Avro Lancaster Mk III, ME453 was part of Contract No. 2019 for 200 aircraft; it was built at the A.V.Roe factory at Yeadon near Leeds and was delivered to RAF Waddington on 3rd February 1945, (one day before F/O R T Ward’s crew arrived).
Mk IIIs were fitted with Merlin 28 or 224 engines built under licence by the Packard Motor Corporation in the USA: they were slightly more powerful than the Rolls Royce Merlins and featured different carburettors (Bendix-Stromberg pressure-injection) and magnetos. The propellers were Nash Kelvinator/Hamilton A5/138 “paddle type” and were variable pitch. The aircraft was fitted with H2S ground-tracking radar which was evidenced by the ventral bulge forward of the rear tail planes.
Lancaster ME453 was designated squadron code PO-L, call sign “Mozart Love”, painted in red on the fuselage sides, the ‘L’ being repeated on the outside of the rudders and all outlined in yellow to aid identification in the increasing number of daylight raids as the Allies gained air superiority.
As a new aircraft, ME453 was allocated to F/O John Boyd Clark from Williamstown, Victoria and his crew. Its first mission was on 13 February, the target Dresden. Take off was 17.45, return 03.38. Airborne for 9 hours 53 minutes.
John Clark (centre) and his crew. Picture courtesy of Charlie Gall via Peter Johnson's website on 463/467 squadrons.
The next day F/O Clark took ME453 to bomb Rositz though the sortie was not completed because the rear guns wouldn’t fire properly (only when engine revs were at 2400 and this would have used too much fuel). Take off was 17.02, return to base 19.47. Airborne for 2 hours 45 minutes.
On 19 February ME453 was on a sortie to attack Bohlen. Take off was 23.53, return to base 07.50. Airborne for 7 hours 57 minutes.
On 21 February, ME453 was flown to attack the Mittelland Canal at Gravenhorst, take off was 17.09, return 23.32. Airborne for 6 hours 21 minutes.
On 24 February ME453 went to the Dortmund-Ems canal. Take off 14.00 (arrived at target 16.36), return 18.38. Airborne 4 hours 38 minutes.
The next operation was 3 March with F/O Ward as the pilot, the date ME453 was shot down. Assuming a time to target of approx 3 hours, the Lancaster’s active flying time (excluding air tests, fighter affiliation exercises, bombing practices etc) with 467 squadron totalled about 34¼ hours.
This, I believe is ME453's predecessor, JB286. This Lancaster, a Mk III, was formerly LQ-O of 405 (Vancouver) squadron prior to being transferred to 467 squadron. It was being flown by 21 year old William Andrew McNamee on 7 January 1945 on an operation to bomb Munich when it came down 5 miles north of Peterborough with the loss of all its crew. It's thought that the crew may have baled out, perhaps over the North Sea whilst returning from the raid but the aircraft continued flying until its subsequent crash, ironically not too far from Base. (Photo courtesy of D Morland via M Enright)
John Clark (centre) and his crew. Picture courtesy of Charlie Gall via Peter Johnson's website on 463/467 squadrons.
This, I believe is ME453's predecessor, JB286. This Lancaster, a Mk III, was formerly LQ-O of 405 (Vancouver) squadron prior to being transferred to 467 squadron. It was being flown by 21 year old William Andrew McNamee on 7 January 1945 on an operation to bomb Munich when it came down 5 miles north of Peterborough with the loss of all its crew. It's thought that the crew may have baled out, perhaps over the North Sea whilst returning from the raid but the aircraft continued flying until its subsequent crash, ironically not too far from Base. (Photo courtesy of D Morland via M Enright)