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| History of Lancaster KB882
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WW2 Bomber Command and RCAF Service
1945: The War Years
KB882 was part of the first production batch of 300 Canadian Lancaster Mk.X's built by Victory Aircraft Ltd., Malton, Ontario, Canada. She flew to England in the spring of 1945 and issued to No. 32 Maintenance Unit, 434 Squadron then taken on strength by No. 6 Group 428 "Ghost" Squadron, RAF as NA-R. Although the aircraft itself belonged to the RAF, this was an all Canadian formation.
The following is a partial record of KB882's flying time. Listed is the date, target/operation, time of day and duration.
March 15/45 - Hagen - Night - 7 hours, 5 minutes
March 31/45 - Hambourg - Day - 6 hours
April 4/45 - Merseberg - Night - 9 hours, 20 minutes
April 8/45 - Hambourg - Night - 6 hours, 5 minutes
April 9/45 - Upper Hayford - Base - 55 minutes
April 10/45 - Leipzig - Day - 8 hours, 30 minutes
April 13/45 - Kiel - Night - 6 hours, 5 minutes
April 14/45 - Church Broughton - Base - 40 minutes
April 25/45 - Wangerooge - Day - 4 hours, 50 minutes
May 6/45 - Cross country - Night - 5 hours, 15 minutes
May 14/45 - Cross country - Day - 3 hours, 45 minutes
May 24/45 - Cross country - Day - 4 hours, 40 minutes
May 29/45 - Cross country - Night - 4 hours, 35 minutes
June 1/45 - Base to St. Mawgams - 2 hours, 5 minutes
June 6/45 - St. Mawgams to Lagens - 8 hours, 42 minutes
June 9/45 - Lagens to Gander Lake - 8 hours 46 minutes
June 10/45 - Gander Lake to Yarmouth - 3 hours 17 minutes
KB882 was returned to Canada by her "Ghost" Squadron crew.
Pilot: Fl/Lt. A.L. Ross DFC, DFM
Navigator: F/O K.R. Fee DFC
W/Op: Fl/Lt. Aicken
B/A: F/O E.K. Bergy
F/E: F/O R. Loveday
Upper/G: F/O Dan Ferguson
Tail/G: F/O Bill Watson
If anyone knows these gentlemen, or served with 428 Squadron as an aircrew or groundcrew member- please email me!
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ARRAY(0x8760548)
1945-1952
Soon after its return to Canadian soil KB882 went into long term storage in Alberta. In 1952 it was ferried to A.V. Roe (Canada) for a major overhaul and modification to Mk.10P (Photographic) configuration. The most noticable alteration was the addition of a 40 inch extension to the nose section.
ARRAY(0x8760548)
1952-1964
Once complete the "new" KB882 was taken on strength by 408 "Goose" Squadron based a RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. 408 Squadron Lancasters are credited with photographing the vast majority of the Canadian high Arctic in the late 1940's and 1950's. After a long and distinguished service career with the RCAF, Lancaster KB882 was honorably retired at Dunnville, Ontario.On May 1st, 1964, the Crown Assets Disposal Corporation accepted a monetary offer from the City of Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada for the purchase of the aircraft. Shortly after it was flown from DND 6 Repair Depot, Trenton, Ontario to Fredericton, New Brunswick where it waited for for the Edmundston site to be completed. On July 14, 1964, Captain Joseph (Pepi) DiGiacinto, pilot; Flight Sgt Derek Miller, co-pilot; Gerry Flemming, radio operator; Captain Keith Wyatt, navigator and flight Engineer, Jim Cochrane brought KB882 in from her final flight. The crew touched down at the Edmundston Municipal Airport where she has remained in good hands ever since.
Comments & Info: Remove the (NOJUNK) to send me a message.
lancasterkb882(NOJUNK)@hotmail.com
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