CWHM 's Lancaster is on her way to the motherland.

[Firebird]

Vera was given a great send off today from RAF Coningsby. BBMF put up the Lanc and both of their Hurricanes and 2 of the Spits and let Vera lead the formation over RAF Cranwell, and the old bomber bases of RAF Waddington and RAF Scampton with a poignent flypast over Lincoln cathederal.

[Matt Gunsch]

One thing about the British, other than the red Arrows, they cannot fly formation, looks like a same direction, same day for them.

[JDK]

Sorry, Matt, that's just a meaningless over generalisation.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) has always been very wary of flying formation with any non-RAF aircrew and aircraft. That's been unit policy under a sequences of 'bosses' (BBMF Commanding Officers). Most mixed (RAF BBMF & other) usually involve the other aircraft flying trail or rear of a box. From the images I've seen, that's essentially been the case with the Canadian Warplane Heritage's G-CVRA Lancaster flying trail to PA474.

What I'd suggest is you're seeing is an adapted transit formation here - few, other than national display teams - fly tight formation from location to location. In my - now a decade old - personal memory of the BBMF they usually fly a lose vic in transit.

Yes, they might've tightened it up flying over the City of Lincoln*. There's probably good reasons why not however. I suspect - but it's only a guess - that they flew like this as they weren't prepared to fly the two Lancs any closer, and positioned the fighters to ensure the Canadians weren't flying 'behind & alone'. EDIT: Um, should've read the caption - C-GVRA is in lead, so above = wrong!

From the interwebs, here's some notable RAF formations. The Royal Navy and Army Air Corps can do some good stuff too. (Sadly we won't get to see the Royal Scottish Air Force's effort now.)


http://www.linton-gin.com/misc/EIIR.html

Possibly my favourite multiple aircraft dissimilar formation.

Various versions available. This via Key Forum.

BBMF:

Standard formation at literally thousands of shows, for longer than any other commemorative 'warbird' organisation.

http://www.pixstel.com/raf-bbmf-formation_urlb26662.php

Specials:

http://www.airteamimages.com/avro-lanca ... 47258.html


John Dibbs http://www.planepicture.com/news/latest/page:3

Regards,

*By the way, City of Lincoln is also the proper name of Lancaster PA474, not 'Thumper' as widely used recently.

Last edited by JDK on Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JDK]

More importantly, though, it's been a great achievement by the Canadians and their British hosts.

Something very special in warbird history.

Wishing the CWH Lanc team Godspeed home to Hamilton, ON, and enough cash to cover their engine requirements.

Regards,

[peter]

She is grounded in Iceland due to weather..

[Mike]

One thing about the British, other than the red Arrows, they cannot fly formation.

Been to many airshows in the UK, have you Matt?

[Firebird]

Sorry, Matt, that's just a meaningless over generalisation.

I'd prefer to say that's just bollocks.....


Just a couple of more examples to add to JDK's posting.

[Grikka]

all that needs to be said about the cwhm efforts to bring vera to the uk is a resounding well done and thankyou to all concerned
you brought a unique piece of aviation history to the uk and captivated audiences across the whole of the country
at waddington you united 2 lancasters and a vulcan bomber in formation for a day that will most likely never be repeated and by me and others never forgotten

veterans of bomber command joined with "us" the public at events to witness the sights and sounds of 2 lancasters in the air together for the first fime in over 50 years or more

i can only hope that one day the cwhm lancaster will return to the uk and be united with the bbmf and just jane to provide us with a 3 ship airborne lancaster formation to honour those that served in bomber command

safe journey home vera and thankyou...

[Matt Gunsch]

One thing about the British, other than the red Arrows, they cannot fly formation.

Been to many airshows in the UK, have you Matt?

Nope, but I have more than enough hours flying formation in many different types of planes, including dissimilar type formations, to know that flying a tighter formation is easier and makes for better photos.

[k5083]

Reviews from the trip sure seem positive. It was certainly a shot on the arm for CWH's prestige. I hope it worked out financially as well.

Regarding the blown engine, I guess the attitude should be that it might just as easily have blown if the plane stayed home, so whatever revenue they earned on the trip still puts them ahead of where they might have been.

August

[Matt Gunsch]

The Lancaster is back in North America, they landed at Goose bay close to sundown.

[martin_sam_2000]

saw (from a distance) the Lanc with her escort, P-51 and P-40, flying around Ottawa today. Too far to get shots but She is sitting at the Gatineau Airport as we speak.

Sean

[Dave Hadfield]

As for formation, the B of B flight is a serving RAF unit.

Any air force is quite restrictive of whom they let fly formation with them. It requires a training course and an evaluation. I've done this myself, qualifying for the RCAF heritage flight with me in the P-40. It was no rubber-stamp.

I very much doubt that there was time or opportunity for this type of qualification process for the CWH Lancaster, and really, what's the point? It's enough that they both arrive and fill the sky at airshows rather than demonstrate rigid formation positioning. Thus you see them in loose trail, or wide echelon.

It's not that they couldn't fly close formation -- of course they could -- it's just that I imagine they didn't want to waste the engine time, or the precious weeks of summer, to make it happen.

Dave

[peter]

Last leg home...

http://www.flightradar24.com/CGVRA/4710752

[Thomas_Mac]

Sisters by Richard Tierney, on Flickr