LANCASTER X KB976 WILL BE A TRIBUTE TO CANADA'S AIRMEN

REGULAR visitors to the War and Peace Show will be familiar with the forward section of a Lancaster Bomber, which Jeremy Hall has painstakingly reconstructed.

At this year's Show, Jeremy, from Egham, in Surrey, will be displaying a second Lancaster, the last to fly operationally. The history of this aircraft has been well documented.

Avro Lancaster X KB976 was built in Canada and shipped to England in February 1945. She was fitted out for war, and scheduled to take part in a bombing mission with 405 Pathfinder Squadron. But this was cancelled, and soon afterwards the War ended.

Although she didn't take part in the Second World War, her subsequent career marked her out as a uniquely historic aeroplane.

For Jeremy, the restoration project is a tribute to the 10,634 Canadians who died with Bomber Command during the War.

"By the time we get her to the War and Peace Show we will have fitted more than 14,000 rivets," he said. "That's more than one for each of those who died. 

"We are restoring the front 35 feet of the aircraft using as many genuine Lancaster parts as possible. For the last three years friends and I have been bringing back parts from America and Canada in suitcases.

"In an ironic twist of fate our bags got lost on one occasion and ended up in Germany. Who knows? It may not have been the first time they'd flown over that country."

Other parts have been bought, swapped and cajoled from enthusiasts all over the world. A few were even picked up from the site of a crashed wartime Lancaster in which seven Canadians died. These include part of a compass which would have been positioned right next to the pilot's knee.

The control column still has bullet holes from when its original aircraft was relegated to a bombing range for target practice.

The restoration project is taking place at the Brooklands Museum, where KB976 is sandwiched between other historic aircraft, both military and civil. Helping Jeremy are friends Wayne Pendle and Paul Byrne. Jeremy's son Alex has adorned the fuselage with Royal Canadian Airforce artwork.

After the War KB976 was flown back to Canada and placed in storage until 1948. She was modified for use as a search and reconnaissance aircraft, then for area reconnaissance, surveying the northern territories.

Ten years later she was one of only three Lancasters fitted out for Arctic reconnaissance, encouraged by the Americans who were afraid of an attack across the North Pole by the Soviets. Her nose was extended to accommodate sophisticated camera equipment and extra fuel tanks were fitted in the bomb bays.

After 10 years she was decommissioned and transformed to a water bomber, used to fight forest fires.

Once that career came to an end she was bought by an enthusiast in Scotland, who later sold it to property magnate Charles Church, killed when the Spitfire he was piloting crashed.

Then while awaiting restoration, she was irrevocably damaged, following which essential bits of her were sold off. When Jeremy learned the nose section was available he wasted no time. He bought it straight away and fetched it back on his car trailer.

"When you are working on KB976 you really get a feel of how it must have been for those Canadian airmen all that time ago," he said. "We owe them so much. I hope this project will help ensure we never forget that."

The 2010 War and Peace Show will be held at The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, from 21 to 25 July.

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For further information contact Jacqui Curtis, Marketing Executive on 01622 870804 email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Peter Cook on 01795 536915/07796 172680 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

More details at: www.thehopfarm.co.uk or www.thewarandpeaceshow.com.