Avro Lancaster
Last updated: 2026-04-21
The Avro Lancaster was the RAF Bomber Command's primary heavy bomber of WWII, powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and responsible for over 150,000 bombing sorties including the legendary Dambuster raid. It is a workhorse of European EASA general-aviation training fleets, used at both DTO and ATO operators for hour-building and rating progression. undefined
What is the Avro Lancaster used for in flight training?
Lancaster aircrew training in WWII covered a crew of seven, requiring specialised qualification of pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, wireless operators, flight engineers, and air gunners. Bomber Command's Operational Training Units flew Lancaster crews through intensive conversion before operational deployment. Today, only two airworthy Lancasters survive: one with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and one with the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in the UK, which performs airshow displays annually.