The Avro Lancaster was the RAF’s most famous heavy bomber in WW2 and entered service in 1942. More than 7,300 aircraft were built for the Royal Air Force Bomber Command. One of the RAF’s most important targets was the destruction of the Ruhr Valley dams, which supplied power to important industrial plants. To effectively hit resistant targets such as dams or reservoirs, a dam-busting rotary bomb was developed, better known as a bouncing bomb. A new unit was set up specifically for this attack, the 617th Squadron, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Guy Gibson. Code-named Operation Chastise, this attack took place with 19 Lancaster bombers on the night of 16-17 May 1943. The first two dams – Möhne and Eder – were successfully destroyed, while the other two, Ennepe and Sorpe, withstood the attack.

• Fuselage centre section to accommodate the special bomb
• Detailed rotating bomb with suspension
• Detailed surfaces with recessed sheet metal joints
• Detailed cockpit with instrument panel and side panels
• Navigator and radio operator room
• 2 rotating MG turrets
• Cockpit glazing with various add-on designs
• Detailed Merlin engine
• Main landing gear bay with separate side struts
• Detailed main landing gear
• Movable propellers
• 2 different propeller blades

Decal with 1 RAF version:

• Avro Lancaster B.Mk.III (Special) No.617 Squadron, Royal Air Force, May 1943

• Scale: 1:72
• Age recommendation: 10+
• Number of parts: 224
• Length: 295 mm
• Wingspan: 428 mm