Help please with a possible Lancaster relic

Apologies for the slightly delayed response and for forgetting to post that weblink in my last post! (Busy 48 hours in relation to NAM café/toilet project, issuing contract, site visit for foundations etc.)

I have been privileged to be actively involved with the ME846 Family since 2005. One of the most moving moments was seeing the crater for the first time with the pilot’s nephew, Paul Stevenson. This was in the woods near Postel Abbey and it was a special point in the whole research and investigation process. Sadly Paul has since passed away, but everyone involved still strives to keep alive the memory of these brave airmen and their relatives.

Looking forward to meeting more 619 Squadron veterans on Saturday!

Hi Twinotter23

I have just been reading through the story of ME846 and her crew to be confronted with a very fascinating account of bravery from the crew and the pilot, so many times you read how the pilot was to stay at the helm of the stricken aircraft, only to lose his own fight for life to try and save his own crew, strangely the word bravery dosnt feel strong enough a word in this to often scenario.

like you say a very rewarding day coming up this Saturday at the 619 squadron reunion i hope you all have a fantastic day.

For anyone who hasn’t as yet seen the threads on this forum there is a link below that tells the story of Lancaster ME846.

http://www.knoxetal.com/ME846/Registration1944/

Hello again hawker1966 – while I was involved in helping to locate the crash site, the donation of the items came from the Belgian group to the museum.

Parts of the ME846 story have been told around here before and are in part recorded in Hangar 1 in a wall display next to the Upkeep (practice) Mine. For my part I am honoured to be attending the 619 Squadron Association Reunion on Saturday – more rewarding than the BAPC meeting at Cosford! 🙂

Hi Twin otter
Thank you for the ok reference the photo, hopefully this may help others in identifying a fuel cap in the future and that also it may bring back the memory of Lancaster ME846.

Well done also on finding the location of the actual crash site and donating the relics for display, this is what it is all about in keeping the memory alive of the fallen, this is why i like to identify every relic that i find and that one day they will be past on and continue the story.

Thanks again everyone Brad.

Evening hawker1966 – the item that you photographed in Hangar 1 is from 619 Squadron, Lancaster ME846 that crashed in northern Belgium on 21/22 June 1944. I was involved in helping to locate the crash site near Postel Abbey. The items on display were located by a Belgian Aircraft Recovery Group and passed to the museum via me in 2015.

No issue with the photograph being published on here.

Great photo this is probably why i have missed sourcing its location in the past as it is nicely hidden under the main fuel cap, although saying that the Lancaster fuel tank on the Just Jane tank dosnt appear to be covered.

http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/news/lancaster-nx611-return-to-flight/number-3-tanks-and-number-2-tank-stbd-removed.htm

Just having a closer look at the Shackleton and the relic from the Newark’s crashed Lancaster, they do appear to differ slightly in the design (in the centre the Lancaster cap it has a screw possible pressure release, also the design of the handle is different) so maybe this is the difference between the Lancaster and Shackleton.

Hi rich_82

Looks like thats correct, ive looked through various fuel tanks in the past not knowing that it could of been from a Lancaster but thanks to a visit to Newark (photo) you have appeared to of found its identity, as looking on the East Kirby museums site reference just Jane there is a photo of the cap on one of her fuel tanks.
Thanks again for your time.

I haven’t got a photo of a Lancaster’s fuel caps, but as far as I know they’re pretty similar to this one (Shackleton).

I believe its a fuel tank cap.