PICTURES: Lancaster Bomber prepares to take to the skies once again

The Lancaster Bomber based at RAF Coningsby is preparing to take to the skies once again this afternoon (October 12) following a serious engine fire in May.
The Lancaster Bomber at RAF Coningsby.The Lancaster Bomber at RAF Coningsby.
The Lancaster Bomber at RAF Coningsby.

Flight Lieutenant Tim Dunlop, Bomber Leader of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), will pilot the Lancaster Bomber on a test flight this afternoon at around 2pm.

Flt Lt Dunlop told the Horncastle News: “She’s been on the ground for quite some time and the engineers have done a fantastic job to get her back to where she is today.

“We had a fire with her back in May and I was flying her at that time. We did quite a bit of damage to her and the fire did hurt her in many ways - the fact that they’ve got her back to this state, where she just looks absolutely glorious in the Lincolnshire sunshine today, is great.

The Lancaster Bomber at RAF Coningsby.The Lancaster Bomber at RAF Coningsby.
The Lancaster Bomber at RAF Coningsby.

“For me, there’s those first nerves as I haven’t flown her for quite a while... we’ve done all the training, we’re ready to go, and the next step really is to get her back where she belongs in the air.”

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