List of surviving Avro Lancasters


The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engine heavy bomber used by the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces during World War II. Of the 7,377 aircraft built, 3,736 were lost during the War. Today 17 remain in complete form, two of which are airworthy, and eight of which are in Canada. Only four of the surviving 17 – KB839, KB882, R5868, and W4783 – flew operational sorties over Continental Europe during the War.

Surviving aircraft

Surviving aircraft by manufacturer

Surviving aircraft

Known wrecks

In addition to the 17 complete surviving planes, there are a small number of known complete or near-complete Lancaster wrecks.
SerialLocationCoordinatesHistoryPhoto
DV202Built by Metropolitan-Vickers as Mk.III. Served with 44 Squadron as KM-Z. Shot down by night fighter using Schräge Musik upward firing cannon on 17th/18th August 1943 on a raid against Peenemünde V2 rocket development facility and crashed in the small lake Kolpiensee in the target area. The wreckage remains undisturbed and visible just short of the threshold of Peenemünde Airport. Some parts, including an engine, were recovered and are on display at the Historisch-Technisches Museum Peenemünde.
FM221Built by Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. Crashed on takeoff in 1950. Wreckage remains in situ but has severely deteriorated due to a combination of extreme weather, souvenir hunters and bulldozing of the wreckage after the crash.
KB965Flown to England and issued to 405 Squadron, returned to Canada on 17 June 1945. Crashed on 31 July 1950 during the establishment of the weather station at Alert, Nunavut, killing all 9 on board. The tail of the aircraft along with much of the wing and all four engines is visible today 500 metres south of the main station complex.
KB999 Built by Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ontario as Mk. X. It was the 300th Canadian-built Lancaster and the final build of the first order of Victory planes. At the factory the plane was named "Malton Mike" after Air Vice Marshal Clifford "Black Mike" McEwen, and given nose art by Albert "Muff" Mills. Flown to England and assigned to 419 Squadron as VR-M. Did not fly any sorties. Reassigned to 405 Squadron as LQ-M for return to Canada that June. In 1950 converted to Mk. 10MR. On 22 August 1953 flew with 408 Squadron from RCAF Rockcliffe to HMC NRS Churchill, but after getting lost during an electrical storm ditched in a lake west of what is now Arviat, Nunavut. Wreck remains in situ but has been broken up by ice action.
NF920Built by Armstrong Whitworth as Mk. I. Served with 617 Squadron as KC-E. It was damaged by flak attacking the Tirpitz during Operation Obviate in October 1944 and was forced to make an emergency landing near Porjus in Norrbottens län in the north of Sweden. The crew unsuccessfully attempted to burn the aircraft; the wreckage still lies in situ. NF920 is the only surviving Lancaster to have flown with 617 "Dambuster" Squadron. A group is currently raising funds to recover the wreckage from its site and return the plane to Britain.