In celebration of the Canadian-built Lancaster with the most combat missions in WWII, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is temporarily marking their Avro Lancaster B.X in the colors of the 419 Squadron (RCAF) KB732. Known as X-Terminator by her crew, and coded VR-X, she flew 84 ops. over enemy territory, the most by any Canadian Lancaster. The Canadian Warplane Heritage museum currently operates FM213, the only flying Avro Lancaster outside of the UK, and has flown her in the colors of another 419 Squadron Lancaster coded VR-A since she debuted on the air show circuit in the late 1980s, so it shouldn’t be too big a stretch to change her code letter, serial number and add the nose art. She will wear these markings for just one day though, so if you want to see X-Terminator in the flesh, you will have to be at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario on July 11th!
The museum will be open from 9am to 5pm, with normal admission rates applying. However, all adult and senior tickets will be eligible for a chance to win Museum Membership, and potentially a Bomber Membership Upgrade. The Bomber Membership Upgrade will entitle you to a flight in the Lancaster that day!!! Selection will take place with a lottery drawing at 2pm, with the flight scheduled to take place at 4pm that afternoon. The winner, of course, must be present at the ticket draw in order to qualify. Tours inside the Lancaster will be available for a minimum CAN$5 donation from 9am up until the 2pm draw.
The Museum is keen to have as many Lancaster crew Veterans present as will as well. Lancaster veterans will receive FREE admission for themselves and two guests. Contact Erin Napier at 905-6794183 ext. 245 or [email protected] to receive VIP parking.
For a fascinating description of X-Terminator’s history, please visit the Bomber Command Museum of Canada’s website HERE. The Bomber Command Museum of Canada also has a Canadian-built Lancaster B.X in their collection, FM159, which they have lovingly restored to ground-running condition.
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
Contrary to your article, The Lancaster Bomber, restored by the Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, was built in Canada in 1945, and therefore saw no war service.
That is not what the article says… It is being MARKED as one that did…. just for one day.
Interestingly though, the center section of FM213 is actually from a combat veteran Lancaster. The center section was from KB895 which saw quite a number of ops over Germany. The RCAF replaced FM213’s original center section with KB895’s because of a heavy landing in 1952.
Great article. Just to say that Wangerooge is part of Germany, not the Netherlands (Holland in your article) . Kindest Regards
Many thanks for the correction!