A Flying Tribute with Roots Close to Home

Buckingham Palace fly over of the Lancaster Bomber PA474 – will take place at 1:45pm.

A Flying Tribute with Roots Close to Home.

As the nation prepares to mark 80 years since VE Day, one of the most stirring sights will be the majestic Lancaster bomber PA474 soaring over Buckingham Palace on Monday, May 5th — a centrepiece of the commemorative flypast honouring the heroes of World War II.

This aircraft isn’t just a symbol of our shared history — it has a story of resilience, service and remembrance.

Built in 1945, PA474 by Vickers-Armstrongs, Chester, was completed too late to fly in wartime combat. But in the decades since, it has become a flying memorial to over 55,573 aircrew of Bomber Command who never came home. Now operated by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, PA474 is one of only two airworthy Lancasters left in the world — and the only one flying in Europe.

For the people of Oldham and Chadderton, this moment in the skies carries added pride. During WWII, the Avro factory at Greengate in Chadderton was one of the key sites where Lancaster bombers were built, with the works social club the Lancaster Club at Failsworth named in the aircraft’s honour. Thousands of local workers — many of them women — played a vital role in producing the very aircraft that helped turn the tide of the war.

Their contribution is stitched into every rivet and wing of the Lancaster legacy.

So when PA474 passes overhead this bank holiday, it won’t just be a national symbol — it will be a powerful reminder of the role our community played in securing victory. From the factory floor to the frontlines, Chadderton’s story is forever part of the Lancaster’s.

Let’s honour their memory, their courage — and the peace they fought to protect.

There is a great film on British Pathe of Lancaster being built at Chadderton in 1942 here https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/137335