As there is a frenzy of interest about Canadian Lancaster bombers in the UK at the moment; I thought I would share with the forum an oil painting that I have finished today. It is 36"x 24" painted in oil on canvas and took 79 days to complete which sadly is about the length of time that the depicted airframe survived. It is a 432 (Leaside) Sqn RCAF aircraft that was based in 1943 at RAF East Moor, a satellite of Linton on Ouse near York. The Sqn operated the type for just six months having upgraded from Wellingtons and in turn Halifax BIII.
I have enjoyed working on this composition and many people have learned about the radial engined BII Lancaster by watching the creative process on internet forums. 301 examples of the type were built and 60% lost. The availbility of US manafactured Packard Merlin engines cut short the second production run, yet the aircraft could carry a larger bomb load further and faster albeit at lower altitude than the Merlin engined examples. Being air cooled, it was also less vulnerable to flak or fighter damage as there were no cooling lines to depend upon.
If the image cannot be seen, try
www.aeroartist.com/lancaster.htm