The Bomber Command Museum of Canada, formerly the Nanton Lancaster Society Museum, is an aviation museum in

Nanton, Alberta Nanton is a town in southern Alberta, Canada. Nanton was named after Sir Augustus Meredith Nanton of Winnipeg (1860–1925) who directed firms which offered financing for farms and ranches throughout the west. It is located south of Calgary at th ...

. The museum opened in 1986 and was founded to protect and restore

Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirlin ...

FM159, one of only 17 remaining in the world. It has since grown to include a large collection of aircraft, many of which were used during the War by the

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), or Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zea ...

. A virtual tour of the museum is availabl
HERE

History

The Nanton Lancaster Society was formed in 1985 with the mission of preserving the town's Avro Lancaster, which had been on outdoor display since 1960. The following year, the society officially began displaying the aircraft as a museum. In 1991 the NLS completed a building to house the plane, and throughout the 1990s the museum acquired a large collection of aircraft to complement the Lancaster. Following the opening of the original building, the museum has expanded in 1998, 2002, and 2007. The museum includes a library, archive, and restoration shop. It is presently working to add second hangar for its collection. Since 1986, the museum's Lancaster has undergone a full restoration, and all four engines are operational, and the aircraft can taxi under it;s own power, one of only 4 similar Lancasters in the world. The Society elected to restore the aircraft using the livery of Lancaster FM-159 (F2-T) "T for Tommy," the Lancaster in which

Ian Bazalgette Squadron Leader Ian Willoughby Bazalgette (19 October 1918 – 4 August 1944) was a Canadian-British pilot in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. On 4 August 1944, while piloting an Avro Lancaster in a pathfinder role, Bazalgette a ...

was killed on 4 August 1944. In 1990 the Society held a dedication ceremony for the aircraft. Among attendees were Mrs. Ethel Broderick, Ian's sister, F2-T crew members Chuck Godfrey and George Turner, as well as 407 Squadron's commanding officer, Colonel Terry Chester. In 2005 the museum dedicated its Bomber Command Memorial, and in 2010 changed its name to the Bomber Command Museum of Canada. In addition to its airplanes and vehicles, the museum has an extensive collection of engines, art, and other related objects.

Projects

Bomber Command Museum continues to develop its collection. Currently, in conjunction with the City of Calgary and the Calgary Mosquito Society, it is restoring Mosquito RS700 for display. Additionally, it is working with

Halifax 57 Rescue The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester. The Halifax has its orig ...

to recover

Handley Page Halifax The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester. The Halifax has its or ...

HR871 from off the coast of

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, which it will restore and display. This would make the museum one of only four in the world to have a Halifax.

Collection

Airplanes

Vehicles

Gallery

File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (70).jpg File:Blenheim at Bomber Command Museum Canada Flickr 8048044872.jpg File:Merlin 224 engine at Bomber Command Museum of Canada Flickr 3242643013.jpg File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (21).jpg File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (88).jpg File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (92).jpg File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (93).jpg File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (47).jpg File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (23).jpg File:Nanton, AB T0L, Canada - panoramio (36).jpg

References

{{Authority control Aerospace museums in Alberta Aviation history of Canada Military and war museums in Canada