# Avro Lancaster PA474 1975



## Gary_Lewis (May 10, 2022)

As a keen aviation photographer for over 45 years starting in the 1970's I mainly used either Kodak or Agfa 35 mm colour slide film. A recent decision to digitally convert/transfer the best of many thousands taken has meant going through box after box of slides and its proved to be a real trip down memory lane.
The very first photos taken were of Lancaster PA474 , an aircraft I have never got tired of seeing / hearing and photographing.
These pictures were taken at the RAF Gaydon Air Display on the 17th August 1975 and as you can see my early photographic efforts weren't particularly anything to write home about, as at 16 years of age l still had a bit of height to gain, but they were the 'First of Many" so are rather special to me and they do flag up a number of interesting points including the lack of the mid upper turret. The pilot on the day I think was Ken Sneller with "Jacko" Jackson as Co-pilot... what a sight and sound it was being that close... I have been hooked ever since".
Shown too is a photo of the front cover for the book 'Veteran and Vintage Aircraft' by Leslie Hunt published in 1974. It shows PA over-flying a Shuttleworth display at Old Warden around 1973, any ideas at what height we are looking at there? Barnes Wallis' bouncing bomb was dropped at 60ft I believe. Has PA ever been photographed lower?.

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## Wurger (May 10, 2022)



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## Gary_Lewis (May 12, 2022)

Wurger said:


>


🙂


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## Jeff Hunt (May 12, 2022)

Wicked....... keep them coming. I always like taking a peak in the background as well as many times the background aircraft are real gems too!

Thanks for these...

Jeff

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## Crimea_River (May 12, 2022)

Good shots. Lancaster wingspan was 102 feet so going by that, it looks to be flying at around 50 to 60 feet.


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## Gary_Lewis (May 13, 2022)

Jeff Hunt said:


> Wicked....... keep them coming. I always like taking a peak in the background as well as many times the background aircraft are real gems too!
> 
> Thanks for these...
> 
> Jeff



Good to hear from you Jeff (Canada? you have the other airworthy Lancaster) and yes l would agree that often the background in photos can be just as interesting as the featured foreground , so will sort out a selection of slides for you with that in mind. In the meantime, you may have caught a 'glimpse' of a number of aircraft on the RAF Gaydon Lancaster slides...one being a RAF F4 Phantom, so thought you may like to the complete aircraft...note the British Leyland Mini car in the photo too...and the people watching the air show from the control tower.

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## Gary_Lewis (May 13, 2022)

Crimea_River said:


> Good shots. Lancaster wingspan was 102 feet so going by that, it looks to be flying at around 50 to 60 feet.



Appreciate the feedback, think you're right regards the Lancaster being at around 60ft...how it must have looked approaching the dams during the raid (anniversary coming up soon 16-17 May) amazing flying at night too.

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## Airframes (May 13, 2022)

Ah, 1970's and 1980's air shows, when the RAF provided numerous types for display - great days !
Interesting snippet re the Dams raid. When they filmed the 1955 movie "The Dam Busters", the Lancs flew at 60 feet, but on screen this looked much higher, so the scenes were re-shot - with the Lancs at 30 feet !!!

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## Jeff Hunt (May 13, 2022)

Gary_Lewis said:


> Good to hear from you Jeff (Canada? you have the other airworthy Lancaster) and yes l would agree that often the background in photos can be just as interesting as the featured foreground , so will sort out a selection of slides for you with that in mind. In the meantime, you may have caught a 'glimpse' of a number of aircraft on the RAF Gaydon Lancaster slides...one being a RAF F4 Phantom, so thought you may like to the complete aircraft...note the British Leyland Mini car in the photo too...and the people watching the air show from the control tower.
> 
> View attachment 668325


That " other Lanc" is based 40 minutes south of where I live.

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## Jeff Hunt (May 13, 2022)

Airframes said:


> Ah, 1970's and 1980's air shows, when the RAF provided numerous types for display - great days !
> Interesting snippet re the Dams raid. When they filmed the 1955 movie "The Dam Busters", the Lancs flew at 60 feet, but on screen this looked much higher, so the scenes were re-shot - with the Lancs at 30 feet !!!


