The yellow aerial looks to be part of an APN-2 Rebecca system. The shape is slightly different to the wartime ones, it looks more like those fitted to Varsity, Shackleton etc.

Rich

The bit about ‘posted on one forum by a member of the team’ is a bit misleading too. Its on several forums, was from a PR statement by their Director of Communications and published on the forums by their Director of Engineering and Airframe Compliance (shortfinals – that is your title, correct?)

I hate to be a party pooper, but it looks to be a Dornier 217 with underwing fuel tanks, or glide bombs. The german cross underneath its port wing (seen better in the Flickr link) also suggest its not a Lincoln.

Some of the Lancasters that landed out were repaired and flown back to the UK, not taking part in the raid. For instance – NF920 was one of the 13 that was ‘missing’ having landed at another airfield which was much shorter and bordered by trees damaging one of her radiators.

NF920 is the wreck that featured in John Nichol’s documentary, sadly since then there’s been more pilfering as a result of making it more widely known. Parts such as the cockpit canopy frame, front turret frame and pilots floor/seat base have all gone, presumably into private collections. It winds me up as me and others have spent ages doing things the right way to try and effect recovery, only to have people go take what they please… with some of it showing up on ebay.

Peter,

The strange squeak is one of the aileron rod bearings we pulled off the Sennybridge wreck, its not quite as happy as it could be. But it’ll get a bit more attention over the coming weeks and it’ll behave eventually!

Regards

Rich

Just a guess… Its not actually for use on a Derwent, you’re making a light sabre?