On May 25 the RAAFA Aviation Heritage Museum’s treasured AVRO Lancaster Bomber turned 80 years old, and the Museum celebrated with a HUGE birthday party, attended by more than 2,500 excited visitors.
Aircraft enthusiasts braved the rain to see the Lancaster engine started, and enjoyed tours of the aircraft and an equally grand birthday cake. Patrons of all ages from children to Veterans came to pay their respects to such an iconic artefact from our aviation history. The event attracted television news coverage as well as radio interviews with volunteers.
The Avro Lancaster is the most famous and successful RAF heavy bomber of World War Two, and was used as the RAF’s principal heavy bomber during the latter half of the Second World War.
The Lancaster on display at the Aviation Heritage Museum in Bull Creek was repainted to honour a particular aircraft of 463 Squadron – JO-D, “D for Digger,” which flew an impressive 93 operational raids. The original JO-D was also crewed on missions by several members of the Western Australian Division of the Royal Australian Air Force Association.
RAAFA’s Lancaster is as immaculately presented as the day it was completed back in 1945. See for yourself the most famous Allied bomber of the Second World War, and discover more about its history, first-hand at the RAAFA Aviation Heritage Museum in Bull Creek.
Find out more at www.aviationmuseumwa.org.au
