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Avro Lancaster Mk VII
This Lancaster served L’Aeronavale, the French Naval Air Arm, from 1952 until 1964. MOTAT volunteers have given it an earlier identity, as a Mk III Bomber Command Lancaster. As such it serves as a memorial to New Zealanders who lost their lives serving in Bomber Command.
This Lancaster was built for the RAF in 1945, but was released too late to take part in World War II. It was finished as a Mk VII, a ‘tropicalised’ version, designed for RAF service in Asia. In 1952 it was sold to L’Aeronavale, was designated NX665 and refurbished for maritime reconnaissance work. NX665 served in France, Morocco, and New Caledonia.
MOTAT obtained the Lancaster in 1964, after enquires were made through the French Government. It was decided to display the aircraft as a Mk III Lancaster, which were commonly operated by New Zealand crews in World War II. Original Avro plans were used to completely reconstruct a Mk III including the addition of a mid-upper turret, and full internal instrumentation.
Before coming to MOTAT, NX665 made one final flight. It flew over Northland, attempting to pass over as many schools as possible. Over Matakohe, home of MOTAT’s Merv Sterling, it made three low level runs over the school and dropped a letter and copy of the NZ Herald signed by all the crew. Here NX665 is shown making its final touchdown at Whenuapai on its last flight. It was later transported to MOTAT by road. Walsh Memorial Library collection, MOTAT.
In its early years at MOTAT the Lancaster was situated at MOTAT1 and its loud Merlin engines were run on Live Days. This photo shows one of those Live Days, with the Lancaster in the background. The Lancaster was a very popular exhibit and many people can still remember it today. The current hangar that houses the Lancaster was built in the 1980s after a fund-raising drive by the New Zealand chapter of the Bomber Command Association. Walsh Memorial Library collection, MOTAT.
Date: 1945 Manufacturer: A.V. Roe and Company (Avro) Type: Heavy bomber Wing span: 31.09 m (102 ft) Length: 21.18 m (69 ft 5 in) Engine: 4× Rolls-Royce Merlin XX V12 engines, 1,280 hp (954 kW) each (Mk III) Armament: 8 x 7.70mm (0.303 in) Browning machine guns in three turrets (Mk III) Bomb load: 6,400 kg (14,000 lb) typical bomb load, up to 10,000 kb maximum bomb load (Mk III)
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