few years after this tour I managed to get a flight to Canada and flew out of Hamilton in VERA highlight was circling Niagara Falls invading USA airspace and thundering back over Lake Ontario towards Toronto. Oh don’t take your earphones off when you’re in the cockpit next to 4 Merlin’s in the back it’s ok but my eardrums nearly left my head!
Back in July 1975 I visited the Strathallan Aircraft Collection (Auchterarder) with a friend. At that time they had Lancaster KB976 which was potentially airworthy. My friend asked someone at the collection if the short grass runway was long enough for a Lanc and the Strathallan guy said that Lancs could take off in just 2500 feet. Amazing.
Those wings lifted a ten ton bomb ( grand slam) with fuel and armaments for war missions. ‘Light’ those four merlins should simply bounce a lanc into its natural element.
Trivia...An attendant at Coningsby told me they get about 15 landings out of those Lanc tyres before they need to be replaced...and the Spit MK IIa EBG (P7350) is the oldest airworthy Spitfire in the world and the only Spitfire still flying today to have actually fought in the Battle of Britain....So you're seeing the little one that defended the motherland and the unleashed beast that took the fight back to Germany....They might be a thing of beauty but make no bones about it those are masterful killing machines.
I saw them on the way to Prestwick they circled round the town of Barnoldswick over the Rolls Royce factory where many of the Merlin engines were produced in the war
Originally they did - the FN64. But, sighted by periscope, it was useless for tracking targets - especially at night. So it was just so much additional weight and drag. Therefore, the turret was deleted from the main production run, although many Hercules powered Mk IIs were equipped with it.
VRA is a Canadian built MkX Lancaster and used the American Made by PACKARD merlins 400 of the Lancasters were built in Canada, The UK built Mk BIII, 3,040 of them also used the PACKARD built merlins !!! The UK built Mk BI Used the Ford UK/RR built merlins The Mk BII used the radial engines. FYI !!!!
If you're visiting southern Ontario, Canada, do make the trip to the Hamilton Mt. Hope airport and the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. See the Lancaster VERA and many more flying and static vintage aircraft. You can book rides in many, including VERA. Gret displays and a wonderful gift shop.
Arrived there with a tail wheel assembly we recovered from the ocean in Holland . Turned out they had no need of it in 97. Mike Spence's father flew delivery across the pond of the forked devils . Wonder what happened to uncle Dave's little hobby ranch at the end of the runway .
On another note, more like a musical note, 10 Merlins took off from that runway as close as allowed by civilian flying laws. Loves da sound of a Merlin.
