I've been treated to a day at Linconshire Aviation Heritage for a 'VIP' day with the Lancaster Bomber they have restored...its been the most incredible day, left me speechless (which is very rare!).
We've had a tour of the aircraft from the pilot and were onboard for a taxi run and engine test and it was incredible. It gives you a completely new admiration for the guys who served on these planes in WWII. They way it was described to us was the opposite to the Tardis...looks massive on the outside but its extremely small on the inside...they weren't wrong! Literally cramped everywhere...banged my head a few times
Some of the facts the came out with were mesmerising...the rear gunner had a life expectancy of about 40 hours...and with 10 hour operations that wasnt many and he only had enough ammunition for 1 minute of firing on any trip. The fact that quietened everyone was that if one person walked past you every second, it would take 15.5hours for every man who lost their life in Bomber Command to pass you.....
If you have the slightest interest that era, I really urge you to go. Its not the cheapest day out but there is no other way to get this experience. The noise of 4000bhp coming from 4 27litre supercharge V12 Merlin engines is something special! Especially the smell of fuel
On idle, the trees behind are bending right over!
One of my To Do list items ticked!
Anyway, here's a few pics...
3 New Merlin engines to make her air-worthy!
I made all the wing controls move (sad but i loved it!)
You think we can bend cranks...
Ps...I have no link to them, not advertising but I thought it was worth sharing!
We've had a tour of the aircraft from the pilot and were onboard for a taxi run and engine test and it was incredible. It gives you a completely new admiration for the guys who served on these planes in WWII. They way it was described to us was the opposite to the Tardis...looks massive on the outside but its extremely small on the inside...they weren't wrong! Literally cramped everywhere...banged my head a few times
Some of the facts the came out with were mesmerising...the rear gunner had a life expectancy of about 40 hours...and with 10 hour operations that wasnt many and he only had enough ammunition for 1 minute of firing on any trip. The fact that quietened everyone was that if one person walked past you every second, it would take 15.5hours for every man who lost their life in Bomber Command to pass you.....
If you have the slightest interest that era, I really urge you to go. Its not the cheapest day out but there is no other way to get this experience. The noise of 4000bhp coming from 4 27litre supercharge V12 Merlin engines is something special! Especially the smell of fuel
On idle, the trees behind are bending right over!One of my To Do list items ticked!
Anyway, here's a few pics...
3 New Merlin engines to make her air-worthy!
I made all the wing controls move (sad but i loved it!)
You think we can bend cranks...
Ps...I have no link to them, not advertising but I thought it was worth sharing!
)
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