The 70s and 80's were golden years for airshows as far as I am concerned. Multiple types in colourful schemes... no where near the restrictions of today. Makes a guy tear up thinking back.

Cheers

Jeff

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## Gnomey (May 14, 2022)

Cool shots!

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## Gary_Lewis (May 15, 2022)

Jeff Hunt said:


> That " other Lanc" is based 40 minutes south of where I live.


Hi Jeff
Forgot to mention I have produced a number of aviation related videos over the years. I have attached a couple below that you may enjoy watching, The History of Elmdon Airport (with a Lancaster connection) and a video celebrating 100 Years of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
More can be found on my channel 🙂





Will also sort out some more slides soon.


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## Gary_Lewis (May 19, 2022)

Airframes said:


> Ah, 1970's and 1980's air shows, when the RAF provided numerous types for display - great days !
> Interesting snippet re the Dams raid. When they filmed the 1955 movie "The Dam Busters", the Lancs flew at 60 feet, but on screen this looked much higher, so the scenes were re-shot - with the Lancs at 30 feet !!!





Jeff Hunt said:


> The 70s and 80's were golden years for airshows as far as I am concerned. Multiple types in colourful schemes... no where near the restrictions of today. Makes a guy tear up thinking back.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Jeff



Yes, certainly nowhere near as many types at any of the displays these days. 
Dug out a few more you both may like, 1979 RAF Greenham Common (if my memory serves me correctly)

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## Wurger (May 19, 2022)



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## Airframes (May 19, 2022)

Nice !

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## Jeff Hunt (May 19, 2022)

Otstanding lineup headed by the Tiger Meet Canadian 104!

Cheers

Jeff

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## Gnomey (May 20, 2022)

Good stuff!

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## nuuumannn (Jun 4, 2022)

Gary_Lewis said:


> These pictures were taken at the RAF Gaydon Air Display on the 17th August 1975 and as you can see my early photographic efforts weren't particularly anything to write home about, as at 16 years of age l still had a bit of height to gain, but they were the 'First of Many" so are rather special to me and they do flag up a number of interesting points including the lack of the mid upper turret.



Interesting to see, Gary and I enjoyed your take on Elmdon Airport, too. You are probably aware that PA474's mid-upper turret came from a rather unlikely source, being gifted to the RAF by the Argentine Air Force, the turret coming from FAA (Fuerza Aerea Argentina) Lancaster B-038 and was fitted to PA474 in 1976. Keep up with posting your airshow pictures.

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## Gary_Lewis (Jun 27, 2022)

nuuumannn said:


> Interesting to see, Gary and I enjoyed your take on Elmdon Airport, too. You are probably aware that PA474's mid-upper turret came from a rather unlikely source, being gifted to the RAF by the Argentine Air Force, the turret coming from FAA (Fuerza Aerea Argentina) Lancaster B-038 and was fitted to PA474 in 1976. Keep up with posting your airshow pictures.


Sorry for the delay in replying, been working on a new video about the Hawker Typhoon and Hunter. Pleased you enjoyed my video on Elmdon Airport, will post a few more old airshow photos soon...in the mean time try this one, Greenham Commom International Air Tatoo, but what's the year? Going on some of the cars parked on the airfield that are now 'classics' l would say late 1970's early 1980's ?...to this day l still can't remember how l got up there to take the photo in the first place.

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## nuuumannn (Jun 27, 2022)

Gary_Lewis said:


> in the mean time try this one, Greenham Commom International Air Tatoo, but what's the year? Going on some of the cars parked on the airfield that are now 'classics' l would say late 1970's early 1980's ?...to this day l still can't remember how l got up there to take the photo in the first place.



Doing a wee bit of net browsing, it's almost certain that your pic was taken in 1979 at the C-130 25th Anniversary airshow. You can see Snoopy, the WC-130 with the red and white striped proboscis third in line in your picture, between the Danish AF C-130 this side of it and the USAF LC-130 behind it. Here's a photo thread on another forum with a line up of Hercs at this event and the photographer looks like he's posted them in order of taking them, the WC-130 between the two mentioned around three quarters of the way down...



1979 Greenham Common C-130 25th - FighterControl

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