Lancaster FM104

[Fleet16b]

Update on the situation.
The Economic Development Dept of the City of Toronto has recommended the transfer of the aircraft to the British Columbia Aviation Museum . It looked as if this airframe was to finally have a safe and stable future.
However, a small grass roots group of 4-5 individuals has come forward and is attempting to block the transfer and keep the aircraft in Toronto.
They are a small group that has no money , no facility or location to build a facility , no experience in aircraft restoration. They have contacted a couple of people that have Lanc Resto experience but nothing more than that. While I too would love to see the aircraft stay, its history in Toronto has been horrible its whole life . From sitting on a pedestal for years being vandalized and having homeless people live in it , to being scavenged for parts for other Lanc projects , to being loaned to the Toronto Aerospace Museum which could not keep themselves afloat , to sitting stored for several years at various locations.
The City of Toronto did the right thing and accepted proposals from reputable Aviation Organizations that wished to take over ownership of the aircraft. It looked at all the proposals and identified a suitable group that are supported by Victoria Air Maint, ( they just restored a Mosquito ). The City also placed a parachute clause that would transfer ownership to another group if the BC Museum became unable to complete the task or closed it doors. They did their due diligence
This new small inexperienced group has now come on the scene and is trying to block the entire proposal. While their intentions may be in some way understandable, giving ownership to such a group at this point in the negotiations would be adverse to the airframes future.
Toronto really does not have the market for another Lancaster Exhibit considering there is one flying example and 2 under restoration and one in the National Museum all within 5 hrs of each other. Each of these aircraft were built in Toronto , so Victory Aircraft Ltd is well represented.
The main concern should be for the airframe itself , NOT where is does or does not stay .
I really hope that the City sticks to the recommendation and finally does right by this aircraft. It deserves to go to a stable home and be restored professionally after all its been thru.

[Dan Jones]

At one point didn't some contractor start slag-blasting the paint off the fuselage before someone stopped them? The only Lanc I can think of in (arguably) worse shape is 882, although now finally it has a proper home and will get the attention it needs. Hopefully -104 will make it out to BC and a better life. My father's first posting in the RCAF was to Lanc's in Comox as a fitter with 407 Sqn.

[peter]

Dan, thats the one in windsor that had coarse material used halfway through the paint strip when it was on the post..

[Dan Jones]

Thanks Peter - my mistake.

[p51]

The Economic Development Dept of the City of Toronto has recommended the transfer of the aircraft to the British Columbia Aviation Museum . It looked as if this airframe was to finally have a safe and stable future.
However, a small grass roots group of 4-5 individuals has come forward and is attempting to block the transfer and keep the aircraft in Toronto.

Typical. This also happened recently in the RR preservation field, whereas a city paid someone to scrap a steam locomotive so they could use the land it sat on for other purposes. Someone came along and offered to buy the locomotive from the scrapper, the locals went nuts at the idea of it leaving (yet oddly seemed okay with the torches being brought out, originally) and they've blocked the whole deal: http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41678