Lancaster In Flight

If you have 6 or so minutes to spare this video of  one of only two flying Lancasters left in the world is worth a look. The aircraft is housed at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope Canada and can be booked for flights.

Video Link - http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2678274946/

The Museum's Lancaster Mk. X was built at Victory Aircraft, Malton in July 1945 and was later converted to a RCAF 10MR configuration. In 1952, it suffered a serious accident and received a replacement wing centre section from a Lancaster that had flown in combat over Germany. It served as a maritime patrol aircraft, with No. 405 Squadron, Greenwood, NS and No. 107 Rescue Unit,

Torbay, Newfoundland for many years and was retired from the RCAF in late 1963. With help from the Sulley Foundation in 1977, it was acquired from the Royal Canadian Legion in Goderich, Ontario, where it had been on outside display. Eleven years passed before it was completely restored and flew again on September 24, 1988. The Lancaster is dedicated to the memory of P/O Andrew Mynarski and is referred to as the “Mynarski Memorial Lancaster”. It is painted in the colours of his aircraft KB726 – VR-A, which flew with RCAF No. 419 (Moose) Squadron. Andrew Mynarski won the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth’s highest award for gallantry, on June 13, 1944, when his Lancaster was shot down in flames, by a German night fighter. As the bomber fell, he attempted to free the tail gunner trapped in the rear turret of the blazing and out of control aircraft. The tail gunner miraculously survived the crash and lived to tell the story, but sadly Andrew Mynarski died from his severe burns.

Thanks to Fay McPherson for the link to this story.

Australian Fighter Ace

Robert Alexander Little DSO & Bar, DSC & Bar was born on 19 July 1895 to James and Susan Little in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn. Robert Little was educated at Scotch College before working as a sales rep for his father’s medical book business. Long interested in aviation; on the outbreak of war, Little applied to the Australian Army’s Central Flying School at Point Cook to train as a pilot. Rejected, he sailed to England in July 1915 where he undertook flying lessons, at his own expense, at the Royal Aero Club at Hendon. In January 1916 he was accepted into the Royal Naval Air Service. 

Little arrived in France in June 1916 serving with No. 1 Naval Wing and carried out bombing raids over the Western Front. In October 1916 he was posted to No. 8 Squadron RNAS flying Sopwith Pup fighters. Little’s first aerial victory was scored on 23 November 1916. During April 1917 the squadron re-equipped with Sopwith Triplanes and Little began to rack up an impressive score. The Triplane he usually flew was named BLYMP which became a nickname for his baby son. A couple of months later the squadron again re-equipped, this time with Sopwith Camels, and Little continued to score. 

Despite Little’s reputation as an ace it has to be said that he was a very average pilot and crashed on landing several times. He was, however, a crack marksman at a time when most pilots couldn’t hit anything. 

Following a period of rest in England he turned down a desk job to return to combat. In March 1918 he joined No.3 Squadron RNAS. On 1 April, the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service were amalgamated to become the independent Royal Air Force and Little’s squadron was renumbered No.203 Squadron. Little continued to fly the Sopwith Camel; racking up further aerial victories. On the evening of 27 May 1918 Little took off to intercept a flight of German Gotha bombers. As he closed on one of the bombers he was struck by a bullet that passed through both his thighs. He crash landed in a French field and bled to death before being discovered by a passing gendarme the following morning. 

At the time of his death Robert Little had scored 47 confirmed victories making him, not only the top scoring Australian ace of WW1, but the top scoring Australian pilot of all time. 

Thanks to Terry Maher for passing on this story from the Melbourne Legacy Bulletin.