There's an amusing incident recorded of a 'Grand Slam' bomber returning low on fuel and requesting permission to land at Manston in Kent to re-fuel with 'a bomb still on board'. Permission was granted by the Manston controller who assumed that it was a normal Lancaster with a 'hang-up' ( of a 500-pounder or similar ).

With the aircraft parked , the Controller asked the size of the bomb. '22,000 pounds' said the weary pilot - the reaction of the Manston people is best left to the imagination......

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Hmmm, it would have been Very bad if the Lanc Was damged and the undercarrige failed to work....BOOM!

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"One might as well try to charge at a wall."-Napoleon, regarding the British Infantry.

Good Story on 617 Group Captain Faquier at
John E. Fauquier
- has a photo of a Lanc dropping a "special stores" (Grand Slam)

Gazzette info on his three awards at: Distinguished Flying Cross - No

From "RCAF Personnel - Honours and Awards - 1939-1949"

Good memorial to Wing Commander Tait who passed away last september: Group Captain Willie “Tirpitz” Tait has died. - Aircraft of World War II - Warbird Forums

Also: Good informative links list at:
Other Related Canadian Military Aviation Sites

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Stepson of Arthur Ellison Sovereign:
RCAF Navigator: Lancasters and Wellingtons,
Bomber Command, WW2

Named after Fred Sutherland of the Dambusters.

Has anyone read the book A HELL OF A BOMB: How The Bombs of Barnes Wallis Helped With The Second World War by Stephen Flower ?

I've read the book Barnes Wallis' Bombs: Tallboy, Dambuster and Grand Slam by Stephen Flower & wonder if it the same book , but just updated ?

Yes - I have copies of both. 'A Hell Of A Bomb' was first on the market ( in paperback only, I think ). It had quite a limited print-run.

'Barnes' Wallis Bombs' was published a couple of years later in hardback. It's almost exactly the same content but one or two minor corrections were made, and the reproduction quality of photos is much nicer in the hardback.

Again, well-worth getting in either version and essential reading for anyone with an interest in the subject !

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Thanks for that Martin

Got also a copy of the " A hell of a bomb". Excellent book!

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I thought you all may enjoy this story of a diverted Lanc turning up unexpectedly at RAF Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. Home of 21 OTU and my hometown.
There is an excellent little museum in the town run by Gerry Tyack dedicated to the Vickers Wellington. Wellington aviation museum well worth a visit.
Anyway on his website is a history of RAF Moreton-in-Marsh where this story involving this unusual arrival appears. Cpl. Foote's fright

I will point out to our American friends that NO American bomber aircraft of ww2 vintage could even come close to the load carrying ability of the AVRO Lancaster. With a 33 foot long bomb bay and it's long range, it was the premier bomber of the era.

As has been mentioned, to carry the Grand Slam, modifications were needed, but on a regular night's work the bomb load for a Lancaster ( depending on distance to the target ) could be 12 to 14 thousand lbs of mixed bomb types. Please do some research and see what the typical USAAF bomb load in Europe was, for a comparision.

A further point.........The Lancaster was able, while fully loaded, to fly evasive maneuvers that would have torn the wings off a B19 B24 or B29. Ask a Lancaster veteran about " corkscrew " and see what he says ?

Jim Bunting. Toronto.

Jim,

We are aware of the load carrying abilities and the dimensions of the bomb bay of a Lancaster. I am not aware of any regular, respected member of this forum, of any nationality, that will offer arguement to the contrary.

Research on the typical bomb load will not be necessary, as it has been discussed innumerable times

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Best Regards,
Not Slipdigit

A B29 was tested carrying a Grand Slam after the war