Avro Lincoln B2 (RF398)  [@ RAF Cosford]

Designed to be the Lancaster's replacement, the prototype flew for the first time on 9^th June 1944, and deliveries to the RAF began in spring of 1945. The Lincoln became operational too late to see active service in WW2 although plans had been prepared to send several squadrons to the Far East as part of "Tiger Force" for operations against Japan. However, it did see active service during the Malayan Emergency of the 1950's. The Lincoln was retired from RAF Bomber Command at the end of 1955, being replaced by the Canberra jet bomber.

In fact the only RAF aircraft ever to have been shot down by the Soviet air force was a Lincoln on a training flight, which was brought down by MIG 15s in the Berlin air corridor in 1953.  The RAAF operated the type as the Lincoln B.30; five aircraft being assembled from Uk built components and an additional built 68 under licence. The last air arm to operate the type as a bomber was the Argentine Air Force, which received 12 Lincoln B1s and used them until 1963.

RF398 was supplied to 46 MU at RAF Lossiemouth in September 1945 and was subject to a variety of modifications during its operational career. It participated in the 1960 Battle of Britain Display at RAF Gaydon and its last ever flight, the last ever Lincoln flight, was in April 1963 when it was flown to RAF Henlow and placed in storage. It was displayed at RAF Abingdon for the RAF's 50th Anniversary Royal Review in June 1968 and later in the year it arrived at RAF Cosford. (ps this Lincoln is said to be haunted!)