If you are thinking about visiting the Aviation Heritage Museum why not maximise the experience and take a guided tour of the Museum’s World War II vintage Lancaster heavy bomber.
Perth is the only place in the world where you can explore the interior of this iconic aircraft. Your visit will include a one-on-one tour of the aircraft with one of the Museum’s experienced and knowledgeable guides.
After a walk around the Lancaster, where the details of the aircraft and its history, specifications, and role in the bombing offensive will be explained, you will be taken into the aircraft and have the opportunity to explore the various crew positions, including experiencing the isolation felt by ‘tail-end Charlie’, the air gunner in the rear turret.
After passing under the ventral gun turret position (which gives some excellent photo opportunities), and climbing over the main wing spar, you will be able to visit the radio operator’s position and examine the receiver/ transmitter radios and the ‘fishpond’ radar capable of picking up aircraft beneath the plane.
Then on to the navigator’s position where you can appreciate the complexity of keeping the aircraft on course to and from the target before GPS technology.
The highlight of the visit will be the chance to sit in the left-hand Captain’s seat next to the Flight Engineer’s position, (no co-pilots in the Lancaster) and have explained the complexity of the cockpit instruments necessary for the operation of the aircraft in wartime. From the cockpit you can look down into the bombardier/ front gunner’s position, here the very advanced (for its time) Mark XIV bomb-sight is located.
An excellent way to complete the Lancaster experience would be to try the Bomber Command Virtual Reality experience of the bombing mission to Berlin in 1943 in a Lancaster. This includes the take-off from a base in Nottinghamshire, passing over the English and Dutch coast where you encounter the first flak, then on to a fiercely burning Berlin, which however is capable of defending itself with a mixture of searchlights, anti-aircraft fire, and night fighters, the bomb load is dropped, then experience the relief as you head for home.
The Aviation Heritage Museum guides are excited to take you through this unique experience, so please get in touch to find out more about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity along with other fantastic tours available here in Perth.
To find out more about all the tours on offer visit our Tours and Experiences page, or call the Aviation Heritage Museum on (08) 9311 4470.
