Significant progress continues on the major maintenance programme for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster PA474, with work being carried out by engineers at the Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) at Duxford.
A large proportion of the aircraft’s Structurally Significant Item (SSI) inspections have now been completed. At the same time, elastomeric hose surveys have commenced and zonal surveys are currently underway. As part of the wider maintenance programme, an extensive programme of non-destructive testing (NDT) has also begun and is expected to continue for approximately six weeks.
All six fuel tanks have been removed from the Lancaster’s wings, with their outer coverings stripped to allow detailed inspection. Engineers from BAE Systems have visited ARCo to verify the configuration of PA474’s fuel tanks against original design drawings. This step is required before the manufacture of six replacement fuel tanks can begin. In parallel, the aircraft’s radiators and coolant tanks have been removed and sent to a specialist contractor for overhaul.
The main undercarriage and tail leg have also been removed and stripped for maintenance. The tail leg had been experiencing leaks, loss of oleo pressure and a tendency to shimmy. The original manufacturer of Lancaster undercarriage components was Dowty Aviation, now part of the Safran Group. Engineers from the company visited Duxford in January to inspect the components and identified several issues, including configuration discrepancies, damaged seals and corrosion on the sliding tube. ARCo and the BBMF Project Team are now addressing these findings using new components.
One of the most visible milestones of the programme has also been achieved, with the rear fuselage successfully split at the transport joint just aft of the mid-upper turret mounting point. This procedure allows access for the replacement of the elevator and rudder control rods that run through the fuselage frames. Specialist equipment was sourced from East Kirkby for the task, and a new large trestle was fabricated to support the rear fuselage. The split was completed on 16 January, with inspections confirming no damage or corrosion at the frame joints.
In addition, the first batch of components has now been dispatched for off-site ‘bay’ maintenance. This includes electrical, avionic and instrument equipment, which has been sent to SkySmart MRO Ltd, a specialist provider of avionic and mechanical component repair, maintenance and inventory support.
The ongoing maintenance programme represents a major phase in ensuring the continued airworthiness and preservation of one of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s most iconic aircraft.
Reference: https://bostonvibe.co.uk/2026/02/26/major-maintenance-continues-on-bbmfs-lancaster-pa474-at-duxford/
