Thousands of Canadian airmen and ground crew served with RCAF and RAF Lancaster squadrons in England, during the war. By late 1944, the Canadian No. 6 Group of Bomber Command operated thirteen squadrons of Lancasters in the war against Germany. At home, thousands more Canadians worked at Victory Aircraft in Malton (Toronto) to produce 430 Lancaster Mk. Xs, between 1943 and 1945. Theme: RAF, WW2, WWII, World War 2, Aircraft, Battle of Britain, Lancaster bomber, Bomber command, Military This design isn't just for RAF veterans, it is for anyone who feels respect for the finest aircraft ever to have been in our skies. It's sure to be a conversation-starter at your next get-together and will make a great gift for any supporter of the RAF.

I knew my late Uncle had served in the RAF, but it wasn't until he passed away that I learned he had been a Lancaster tail gunner on countless missions. He left me some cutouts of Lancaster canvas with small paintings on them that he had done on some of the long transits; an immensely touching momento to receive; I am ever so proud of him.After WW II, about 230 Lancasters served with the RCAF in several roles including, Arctic reconnaissance, maritime patrol and as a bomber. The Lancaster was ceremonially retired from the RCAF at Downsview (Toronto) in April 1964. In total 7,377 Lancasters rolled off the production lines in Britain and Canada, during WW II. Today, 17 Lancasters survive around the world, but only two are in flying condition. RAF No. 44 Squadron was the first to be fully equipped with Lancasters, notching up another first when it flew them operationally over Heligoland in March 1942. The Lancaster could carry a huge bomb load. It was the RAF’s only heavy bomber capable of carrying the 12,000 lb “Tallboy” and 22,000 lb “Grand Slam” bombs. The aircraft won a place for itself in history, with the daring and precise bombing raids on the Ruhr Dams, in May 1943 and with the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz, in November 1944. Probably the most famous Allied bomber of the Second World War, the Avro Lancaster had impressive flying characteristics and operational performance. What is surprising is that such a fine aircraft should have resulted from Avro’s desperate attempts to remedy the defects of its earlier unsuccessful Manchester bomber. The prototype Lancaster, which flew in January 1941, was a converted Manchester airframe with an enlarged wing centre section and four 1145 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin Xs. The Merlins replaced two 1,760 hp Rolls-Royce Vulture engines, which had proved to be very unreliable. The modifications were an immediate success and such was the speed of development in wartime the first production Lancaster was flown in October 1941.