I’ve seen this aircraft in person. It’s an incredibly cool artifact, and the story behind it is insane.

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Canada’s only Avro Lancaster in flying condition is landing in Winnipeg, where there is a deep connection to an aircraft considered one of the famous Allied bombers of the Second World War.

Unable to free his friend, tail gunner Pat Brophy, and with his parachute and clothing on fire, Mynarski reluctantly gave up and jumped.

The Mynarski Memorial Lancaster, owned and operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, was originally built at Victory Aircraft in Malton, Ont., in 1945.

On June 12, 1944, a week after D-Day, Mynarski was the mid-upper gunner of a Lancaster aircraft on a mission to attack a target at Cambrai, France.

Brophy, who survived the crash when the turret broke open and pitched him out, later recounted the story of his friend’s heroism, and how Mynarski said, ‘Good night, sir,’ as he saluted.

The memorial Avro Lancaster is painted the colours of the aircraft from that mission, and branded with the same number, KB726, in honour of Mynarski.

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Why are we bombing Winnipeg?