The restoration of the Lancaster bomber in Windsor, Ontario, is nearing completion. The project team is aiming for an April 2024 date for the reassembly of the historic World War II-era fighter aircraft.
“We have most of the parts we need to complete the aircraft, probably 98 percent,” said Don Christopher, president of the Canadian Aviation Museum and leader of the restoration project.
Christopher expects the completion of the project to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
“With so few of these aircraft left in the world, it was a real honor to be able to work on a model that was legendary in World War II,” said Kevin Davies, who painted the plane and has worked on the project since it was taken down from its pedestal in Jackson Park in 2005. Davies said about 60 percent of the plane still needs to be painted.
The Aviation Museum is still working with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department on a plan to house the bomber.
“We have not yet had the final discussions at this point, but we would like to start discussions to examine the long-term possibility of a public exhibition,” said Michelle Staadegaarde, the city’s head of culture and events.
Christopher said if the plane had to stay in the current hangar, which now houses the Aviation Museum, it would not fit through the hangar doors and would therefore have to remain inside at all times.
Costs, project schedule
The project was supposed to take ten years to complete, but Christopher admits it ended up taking almost twice as long.
Christopher said the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the project’s progress. Davies said it has been difficult to source parts and retain volunteers, which has also slowed things down.
So far, about $1.5 million has been spent on the restoration. Much of the aircraft has been fully restored and some parts have been replaced. Christopher estimates that about $500,000 more still needs to be spent.
The city contributed $850,000 and the restoration group, which consists mostly of volunteers, raised $750,000.
Christopher said the plane is being made airworthy again, but an actual flight is too expensive, so there are no plans to send it into the air.
He said just filling the fuel tanks with enough fuel for ten hours of flight would cost about $25,000.
