Following on from last year’s 100 year anniversary of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the Friends of the Odd Bods Association would like to take a look back at where our fore-fathers served in World War II and why it is so important to ensure that this information is not lost, but preserved and recognised by the coming generations. The Friends of the Odd Bods Association hope you enjoy this series dedicated to these men as we “Press On Remembering”.
Part 3 of a Series.
The aircraft we will learn a little about in this part is the Avro Lancaster Bomber and the RAF Squadrons 57 and 514 where our Odd Bods served. The aircraft also flew in the following RAAF Squadrons - 460, 463 and 467.
What was an Avro Lancaster Bomber? – It was the most famous British heavy bomber of World War II. The initial aircraft or the ‘prototype’ first flew on January the 9th 1941 and there were 7,374 aircraft manufactured. The standard aircraft was operated by 7 flight crew. Their positions were;
1) Pilot;
2) Flight Engineer;
3) Navigator;
4) Wireless Operator;
5) Bomb aimer;
6) Mid gunner; and
7) Rear gunner.
There were 16 variants of the Lancaster made however we will highlight the specifications of one of the most famous aircraft still in existence, ‘Just Jane’ which is based at East Kirby in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. The aircraft although it looks like it, is not yet ‘airworthy’ which means that the aircraft cannot take to the skies as yet. Just Jane was one of the first B Mk VII Lancasters built (There were 150 manufactured) The owners are working tirelessly to get the aircraft airborne where it will join the only two hulls that are airworthy.
What was the aircraft powered by – Four Rolls Royce Merlin 24 engines each producing 1640 horsepower.
Dimensions – Wing Span – 102 feet, Length – 69 feet 11 ¾ inches, Height – 20 feet 6 inches
Maximum Take-Off Weight – 72,000 pounds
Maximum Landing Weight – 60,000 pounds
Maximum Bomb Load – 18,000 pounds
Maximum Speed – 275 mph at 15,000 feet
Cruising Speed – 200 mph at 15,000 feet
Maximum Altitude – 25,000 feet
Range – 2350 miles with 7,000 pounds of bomb load
What was special about the Lancaster designer? – The designer (Roy Chadwick) was a brilliant engineer who under direction of the Chief Draftsman and at the age of 18, drafted the design of a two seater bi-plane. Even before the Lancaster, Mr Chadwick designed an all-metal plane called the Avro Avian which Bert Hinkler flew solo from England to Australia in 1928.
Mr Chadwick was appointed a ‘Commander of the Order of the British Empire’ (CBE) in 1943 for his contribution to the design of the Lancaster and in the adaptations he made to the aircraft in the preparation for the low level attacks on the German dams, during the Dam Busters raid ‘Operation Chastise’. Sadly Mr Chadwick died in an aircraft accident in 1947 where a prototype of the Avro Tudor crashed just after take-off.
Does the Lancaster still fly? – There are two Lancaster’s in an airworthy condition today. One flies in Canada and the other in the United Kingdom. Saying that, there are 17 complete aircraft still in existence. There are 2 here in Australia (In Canberra and Western Australia), 8 in Canada, 1 in France, 1 in Germany, 1 in New Zealand, 3 in the UK and 1 in the USA.
(Information Source – Wikipedia February 16 2022)
RAF Squadron 57 – Motto is “Corpus non animum muto – I change my body not my spirit”
Did our Odd Bods serve in this Squadron – Yes;
When was the Squadron formed originally? – 1 April 1918 and disbanded 31st December 1919;
When was the Squadron reformed? - (1st Time) - 20th October 1931 to 25th November 1945 (2nd Time) – 26th November 1945 till 9th December 1957; (3rd Time) – 1st January 1959 till 30th June 1986, (4th Time) – 1st July 1992 till 14th March 2002, and (5th Time) – 1st October 2008 to present.
Is the Squadron still active? – Yes;
What type of aircraft did the Squadron fly in WWII? – Bristol Blenheim, Vickers Wellington and Avro Lancaster
What was unique about the Squadron? – At the start of World War II, the squadron moved to France in a reconnaissance role. Following the German invasion of May 1940, the squadron added bombing to its duties and was forced to move its base regularly to avoid the German advance. It was decided on the 21st of May 1940, the squadron was to be evacuated to England. It originally set up base in Wyton, then RAF Elgin in Scotland, then Feltwell in late 1940 before moving again to Scampton in September 1942. In August 1943, the squadron made its final move to East Kirkby where it operated for the remainder of the war until being disbanded on the 25th of November 1945.
What is special about East Kirkby? – Should any reader of this article wish to know what it was like in 1945, take a trip to East Kirkby in Lincolnshire (UK) where Squadrons 57 and 630 were stationed. The airfield, the surrounding infrastructure and of course, Lancaster ‘Just Jane’ (registration NX611) is today still there after preserved by the Panton family. You can visualise what the airmen and ground crew experienced at this airfield where at one stage, 55 Lancaster’s and their crews were based.
Statistics – 57 Squadron flew 5151 operational sorties and lost 172 aircraft.
(Information Source – Wikipedia 16 February 2022)
RAF Squadron 514 - "Nil Obstare Potest - Nothing Can Withstand"
Did our Odd Bods serve in this Squadron – Yes;
When was the Squadron formed originally? – 1st September 1943 to 22 August 1945 (First operation was conducted on the 3rd of November 1943)
Is the Squadron still active? – No, disbanded;
What type of aircraft did the Squadron fly in WWII? – Short Stirling, Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancaster
What was unique about the Squadron – 514 was an impressive unit for being only active in two years. The squadron decimated German E-boats at Le Havre along with ensuring the Allies secured channel ports of Boulogne and Calais after German forces had dug in. The squadron was also part of ‘The Oil Plan’ which Bomber Command had decided the fuel supply was a fundamental importance to the German war effort. Naturally these were defended strenuously and unfortunately during an attack on the Rhein-Preussen facility at Meerbeck, Hamburg on the 20th July 1944, four the squadron’s aircraft and crew were lost. This attack saw the squadron lose as many aircraft that it had lost in sixteen raids on Berlin.
Statistics – 514 Squadron flew 3675 sorties and lost 66 Lancaster’s (426 Flight Crew and 9 Ground crew perished)
Further Reading – There is a war diary of 514 Squadron written by Simon Hepworth and Andrew Porrelli called ‘Striking Through Clouds’ should the reader of this article like to explore more information of this very unique outfit.
(Information Source – Wikipedia and 514 Squadron UK webpage - February 16 2022)
