Avro Lancaster Merlin Engine Run

A magnificent engine run demonstration of Canadian built Avro Lancaster FM159. Built too late to participate in the Second World War, FM159 went on to have an exciting career in the Royal Canadian Air Force in the early years of the Cold war. It's missions took it over the oceans in search of Soviet submarines and to Canada's northernmost point, Alert, on Ellesmere Island to track ice drifts on the Dew Line. It survived white out blizzards, complete instrument failures and even an engine explosion over the Pacific, all to finish it's career in 1958, and be slated for scrapping. Rescued by an intrepid group of volunteer's from Nanton, Alberta, in 1960 FM159 was purchased for $513, along with a full set of Packard Merlin engines for $45 a piece. Over 30 years of hard work and dedication has brought this magnificent machine back to taxiable condition, one of only four Lancaster's on earth able to do so. Power is delivered from a quartet of Packard built Rolls Royce Merlin XX's delivering 1280hp each. This Lancaster is dedicated to Squadron Leader Ian Willoughby Bazalgette, VC, DFC who became Alberta's only Victoria Cross recipient for attempting to save the lives of his wounded crew over France flying an identically marked Lancaster. Enjoy the sound of history revived withall four engines running in chorus. Filmed at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada, Nanton, Alberta.
Song: Collapse and Rescue
Artist: Steve Jablonsky
Album: Steamboy (Original Soundtrack)
Song: See You Later (ft. Fireproof Babies, Bmccosar)
Artist: Pitx
Album: ccMixter
Song: Serenity
Artist: David Newman & Hollywood Studio Symphony
Album: Serenity (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

[@torontocpl]

Living’s in Hamilton for a few years..
I would always seen the old girl flying over our heads ..
Cheers from HudsonBay 🇨🇦

[@Rainhill1829]

Thanks so much!

[@robertheinkel6225]

That engine run is music to my ears.

[@Rainhill1829]

Beautiful, eh.

[@fidgetingshadows5237]

Sweet!

[@markorollo.]

I've just commented on another of your videos, but I don't mind repeating it lol, I live in Chadderton, Oldham, in the UK, about a mile from a factory that Avro used to own where they built a lot of Lancaster's.

[@Rainhill1829]

Thats amazing! They must have turned out a fair number in their time.

[@markorollo.]

@@Rainhill1829 over 7000 in total, i think the factory near me built about half of them or just under

[@Rainhill1829]

@@markorollo. Here in Canada we only turned out just over 400 of them, this one included, despite not having to deal with the Luftwaffe every night.

[@markorollo.]

@@Rainhill1829 that's something I've never really known, how heavy the bombing was round where I live, I did read that the factory got bombed once. I also read that they considered building a runway near here but decided not to, I wish they had.

[@Rainhill1829]

@@markorollo. That would have been really helpful back then, but they probably didn’t want to attract attention to themselves since runways were magnets for marauding enemy bombers. It must have been a busy place with all the parts and pieces arriving from the shadow factories.

[@eldonwilson8495]

Is this the same plane that was perched ontop of a column for yrs along side the highway

[@Rainhill1829]

That's the one! They have spent over 20 years meticulously restoring her to near fully operational status.

[@Spartan375X]

Is it still capable of flying if given the chance?

[@Rainhill1829]

The general consensus is yes, it is still capable of handling flight stresses, it actually entered preservation in 1960 still in flyable condition. The airframe has been thoroughly surveyed and found to be in very good shape, if given the required work it could potentially take to the air again