History of aircraft flown by Leslie Davies and crew

History of aircraft flown by Leslie Davies and crew

States that the crew flew operationally on no fewer than six Lancaster aircraft. Mentions operations along with aircraft flown on them and some of aircraft's subsequent history and where they were built.

Three page printed document

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MDaviesLA1581024-160428-03

THE AIRCRAFT
Throughout their tour of operations the crew flew
Mk 1 Lancasters. Photographs, a cut-away diagram
and description of this redoubtable aeroplane
follow. A wealth of reading is available in relation
to the "Lane". I will focus my attention on the
actual aircraft flown by the crew.
I had always understood "Dad's aeroplane" to
have been Victor Nan Fox, or VN-F, VN
designating 50 Squadron and F denoting the
individual aeroplane within the squadron. Perusal
of Leslie' s log book, and the Pilot's Reports, and
study of Appendix C of Francis Mason's book
"The A vro Lancaster" reveals that in fact the crew
flew operationally in no fewer than six aircraft. It
has to be said that there are legibility and accuracy
issues within the records. Some of the aircraft
numbers in the records are plainly wrong, but doing
the best I can ...
a) On their first raid, on Flushing in the
Netherlands, the crew flew VN-K, serial
number LM234. This aircraft was built by
Armstrong Whitworth in Coventry, and was to
be lost on the night of 14th/15th January 1945 in
a raid on Merseberg.
b) On their second raid, also on Flushing, the
aircraft was VN-B, serial number LM236.This

was from the same batch as VN-K, and
survived the war, being "struck off charge" in
May 1947.
c) Nine raids were flown in VN -A, serial number
PD316, built by Metropolitan Vickers in
Manchester, and lost in a raid on Ladbergen on
7th/8th February 1945
d)One raid (on 5th/6th January 1945) was flown in
VN - L, serial number N G 177. It had been built
by Armstrong Whitworth in Coventry, and was
lost over Lutzkendorf on 14th/15th March 1945.
e) The remaining raids were carried out in aircraft
designated VN - F, the first bearing serial
number NF918 (another Coventry built craft)
and the second SW264 (built in Manchester).
Pilot Fred J ones reports that after the events of
14th January 1945, when NF918 sustained
considerable damage, the crew were allocated
a new Lancaster (SW264), although only after
a much repaired NF918 had borne the crew on
two further raids. NF918 was to be lost on a
raid on Bohlen on 5th/6th March 1945
following allocation to another crew. The
report in respect of this aircraft, flown then by
F/O King and crew, reads "Aircraft missing.
No news after take-off'. S W264 was, along
with her crew, to survive the war.

It will be seen that of the six aircraft flown by the
crew only two outlived the conflict. Two of the
four lost aircraft were lost on operations
involving the crew, flying other aircraft.