PA474 is one of only two Lancaster aircraft remaining in airworthy condition out of the 7,377 that were built (the other is in Canada with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at Hamilton, Ontario). PA474 rolled off the production line at the Vickers Armstrong Broughton factory at Hawarden Airfield, Chester on 31 May 1945, just after the war in Europe came to an end, so she was prepared for use against the Japanese as part of the ‘Tiger Force’. However, the war in the Far East also ended before she was deployed and she did not take part in any hostilities. After a period in storage, PA474 was converted for photo reconnaissance work; modifications for these duties included being stripped back to a bare metal (silver) finish and the removal of all her gun turrets. She was then assigned to aerial survey duties with N^o 82 Squadron in East and South Africa from September 1948 until February 1952.

On return to the United Kingdom, PA474 was loaned to Flight Refuelling Ltd at Tarrant Rushton to be used as a pilotless drone, an uncertain future, which would likely have led to her loss. Fortunately, however, before the conversion started, the Air Ministry decided to use a different type of aircraft for the drone programme (a Lincoln) and PA474 was reprieved. She was then transferred to the Royal College of Aeronautics at Cranfield where she was used as a trial platform for the testing of various experimental aerofoil sections between 1954 and 1964; the trial wings being mounted vertically on the upper rear fuselage.

In 1964 PA474 was adopted by the Air Historical Branch with a view to putting the aircraft on display as a static exhibit in the proposed RAF Museum at Hendon. She was flown to Wroughton where she was painted in a camouflage paint scheme, though without squadron markings, and it was during this period that the aircraft took part in two films, ‘Operation Crossbow’ and ‘The Guns of Navarone’. Later in 1964, she was moved to RAF Henlow and grounded in preparation for display at the RAF Museum.

In 1965, Wing Commader D’Arcy, the Commanding Officer of 44 Squadron (then flying Vulcans at RAF Waddington) asked permission for PA474 to be transferred into the care of the Squadron. An inspection found that the aircraft was structurally sound so permission was granted for PA474 to make a single flight from Henlow to Waddington, which it completed in August 1965. At Waddington a restoration programme began on the Lancaster and by 1966 work was progressing well with both the front and rear turrets in place. Permission to fly PA474 regularly was granted in 1967, whilst restoration continued. The Lancaster joined the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in November 1973 and restoration work on various parts of the aircraft has continued ever since. A mid-upper turret was discovered in Argentina and was brought to Britain aboard HMS HAMPSHIRE; it was fitted to PA474 in 1975. In the same year, the aircraft was adopted by the City of Lincoln, permission being granted for her to display the City’s coat of arms, which will always be displayed on PA474 regardless of what colour scheme she wears.

Since May 2007, PA474 has worn the markings of Lancaster EE139 the ‘Phantom of the Ruhr’, with the aircraft’s No 100 Squadron code letters ’HW-R’ on the port side, and the 550 Squadron codes ‘BQ-B on the starboard side. Of the 7,377 Lancasters built, there were only ever 35 that each completed more than 100 operational missions – the ‘Centurions’ or ‘Ton-up Lancs’ – most were lost long before achieving such a milestone. One of the ‘Centurions’ was Lancaster EE139which was delivered to 100 Squadron at Waltham, Lincolnshire, in May 1943. It was allocated to a new crew, captained by Ron Clark, they gave the aircraft its name and the Flight Engineer painted the nose art on the aircraft. The ‘Phantom’ flew at least 29 missions with 100 Squadron, being severely damaged by enemy fire on 23 September 1943 during a raid on Mannheim. Ron Clark and his crew demonstrated considerable resolve and skill, as well as being the beneficiaries of a slice of good luck, in getting her home safely. EE139 was out of action for two months whilst it was repaired and it was then allocated to the newly-formed 550 Squadron (initially at Waltham and then at North Killingholme). The remainder of her remarkable mission total of 121 ‘ops’ was flown with 550 Squadron before she was finally retired from operational service in November 1944. ‘The Phantom’ had clocked up 830 hours of operational flying; she had received significant damage from flak several times and had combats with night fighters on three separate occasions. She was now considered an ‘old lady’ even though she was actually only 18 months old and, in February 1946, after having served briefly as a training aircraft at the Heavy Conversion Units at Lindholme and at Swinderby, EE139 was unceremoniously scrapped.

To read the full story of the ‘Phantom of the Ruhr’ and the story of what happened to Ron Clark and his crew during the Mannheim raid on 23 September 1943, click here.

Images:

Header Image: ( Larger size) Lancaster PA474

Image 1: ( Larger size) Lancaster banking

Image 2: ( Larger size) Lancaster Phantom front half banked (Photographer: Gareth Horne via UKAR)

Image 3: ( Larger size) Ron Clark DFC, Phantom of the Ruhr skipper 1943