Dambusters reunited: World's only two airworthy WWII Lancaster bombers fly together over Britain for the first time in 50 years



Lancaster bombers united on windswept RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire for what will probably be last time

Lancaster Thumper, part of RAF Battle of Britain Memorial flight, joined Canadian Lancaster Vera from Ontario



Two aircraft are expected to visit some 60 air shows and public events across the UK over the next five weeks



Planes had been due to pass over Lincoln Cathedral last Friday, but poor weather caused flight to be postponed

Lancaster bombers most famous for Dambusters raids - attack on German dams with 'bouncing bombs' in 1943




Two Second World War Lancaster bombers flew together in the skies over Britain yesterday for the first time in 50 years.

The world's only two airworthy Lancaster bombers were united on a windswept Lincolnshire airfield for what will probably be one of the last times.

The Lancaster Thumper, which is part of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial flight, joined the Canadian Lancaster Vera from a museum in Ontario.

Scroll down for video

Off they go: This Ministry of Defence photograph shows spectators watching as two Lancaster Bombers prepare to fly in Coningsby, Lincolnshire Together: The Lancaster Thumper, which is part of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has been joined by the Canadian Lancaster Vera from Ontario

The two aircraft - pictured at RAF Coningsby - are expected to visit some 60 air shows and public events across the UK over the next five weeks.

The planes had been due to pass over Lincoln Cathedral last Friday, but poor weather caused the flight to be postponed.

MailOnline reported last Saturday on how Vera had arrived in Lincolnshire following an epic 3,700-mile journey to Britain from her base in Canada.

Aircraft enthusiast Matthew Munson, from Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, bid £43,000 on eBay for the privilege of flying in the bomber.



Leon Evans, chief pilot for the Canadian Lancaster’s historic trip, said: ‘We haven’t had two Lancasters fly together in a display before.

‘It’s pretty unlikely it’ll happen again because these airplanes might run out of airtime. Vera’s getting older and already has about 4,500 hours on her.’

Vera’s journey from Canada took four days, involving stops in Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland before she arrived in Lincolnshire on Friday.

More than 7,377 Lancasters, 430 of which were built in Canada, were made during the Second World War but many that survived were scrapped.

SENTINELS OF THE SKY - WHERE CAN YOU SEE THE TWO LANCASTER BOMBERS IN FLIGHT?

14-17 August - 'Airbourne' International Air Show - www.visiteastbourne.com/airbourne - Eastbourne, East Sussex



Saturday 16 August - Flying Proms - www.shuttleworth.org/tickets/event-details.asp?ID=268 - Old Warden, Bedfordshire



Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 August - Combined Ops 2014 - www.headcornevents.co.uk/event_ticket.php - Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent



Sunday 17 August - Bay Day Air Display - http://baypromoteam.co.uk/bay-day-air-display-sun-17th-august/ - Herne Bay, Kent



Sunday 17 August -Sywell Airshow - http://sywellairshow.co.uk/ - Sywell, Northamptonshire



Thursday 21 August - RAF Marham Families Day - RAF Marham, Norfolk



Thursday 21 and Friday 22 August - Clacton Air Show 2014 - www.clactonairshow.com - Clacton-on-Sea, Essex



Saturday 23 August - Dawlish Air Show - www.dawlishairshow.co.uk/ - Dawlish, Devon



Sunday 24 August - Dunsfold Wings & Wheels 2014 - www.wingsandwheels.net/ - Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey



Sunday 24 August - Little Gransden Air & Car Show - http://www.littlegransdenshow.co.uk/ - Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire



28-30 August - Air Festival 2014 - www.bournemouthair.co.uk/ - Bournemouth, Dorset



Saturday 30 August - Shoreham Air Show 2014 - Shoreham, West Sussex



Saturday 30 August - Dartmouth Royal Regatta - www.dartmouthregatta.co.uk - Dartmouth, UK



Sunday 31 August - Air Festival 2014 - www.bournemouthair.co.uk - Bournemouth, Dorset



Sunday 28 September - Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - www.lancasterassociation.co.uk - RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire

Beautiful sight: The Avro Lancaster is one of the Second World War's most-recognisable British aircraft Famous film: A scene from 1955 movie The Dam Busters - released 12 years after the raid - showing the bouncing bomb suspended from the belly of the Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster is one of the Second World War's most-recognisable British aircraft.

It is most famous for the Dambusters raids, which saw 19 Lancasters attack German dams with Sir Barnes Wallis's 'bouncing bombs' in 1943.

Vera - built two years after the raids, in 1945 - was acquired by Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in 1978 and underwent a 10-year restoration.

Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has also been on board the bomber in preparation for a new film about the Dambusters.

