Iconic WW2 bomber returned to the Australian War memorial

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The fuselage of an iconic Lancaster bomber so successful during World War two it earned the nickname "lucky" has been returned to the Australian war memorial in Canberra. "G for George" has been in storage for the past five years while the memorial has been undergoing a significant redevelopment.

Transcript

00:00Coming out of storage, G4George is returning to its home at the Australian War Memorial.

00:08Hundreds came out to see the aircraft's fuselage glide by.

00:12Of all the moments this morning, the most powerful moment for me was when school children spontaneously applauded

00:18as she came around the roundabout in front of the Australian War Memorial.

00:21And it just reminded me, the first time I saw George I was 10 years old.

00:25And they'll have that memory now forever.

00:27Murray Vogt, whose father Brian flew in the aircraft squadron, was among those watching on.

00:32It reminds us of the service of Dad and all of his friends and mates who helped to defend Australia.

00:38The Lancaster Bomber is one of the Memorial's most beloved and well-known exhibits.

00:42It carried out 89 missions over Germany and occupied Europe during the Second World War, becoming known as the Lucky Bomber.

00:50There are no casualties amongst the air crews flying on George itself,

00:54but over 80 of the aircrew who flew G4George were later killed on operations flying in other Lancasters and other squadrons.

01:02Nearly 10,000 Australians served in Bomber Command. More than 4,000 lost their lives.

01:07Through this magnificent Lancaster, we get to tell their stories because they've all passed now.

01:12So for me, it's a very, very powerful moment. It's an historic moment.

01:17Dozens of more parts of G4George will be brought here to the War Memorial's new Anzac Hall.

01:22She will then be reassembled and the public will be able to view her from next year.

01:26What we're very, very keen to do is always tell the stories of the people behind those objects,

01:31because after all they are real Australians and their stories are really worthy of telling in a museum context.

01:39Coming into land one final time.

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