The Alberta Aviation Museum needs your help to relocate & restore Avro Lancaster KB882 to fully operational condition. KB882 Needs YOU!
Avro Lancaster Mk.X KB882, production number 37183, rolled out of Victory Aircraft Limited in Malton, Ontario, Canada on November 3, 1944.
Our target funding amount of $88,244.00 symbolizes KB882’s construction date in 1944. These funds will be used by the Alberta Aviation Museum to relocate our Avro Lancaster from New Brunswick to Alberta – a distance of over 4,200 kilometers or 2,600+ miles!
KB882 is a National Treasure – an example of Canadian engineering, manufacturing and determination to do whatever it took for “King and Country”.
One of 430 Mk.X models built in Canada, and 1 of 7,377 produced during the war years, it is now 1 of only 17 known complete Avro Lancaster’s to survive Worldwide.
Within this exclusive club of survivors, KB882 is 1 of only 4 remaining Lancaster Bombers that crossed the English Channel in the dark of night taking part in operational service over Occupied Europe. “NA-R” and her crew of young men from 428 “Ghost” Squadron flew eleven operational sorties, “because they had a job to do” for Freedom, Liberation and Victory In Europe. KB882’s crews served with RCAF Group 6 Bomber Command, RAF Station Middleton St. George.
The personnel of the Squadron knew the war in Europe was almost over and they would soon be going home. This happened in early June 1945 when the aircrew of 428 Squadron started flying back to Canada, taking two lucky ground-crew with them in each aircraft. The route was to the Azores, and after a day of rest, on to Gander. From there they flew to Yarmouth. Before they could fly back, aircraft had to be selected. As the aircraft used by the RCAF in Europe did not belong to the RCAF, the Lancaster’s that were to be flown back to Canada had to be transferred to Canadian ownership. These aircraft were to be used for “Tiger Force”, Canada’s contribution to the planned bombing campaign against Japan. For this purpose, those aircraft with the fewest flying hours were chosen. KB882 was transferred to Canada on 1 June. Fittingly, it was F/L Ross (standing, second from the right) and his crew with two passengers who flew KB882 back to Canada, arriving in Yarmouth on June 10, 1945.