Historic Lancaster plane flies into Winnipeg

A piece of aviation history is on display Wednesday in Winnipeg.

The Mynarski Memorial Lancaster arrived at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada on Tuesday, and will be available for people to tour Wednesday.

The tours will run from 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., with the plane being available to observe from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Tours are on a first-come, first-served basis, and tickets are recommended for purchase.

Tickets are available online.

The Mynarski Memorial Lancaster is one of two Lancaster planes still airworthy in the world. It is owned and operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.

It is named after Winnipeg’s Andrew Mynarski, a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross for trying to save the life of a tail gunner in 1944 after their plane was shot down by a German night fighter.

Al Mickeloff, marketing manager with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, said the plane is touring to help mark the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

"We haven’t taken this aircraft on tour for 10 years now, and we thought it was a good time to do so," he said. "The Lancaster is a significant aircraft in the Royal Canadian Air Force’s history, so we thought we’d take it on a tour of Western Canada and the U.S."

Mickeloff said the Lancaster flies roughly 50 hours a year to ensure it continues to run smoothly. A pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and one additional crew member operate the plane.

"It’s an overload on the senses," he said. "It’s loud, it shakes. There’s a great aroma from the exhaust, that’s what you feel from it. But there’s also the emotional side.

"You’re thinking about a 19-year-old kid who had to fly these off to war, and that’s another thing you have to consider when you’re in the aircraft flying in."

The plane moves on to Saskatoon after its stop in Winnipeg.