The RAF’s sole surviving flying Lancaster, the Second World War bomber, is a frequent visitor to Bournemouth and is expected to grace the skies at the forthcoming Bournemouth Air Festival later this month.

Memories of the Lancaster have been kept alive by these regular public appearances as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Any aviation enthusiast would jump at the chance of flying in this Lancaster.

Such an opportunity was offered to the Bournemouth Video production company Plato Video.

It was asked to make a film of a special trip to be undertaken by the Lancaster, skippered by Squadron Leader Tomalin paying tribute to the now disbanded RAF 207 Squadron whose motto was Semper Paratus – Always Prepared.

Over 7,000 Lancasters were built during the Second World War and virtually half of them were lost or destroyed in combat.

Over 47,000 air crew died on operational sorties undertaken by Bomber Command and this particular flight was an opportunity to commemorate the gallantry of 207 Squadron based during later war years in Spilsby. Spilsby near Skegness, was in the so-called bomber county of Lincolnshire.

Being the closest airfield to the sea on the east coast, Spilsby suffered relentless attacks to try to defeat its determination to take the fight to the enemy’s heartland.

Attempts had been made for many years to commemorate these sacrifices and they came to fruition when the Lancaster was tasked to fly over the All Saints Church at Great Steeping which was situated within the Spilsby airfield boundaries.

Here a memorial service was being held to commemorate the Squadron losses and to dedicate a fitting memorial naming the air crew who gave their lives.

Survivors, relatives and friends from New Zealand, Canada and the USA swelled the numbers of British residents who attended the event.

Lionel Fynn seen here emerging from the Lancaster after the flight headed up a Plato team of six cameramen with three in the Lancaster, one in a Dove chase plane and one on the runway and a final one at the church.

He said: “It was an immensely humbling and indeed awe inspiring experience to be privileged to undertake such a flight in the Lancaster.

“Now I know what it was like for the RAF Air Crew, some still in their teens, as they flew off to carry out their missions on a regular nightly basis.

Every time they flew, they risked their lives so that we can be free today”. All this precious material has now been assembled into a 30 minute video tribute by Harry Fynn who now together with his brother Charles, heads up the Plato Video team.The first public showing of the full programme is hoped to be at a reunion of survivors and family friends of members of the 207 Squadron.