Date:	Saturday 3 February 1945
Time:	14:10 LT
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk III
Owner/operator:	101 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	PB457
MSN:	SR-V
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster B. Mk. III PB457/SR-V of 101 Squadron RAF. Written off (destroyed) 3 February 1945 when caught fire while tanks were being drained in a hangar and destroyed by fire.

No reported casualties or fatalities, as there were no crew aboard at the time, and the ground crew evacuated to a safe distance as the fire took hold

It should be noted that the Avro Lancaster with MOTAT (Museum of Transport & Technology) at Auckland, New Zealand that wore the serial "PB457" is not, of course the original (which was destroyed by fire, as described above) but is, in fact, Lancaster B. Mk. VII NX665 (ex-French Aeronavale WU-13). To quote from the MOTAT website (see link #8)

"When WU-13 arrived at MOTAT, it was in the white livery of French Fleet air Arm Squadron 9S. After its restoration it was painted in 1944 Bomber Command scheme, with the starboard side painted as ND752/AA-O of 75 Squadron, and the port side as PB457/SP-V of 101 Squadron. Both of these aircraft were lost over Germany and their markings were chosen not because they are associated with famous aircraft or crews, but as representative of the thousands of the Lancaster bombers which flew in Bomber Command".

(However, the MOTAT website is incorrect in stating the Lancaster PB457 was "lost over Germany"; as can be clearly seen from the above, it was destroyed by fire at RAF Ludford Magna!)

Breif History of Lancaster PB457
Built by A V Roe & Co Ltd to Contract Acft/1807
15-08-1944: Issued to 101 Squadron, RAF as 'SP-V'
18-08-1944; To 32 MU RAF St. Athan, Glamorgan for modifications
26-08-1944: Returned to serivce with 101 Sqaudron RAF Ludford Magna at 'SP-V'
03-02-1945: Destroyed in fire at RAF Ludford Magna as per the above, Initially assessed as Cat.B(GA) (Ground accident)
08-02-1945: Struck off charge as Cat.E(Burnt)

RAF Ludford Magna is a former Royal Air Force station located on agricultural farmland immediately south of the village of Ludford, Lincolnshire and was sited 21.4 miles (34.4 km) north east of the county town of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.

1. The Lancaster File (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1985).
2. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ9993.
3. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database.
4. https://www.bcar.org.uk/new1945-incident-logs#feb
5. 101 Squadron RAF Operational Record Book (Record of Events for the period 1 to 31 January 1945): National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/
6. Aircraft Movement Card (Air Ministry Form AM.78): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/PB407-PB473/mobile/index.html
7. Aircraft Accident Record Card (Air Ministry Form AM.1180): https://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-1180/Lancaster/1945/February/prt1/1.html
8. https://www.motat.nz/collections-and-stories/stories/MOTAT's_iconic_Lancaster/
9. Lancaster NX665 painted as PB457/SR-V at MOTAT, Auckland, NZ 10 July 1977: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/155806/PB457
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._101_Squadron_RAF#Reformation_and_World_War_II
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludford,_Lincolnshire
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Ludford_Magna#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Aug-2013 08:14	JINX	Added
03-Jun-2015 07:26	Weeks	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, ]
24-May-2016 04:15	Red Dragon	Updated [Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, ]
02-Feb-2025 22:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Source, Narrative, Category, ]
06-Feb-2025 18:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]