Nowadays, in the 21st century, there are probably less than a dozen people who get to fly a real Lancaster from the left seat every once in a while. After all, there are only two (!) airworthy Lancs left, so there's little airtime to be shared among the eager crowd.

 

The closest us mere mortals can come to flying a "true" Lancaster, is via simulation. I am dedicated to Microsofts Flight Simulator X, in which I fly "my own" version of the Lancaster B1, a hybrid based on the "Wings of Power" version for exterior and flight model, and for the panel on just about everything including not only the kitchen sink but also the bath tub, the toilet bowl and the hot water boiler (grin)! Out of many existing panels and gauges that I collected all over the place, I made a strictly individual panel version that's depicted in this paragraph. To be prepared for unexpected developments I have the little blue book with the "Pilots Notes" within reach, as you see. We're flying in the vicinity of LIRA in Italy, by the way.

 

 

I've got two reasons to design my own panels. Firstly because there's no out of the box Lancaster panel available that's even remotely to my liking "looks-wise". Secondly because all available panels put the simulated pilots position somewhere in the lateral center of the cockpit, like straight behind the engine controls. That's no good: it takes away much of the illusion or immersion. Although my real world flying experiences are sadly confined to single engined pipsqueeks like Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee, I know that Lancaster pilots did not sit with their family jewels shoved painfully into the throttle quadrant!

 

My panel redesigns produce a more natural pilots position, and considerably enlarged instruments. Simulation, including flight simulation, is illusion - and I don't give a fig about the panel lay-out being realistic: I want it to look and feel realistic within the confines of a computer screen!!

 

 

In order to produce a decent level of realism, flying your simulated Lanc with the keyboard or mouse won't do. If you can even remotely afford it, a steering yoke is an absolute must, with a set of pedals coming in a close second. Fortunately these things are available in a wide price range, from remarbably sturdy but equally expensive, to somewhat wobbly but easily in the affordability sector of most of us.

 

Concerning this subject I have a confession to make. Some six years ago I got the cheapest yoke and pedals available (they're pictured to the right), and I'm still using them without a problem and to my great satisfaction! In those years I must have bought a couple of thousand dollars worth of other flight sim equipment, but I never saw any reason for discarding my old and faithful pedals/yoke set! Sure, eventually I'll replace them, even if it is only on account of normal wear and tear from almost daily use, but I'm not holding my breath in either hope or despair.

 

 

You'll never hear me say that a relatively simple computer simulation like MS Flight Simulator can ever give you the joy of flying the real thing, but sometimes it comes pretty darn close. I've made many a simulated landing under conditions that turned my face red with concentration, and sweaty with almost real fear! Nor am I the only one with such experiences. I think it was around 2004 that an RAF flight crew trained for, and eventually flew, an MS-simulated Dam Busters raid. Those fighter jocks and "Anything, Anywhere, Anytime" types left the simulator after their final flight with a healthy respect for Microsofts simulation software, and for the good old Avro Lancaster. You won't see them looking down on "that game" or "that old bomber" anymore!