09/15/2006. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This Lancaster, also known as the 'Lanc', was built by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd. at Chester, Chesire, England, and delivered to the RAF's No. 38 Maintenance Unit on August 18, 1945. It was then sent to Sir W.G. Armstrong-Whitworth Aircraft Ltd. for conversion to a photographic reconnaissance P.R.Mk.I and then transferred to No. 32 Maintenance Unit on December 11, 1946 and then to No. 82 Squadron based at Takoradi, Gold Coast on September 9, 1948.

The aircraft was loaned to Flight Refuelling Ltd on May 26, 1952 and then to the Royal College of Aeronautics at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, England, on April 2, 1954. While at Cranfield, it was used to test a wide variety of wing sections in a dorsal mount until December 1963.

In 1964 it was adopted by the Air Historical Branch (AHB) for future display in the proposed RAF Museum at Hendon. On November 1, 1973, it was allotted to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for flying display and was repainted in the markings of a Lancaster assigned to No. 101 Squadron (SR-D) based at Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire, England, during World War II.

In 2000, the aircraft was painted in the markings originally worn by Lancaster Mk.III, RAF s/n EE176, coded "QR-M", assigned to No. 61 Squadron, based at Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, during World War II. EE176, named "Mickey the Moocher', was one of only 35 Lancaster centurions, aircraft that flew and survived in excess of 100 missions. 'Mickey' is believed to have flown between 115 and 128 missions against targets including Berlin (15 missions), Cologne, Dortmund, Brunswick and the breakout at Caen. The nose art features 'Mickey the Mouse' pulling a bomb trolley and 112 bomb symbols as shown on a wartime photo of EE176. The original QR-M survived the War but like so many other 'Lancs' that had served their country well, it was unceremoniously scrapped.

This is one of the only two flyable Lancasters in the world. The other one is in Canada."

("HW-R") (Ron Smith Collection)

("HW-R") (Ron Smith Collection)

04/15/2021. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "To commemorate the crews of two squadrons, the markings on the aircraft were changed in 2007 to the markings originally worn by Lancaster Mk.III , RAF s/n EE139. On the port side were applied the markings EE139 worn while it flew 30 missions assigned to No. 100 Squadron, the code "HW-R" and the name "Phantom of the Rhur".
On the starboard side were applied the markings EE139 wore while it flew later 91 missions assigned to No. 550 Squadron, coded "BQ-B". The aircraft flew also with No. 1656 HCU. It survived the war with a total of 121 missions, it was scrapped on February 19, 1946.

("VN-T") (Ron Smith Collection)

In 2017 the markings were changed again. On the starboard side were applied the markings worn by Lancaster Mk.I LL922, coded "VN-T", of No. 50 Squadron. In the last hour of August 7, 1944, LL922 was shot down over France by a Junkers Ju 88 flown by Oberleutnant Heinz Rökker. Three of the crew were killed, the remaining four bailed out, of which one became a POW. The aircraft crashed near La Frenaye, some 21 mls (34 km) east of Le Havre.
On the port side of the aircraft were applied the markings worn by Lancaster Mk.III W5005, coded "AR-L" and named "Leader", of No. 460 (RAAF) Squadron. Also applied was the nose art depicting a kangaroo in Wellington boots playing the bagpipes.

Avro 683 Lancaster B.Mk.III (W5005) (Johan Visschedijk Collection)

In July 1943, after W5005 had completed twelve missions, the original cartoon was painted by the then Flying Officer Thomas Victor "Vic" Watts RAAF."