Yup, and we need to get one back into existence, one way or another. Despite my problems with the place (It’s resemblance to Wooky Hole, for a start) I’d dearly and ideally like to see one in the Bomber Hall at Hendon.

(Before I get leapt on for sounding like I’m contradicting myself, I have no problems with replicas, as long as that’s what they are called/acknowledged to be- often unlike a certain ‘Halifax’.)

Well, my late grandad was ground crew on Wellingtons, then Stirlings, then Lancasters, all with 149 Sqdn; I never ceased to be amazed at his sheer love of the Stirling, even over the obviously far better Lancaster. But for him, there was just something about it…he used to enjoy being stubbornly indifferent to seeing PA474 buzzing about over his head (Though really, I’m sure he loved it!) and I wish that there had been some Stirling for him to view during his lifetime. 🙁

It’ll never fly. 😉

It’s often stated that the plate behind the pilot’s head was the only bit of armour in the Lanc, but as Peter says, there were actually other bits on some machines. Also in some Lancs, mounted on top of the fuselage roof but under the canopy, on the stbd. side, was a ruddy great thick piece of perspex, which I also believe was ‘armour’ as such, presumably for the Flight Engineer’s head?

Good question as to why the pilot’s piece needed to have a bright yellow circle on it, though- it was kinda like giving the Germans something to aim at, after all…ten points if you hit the middle?!

Ouch.

Can I please be Susanah York’s gusset?

Huh huh, please?