"G" George Skippers and crews.  See list on Page 5
.
TOP LEFT.
Flight Lieutenant P. Coldham DFC (and bar) piloted "George" on two occasions. He later served with Pathfinders.

TOP CENTRE.
Flying Officer D. Moodie DFM flew "George" on the famous raid on Peenemunde on August 17, 1943.

LEFT CENTRE.
Flying Officer J. Saint-Smith DFC, DFM was "George's" first captain. He was killed in action on June 29, 1944.

CENTRE.
Flight Sergeant Harry Tickle who was responsible for the maintenance of "George". He said, "When 'George' first came here I did the first initial check over. I've been seeing to it ever since and have taken a personal interest in it. It bears a lot of scars; the flak holes were never counted."

RIGHT.
Flight Sergeant J. Goulevitch DFM, who piloted "George" to Munich on the night of 6 September 1943.

BOTTOM LEFT.
Flying Officer A. McKinnon DFC who flew :"George" on two occasions. He was later killed in a raid on Berlin.

BOTTOM RIGHT.
The Radio Operator, Flying Officer C.H. Tindale DFM in "George" on the flight from England to Australia.

 
"George" comes to Australia.

    As the mainstay of R.A.F. Bomber Command, the Avro Lancasters were responsible for carrying the British offensive directly to the heart of Germany at a time when Britain's land forces were recovering from German victories in Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East. So high was the reputation of the Lancaster that often insufficient recognition was given to the other aircraft types and their equally gallant crews in Bomber Command.
    The Lancaster became a symbol of Britain's will to win the war. Consequently these aircraft played an important role in many of the War Savings campaigns and actual aircraft became an important adjunct to appeals held throughout Britain. In 1942 a Lancaster flew to Montreal, Canada, to stimulate labour recruitment and to serve as a paten for future Canadian Lancaster production. A similar aircraft (ED930) was allocated to promote War Savings in Australia and New Zealand and for use in Department of Aircraft Production trials. This aircraft, named "Q" for Queenie, left Prestwick, Scotland, on 22 May, 1943 and arrived in Australia on 4 June after a flight to Canada, through the U.S.A.  and across the Pacific.
    "Q" for Queenie travelled extensively throughout Australia and proved a popular attraction. However it lacked one important feature -- it did not have an operational history. This could not be said of "G" for George and accordingly on its retirement from active service it was decided that this old war horse should assume "Queenie's" role before eventually joining other historic aircraft in the collection of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
    "George" left No. 460 Squadron's base at Binbrook on 29 May, 1944 to undergo a major overhaul   before undertaking the long flight to Australia. An experienced and much decorated Australian crew was assembled to fly the aircraft out.

                            Captain          Flight Lieutenant      E. A. Hudson DFC (and bar)
                            Engineer         Flying Officer         E. P. Smith DFC
              Navigator        Flying Officer         W. C. Gordon DFC
              Bomb-aimer       Flying Officer         T. V. McCarthy DFC (and bar)
              Wireless Op.     Flying Officer         G. H. Tindale DFM
              Air-gunner       Flying Officer         G. B. Young DFM
              Fitters          Flight Sergeant        H. Tickle
                               Sergeant               K. O. Ower
.
    The aircraft left Prestwick on 11 October, 1944 and flew by stages to Montreal, Canada, then to San Francisco, before crossing the Pacific via. Hawaii, Fiji and New Caledonia. "George" finally landed at the R.A.A.F. Base Amberley, near Brisbane, on 8th November. Two days later the aircraft flew over Brisbane and on to Rockhampton where the welcoming committee was led by the pilot's father and family. In Australia it was placed on the R.A.A.F. register and given serial A66-2, (A66-1 had been allotted to "Queenie") to replace its R.A.F. serial number, W4783.
.

     "G for George" became the main attraction during the Third Victory Loan tour throughout the eastern states. Flight Sergeant Tickle's log-book shows that it visited Nhill, Mount Gambier, Port Pirie, Parafield, Bairnsdale, Benalla, Deniliquin, Temora, Mascot, Tamworth, Archerfield, Maryborough, Bunderberg, Rockhampton, Townsville, Cloncurry, Longreach, Dubbo, Broken Hill, Loxton, Mildura, Ballarat and Essendon. Finally the weary veteran flew to Laverton R.A.A.F. Base in Victoria.
    In July 1945 "George" was finally declared surplus and a few weeks later was flown to Canberra to be held for historical preservation. For the next ten years, this venerable machine stood anchored beside the runway at Fairbairn Airport, Canberra. Gone was the old wartime camouflage, the squadron letters on the side and the proud scoreboard showing 90 wartime sorties. The major internal components were removed by the R.A.A.F.  and the weather and vandals took took of what remained. In 1948 "Queenie" was scrapped and "George's" future looked just as bleak.
    Finally in 1955 the Trustees of the Australian War Memorial decided to place "G for George" in the Memorial's Aeroplane Hall as part of their policy of including relics of the 1939-45 war. Although the Aeroplane Hall had never been intended for aircraft as large as a Lancaster, it was found that sufficient space was available after some of the 1914-18 war aircraft were removed.
    The large bomber had been repainted before being brought into the War Memorial. However it was not until 1977 that it was restored to its authentic wartime colour scheme. In addition, on 11 October, 1980, members of the 460 Squadron Association presented a replica of a 4000lb "Cookie", High Capacity bomb for display under the bomb-bay of "G for George". Externally at least, "George" now looks much as it did when it flew out of Binbrook during the desperate days of the 1939-45 war.