The BBC is offering a virtual-reality recreation of a Lancaster bomber raid over Berlin in which viewers will hear the words of a 1940s war reporter on virtual headsets.

The virtual experience, which is called 1943: Berlin Blitz, puts viewers in the shoes of war correspondent Wynford Vaughan-Thomas on a bombing raid at the height of World War II.

Viewers will see the cockpit of a Lancaster bomber high over Berlin, with Vaughan-Thomas's commentary - based on a genuine broadcast - narrating the experience.

Headsets will be made available on the high street and, once purchased, viewers will be able to access the immersive experience using the BBC VR app on tablets and smartphones, which act as a view screen slotted directly onto the gadget.

The original radio broadcast of Vaughan-Thomas' report went out over the airwaves on September 4, 1943, just hours after the plane landed at RAF Langar in Nottinghamshire.

The BBC is offering a virtual-reality recreation of a Lancaster bomber raid over Berlin in which viewers will hear the words of a 1940s war reporter on virtual headsets

As the plane flies over Berlin the German anti-aircraft guns attempt to bring it down in what the reporter called 'the biggest fireworks show in the world'.

Some 7,377 Lancasters had carried out more than 150,000 missions by the end of the war including the audacious Dambuster Raids of 1943.

They had also dropped more than 600,000 tons of bombs on the enemy, a feat unequalled by any other plane.

The seven-man Lancaster crew consisted of a pilot, bomb aimer or nose gunner, wireless operator, flight engineer, navigator and mid-upper and rear gunners.

Overall, of the 6,000 Lancasters which were made available for service in the war, 3,400 were lost.

About 55,000 out of the 125,000 aircrew who served in Bomber Command were killed, while 10,000 became prisoners of war.

Viewers will see the cockpit of a Lancaster bomber high over Berlin, with Vaughan-Thomas's commentary - based on a genuine broadcast in 1943 - narrating the experience

Zillah Watson, head of BBC VR Hub, said: '1943: Berlin Blitz uses VR to breathe new life into the BBC Archive, using an extraordinary piece of journalism to transport you to Berlin at the height of the Second World War.

'It really gives a sense of just how brave the RAF and the BBC's war correspondents were back then, and providing new context for the threats our colleagues face today when reporting from dangerous situations.'

Another VR experience is intended to put viewers in the shoes of the suffragettes.

'We hope to launch them both to the public later in the year,' Ms Watson said.