# Lancaster Bomber Ride



## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

I mentioned in a thread last year that I had the good fortune to go on a ride on a Lancaster Bomber. The plane in question is owned by the Canadian Warplane Heritage and flies out of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is one of only two Lancasters left flying in the world (the other is with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight).

Here's a link to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum:

CWH Museum

A buddy from England and I flew on the Lancaster on Remembrance Day in 2006. Here are a few photos:




























That's me with the white beard on the left. My friend from England is fourth from the right.










That's Toronto, Ontario in the background.










That's me in the upper turret. Lake Ontario is in the background.

It's still possible to go for a ride on this plane - not cheap ($2,000 Canadian dollars, but you get a tax receipt for $1,000), but truly the flight of a lifetime. There's nothing like the sound of four Rolls Royce Merlins spinning up for take off!


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## Tom Radford (Apr 28, 2009)

Wow, amazing. My grandad was a tail gunner in a Lancaster during the war, he said it was amazing flying in one.

I very almost got to sit in one during a taxi trial at a musem here in the uk but it got called off last minute due to an engine problem. Still, I got to get inside and sit in the pilots seat and top turret.


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Wow what an unbelievable experience that must have been, I bet you must have been grinning from ear to ear throughout the flight and for sometime afterwards... as for the noise of those Rolls Royce Merlins, I've heard them at air shows and now and again when they fly over London for special occasions, but I'll have to agree I don't think there is another sound quite like it :thumbsup:


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

A truly magnificent experience I'm sure. That is something that I would dearly love to do. I was lucky enough to have a pleasure flight in a DC3 about 20 years ago, and I thought that was wonderful, but to fly in a Lancaster is but a dream to me. Thanks for sharing.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Great photos Dave!

Particularly like the last two "in-flight" ones. :thumbsup:


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

Silver Hawk said:


> Great photos Dave!
> 
> Particularly like the last two "in-flight" ones. :thumbsup:


I can't take credit for the photos. My friend Tim took them. I can't find my photos of this trip at this time. I think I took them on a standard SLR and god only knows where they are.

Here's another shot of the "business end" of the Lanc.


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## Phillionaire (Jan 23, 2010)

A bump for this :thumbsup:

Awesome photos, really a day to remember.


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

Amazing day I'll bet- I'm very jealous!

And Dave - you could be Santa... Or Uncle Albert.


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)




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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Phillionaire said:


> A bump for this :thumbsup:
> 
> Awesome photos, really a day to remember.


 :thumbsup:


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## Deco (Feb 15, 2011)

Fabulous!


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## no8yogi (Oct 1, 2012)

:tomcat: I love this am very jealeous, I have seen a flying fortress running up her engines at duxford a few years back which was amazing would love to go in that!


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## MilSub (May 9, 2006)

Amazing pictures - those merlins make an awesome sound. I was fortunate enough to work at an aircraft establishment a few years ago, where the Battle of Britain flight would regularly fly-past or sometimes land. I miss that job!!


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

no8yogi said:


> :tomcat: I love this am very jealeous, I have seen a flying fortress running up her engines at duxford a few years back which was amazing would love to go in that!


I remember walking through the B-17 Flying Fortress at Duxford 4 or 5 years ago myself. They were using the fees from "admission" to help towards the restoration costs. I then saw this plane fly later. I hope that you can go for a ride in it.

I will tell you though, that the Fortress is MUCH smaller inside than the Lancaster.

Still a real thrill to have gone for a ride in this plane. Hoping to get up in a Mustang or a Spitfire. Have a sporting chance at an air show in Michigan (USA). There is a museum that runs the show. You can check it out here:

http://yankeeairmuseum.org/

They DO have a B-17 Flying Fortress and a B-25 Mitchell that you can book for a ride. Looks like the fee is $425 which is a comparative bargain.


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## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)

Woah. *jealous*


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