General Aircraft Description

The Avro Lancaster was a British four-engine heavy bomber, designed and built by A.V. Roe and Company (Avro) for the Royal Air Force (RAF). It first saw active service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and, as the bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it became the main heavy bomber used by the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF. The “Lanc”, as it was affectionately known, ultimately became the most famous and most successful of the Second World War night bombers.

Of the many variants of this versatile aircraft that were used, only the Lancaster B Mark X, manufactured by Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario was produced in significant numbers in Canada. A total of 430 of this type were built. A total of 7,377 Lancaster bombers of all marks were built throughout the duration of the war, each at a 1943 cost of £45-50,000. Today, only 17 remain in the world and only two of those are currently flying. Ten of the remaining Lancasters are Canadian-built Mark X models.

Lancaster FM212 Operational History

FM212, one of 430 Lancaster Bombers produced in Canada, was built in July 1945 by Victory Aircraft in Malton (Toronto). There were 7,377 Lancasters built during the war with over 3,932 lost due to combat and accidents. Produced too late to see wartime service, FM212 was test flown then placed in storage. It was later modified to become the first Canadian-built Mark 10P (photographic) prototype.

It was taken on strength by 413 Photo Squadron RCAF in 1947 before being transferred to 408 Squadron at Rockcliffe (Ottawa) in 1949 where it performed a variety of roles including photo-mapping, reconnaissance, search & rescue, ice patrol, aircrew training and navigation exercises, etc. The photo-mapping was its predominant role however, and it utilized the new Shoran technology to accurately photograph the high Arctic areas to produce maps.

FM212 logged 8,069.5 hours before being retired in 1962. It is among the highest time Lancasters in the world.  With public concern growing about the scrapping of the last Lancaster Bombers and the need for a local Memorial, a “Lancaster for Windsor” committee was formed headed by Wing Commander Joseph Mencel, and included many members of the Air Force Club of Windsor.  As a result of their efforts, FM212 was purchased as a memorial by the City of Windsor for $1,250 in 1964. It was sent by barge from Dunnville, Ontario to Dieppe Park Gardens in August of that same year.

Upon arrival at Dieppe Park, the aircraft was placed on temporary display and remained there through the autumn of 1964. Public tours were conducted for $ .50 cents per person. The money raised was used to pay for construction of the pedestal and other associated costs.  It was towed to Jackson Park in February 1965 and installed on the pedestal soon afterwards.  On July 4, 1965 it was dedicated to the approximately 400 airmen from this area who died in WWII.

Beginning in 1995, periodic inspections were carried out by an aeronautical engineering firm, which identified several areas of concern about the aircraft’s structure. It is also commonly recognized that a general deterioration of the aircraft as a whole has occurred over the years due to weather and wildlife.  FM212 was removed from the pedestal on May 26, 2005 and put in storage for two years as restoration work began.  It was moved to the CH2A hangar in the summer of 2006 for extensive restoration to proper aviation standards.

Out of the 7,377 Lancaster aircraft built worldwide, only seventeen still exist, eight of which are in Canada, including Windsor’s Lancaster FM212 (sister to FM213, the only flying Lancaster in North America, based in Hamilton).  Only one other Lancaster, located in Great Britain, remains in flight condition.

We are now in the process of restoring this historic monument to honour our veterans.