Lancaster
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Media
Lancaster
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Media
Canadian Built Avro Lancasters
Aircraft of Bomber Command
Corporal George William Billyard was "mentioned in dispatches" regarding KB762 as follows:
Corporal Billyard is to be highly commended for his work in connection with the investigation of crashed aircraft Lancaster X KB762 of 419 Squadron. This aircraft was being flown on a training flight on April 23rd. The pilot had some difficulty in lowering the undercarriage and used the emergency air lowering system. After landing and while the aircraft was being taxied to the hangar the undercarriage suddenly collapsed without warning, damaging the aircraft beyond repair (Cat. E.1) and causing injury to the Flight Engineer.
Corporal Billyard established the fact that aircraft undercarriage is still operative with the use of the hydraulic system in spite of the use of the emergency air system on Lancaster X aircraft, thereby bringing to light an amendment to existing Pilots' Instruction that will result in the saving of lives and aircraft on "loaded" forced landings.
On the basis of Corporal Billyard's findings, recommendations have been made to higher authority that the instructions to Lancaster pilots be amended to prevent recurrence of this accident.