G for George

G for George, affectionately known as G-George, is an Avro Lancaster Mk. I bomber with the squadron code AR-G and serial number W4783. This remarkable aircraft served with No. 460 Squadron RAAF during World War II and is now proudly displayed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia.

G-George completed an impressive 90 operational sorties over occupied Europe, making it one of the most enduring Lancasters to survive the war. What makes this even more extraordinary is that it safely returned all of its crew members from each mission, a rare feat given the high casualty rates among Lancaster bombers.

After its combat service ended in 1944, G-George was flown to Australia by an all-RAAF crew to participate in war bond campaigns. Unfortunately, it was left to deteriorate at RAAF Base Fairbairn for some time before being transferred to the Australian War Memorial in the early 1950s. Fast forward to 2003, G-George underwent a comprehensive restoration program, allowing it to be showcased in the ANZAC Hall at the Australian War Memorial. The display is particularly immersive, featuring a sound and light show that recreates the atmosphere of a Bomber Command raid, complete with a German '88' flak gun and a Bf 109 fighter.

Today, G-George stands as a tribute to all Australians who served with Bomber Command, especially honoring the 1,018 members of 460 Squadron who lost their lives. The aircraft's name, 'G-George,' is derived from the RAF phonetic alphabet used at the time, where each squadron's aircraft were identified by a letter corresponding to a specific word in the alphabet. While this particular G-George is unique, other RAF squadrons may have had aircraft with the same designation that did not survive the war.