Lancaster wartime record

[County1884]

Hi Chaps
I'm trying to research a particular Lancasters wartime history i.e sorties it flew etc. I know it survived the war and was scrapped two years later but that's all, I only have the registration/ serial number number, Where can I find out this info?
Thanks
Darren

[NAM Updater]

There are several books / online sources that you can follow; which aircraft was it?

Even a simple online search might yield a lot of detail.

[iainpeden]

Public Records Office at Kew or the RAF museum at Hendon might help.

[Brevet Cable]

Probably be better to ask the question on another forum : http://forum.keypublishing.com/

[County1884]

The aircraft I'm trying to trace the history for is Lancaster ME 362, It was based at Conningsby for some time during the war but I know little else.

[County1884]

Thanks Guys
Is there any way I can find out the squadron from just the registration? Once I have the squadron I can find the operational history from Kew...

[NAM Updater]

A quick search reveals the following to get you started.

ME362 - Lancaster Mk. III that served with:
35 Sqn
467 Sqn
53 Sqn
97 Sqn
Sold for scrap 5/2/45. Source http://www.adf-serials.com.au/lancaster.htm

You could then start refining your search using the different Squadron Association sites e.g.

http://www.97squadronassociation.co.uk/ ... all-signs/

Another thought - it is likely to have been at RAF Coningsby with 97 Squadron (please ignore the previous date suggestion, this Mk of Lancaster is more likely to have been there post April 1944, after 617 Sqn moved out.)

[County1884]

NAM thanks so much for your help, Now I've got the details of the Squadrons I can check with Kew.

[NAM Updater]

Please see amended date info in my previous post - good luck with the search.

97 Squadron Association may also have a copy of the Squadron ORB.

[County1884]

NAM I think I have been able to help 97 Sqn aswell, They have ME362 listed on their site but are unsure what call sign it wore, I have several photos of ME362 so have been able to confirm it wore OF-F, So thanks to you it's turning out to be a useful exercise all round

[NAM Updater]

That's good to hear - it's always nice when lots of people / organisations benefit.

I have been closely involved with another Lancaster III, ME846, which was with 619 Squadron - the crew flying the aircraft when it was lost over Northern Belgium in June 1944 trained at RAF Winthorpe, where the museum is based.

Good luck with your enquiries.

[nacl1]

Just a little bit more information, according to Bruce Robertson, ME362 originally went to 32MU, then 35, 467, 83 and 97 sqdns, and ended up at 9MU in July 1946. It was scrapped February 1947. Robertson records that it was one of a mixed batch of 200 B.I and B.III aircraft ordered May 1942 from A.V.Roe (Yeadon), and delivered over a period Oct 1944 to March 1945, and would have been fitted with Merlin 38 engines.

Air Britain records only the squadron use, 35, 467, 83 and 97, as above, and they also record the "sold as scrap" date as 5th February 1947.

Regards

Graham Salt

[County1884]

thanks very much for the extra info Graham, much appreciated