Lancaster Bomber B1

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster  B1, PA474 , one of the two remaining airworthy Lancs in the world, recently went into the Air Atlantique workshops at Coventry Airport for a full overhaul. It flew into Coventry in October 2006 and left in April 2007. The workmanship was of the highest quality and is a tribute to the staff at Coventry and the RAF engineers who undertook a complete strip of the airframe. The engines were sent to a specialist for overhaul. The first photograph is of the aircraft landing at Coventry followed by a series of pictures taken 5 days before its departure.

Thanks to Mark Abbott, for his assistance in gaining access. I had a particular interest in seeing the aircraft close up as my father was an RAF Lancaster pilot.

© P.Riley

Flying into Coventry as Mickey the Moocher in Oct 2006

Nose, in the Air Atlantique hangar - April 2007

City of Lincoln emblem under cockpit window - April 2007

Air Atlantique engineers - April 2007

Rear view from in the hangar - April 2007

Close up of starboard outer - April 2007

RAF flight crew & engineers - April 2007

From the front - April 2007

Bomb doors open - April 2007

New I.D. as Phantom of the Rhur, artwork hidden at this stage - April 2007

RAF engineers on port inner - April 2007

Nose - April 2007

Back in the hangar after a test run on all engines - April 2007