Silhouette WW2 Lancaster Bomber ~ Standing Approx 20cm tall

Product Information

Almost all of the Lancaster aircraft built during the war were used to bomb German cities at night strategically. The large bomb bays of these aircraft typically carried a mixed load of high-explosive bombs for these missions, such as the cylindrical 2,000–4,000 pound (900–1,800 kg) high-blast "cookie" or several 1,000–2,000 pound (450–900 kg) bombs, with the remaining bomb load typically being made up of small incendiaries. By performing precise assaults on bridges, rail yards, and other transportation targets, Lancasters played a significant part in the buildup to D-Day (June 6, 1944). It replaced the aging British Halifax and Stirling, two more frequently used bombers, as the type was built in more significant quantities by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries operating under the RAF.

The Army Air Forces Materiel Command at Wright Field, Ohio, received instructions from the United States Army Air Forces on November 30, 1943, for a highly secret B-29 modification project. By the middle of December, scientists working on the Manhattan Project would send scale models of the "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" weapon designs to Wright Field, where technicians would alter the B-29 and outfit it for use in bomb flight tests. Given Lancaster's armaments and bomb-carrying capacity, it was involved in many famous bombing campaigns of the war. However, the mission also had a high human and material cost, with eight of the 19 Lancaster bombers and 53 of the 133 crewmembers being lost in action.The Avro Lancaster bomber remains an iconic symbol of Britain's bravery and determination during World War II. With its impressive performance and versatility, the Lancaster played a crucial role in the Allied victory and will forever be remembered as a true masterpiece of aviation engineering.

First, let's talk about the incredible history of this amazing aircraft. What is the Lancaster bomber? Its superior numbers were especially revealing in bombs dropped per lost aircraft: 107 tonnes for the Lancaster versus 48 for the Halifax for each aircraft destroyed during missions during the summer of 1943. The B-29 was chosen as the delivery aircraft for the first atomic bombs because it was the most advanced and capable heavy bomber available. It had the range to fly the mission from Tinian Island, the ability to carry the large and heavy bomb, and the altitude to drop the bomb from above the reach of enemy air defenses.Despite their large production numbers during the war, very few remain today. Even fewer, sadly, remain even remotely airworthy.

The Germans termed this weapon Schrage musik, or "jazz music," and Bomber Command was never able to establish a reliable defense against it. As a result, numerous British heavy bombers were destroyed by German fighters firing covertly at close range.Furthermore, only one in forty airmen were anticipated to survive a second tour of thirty operations by 1943, making them less likely to survive than the soldiers in the First World War's trenches.