The BC Aviation Museum will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day – marking Nazi Germany’s formal surrender to Allied forces – with a special event on Saturday, May 10.
One commemoration highlight will be a display showcasing the WW2 Avro Lancaster FM 104 bomber, currently undergoing restoration at the museum. The aircraft, delivered to the museum in 2018, is a testament to the vital role played by these planes during the war. Work on the Lancaster is expected to continue over the next few years.
FM 104, built in Ontario, was dispatched to Europe in 1944 as the Second World War neared its end. Following the war, it was stationed on the East Coast with the 407 squadron, operating out of Comox, before retiring in 1965.
On VE Day, visitors will have the chance to see themselves inside the Lancaster's cockpit via a green screen photo opportunity.
Beyond the museum's collection of over 40 aircraft, a dedicated section will commemorate the end of the Second World War hostilities and the crucial contribution of the Lancaster bomber.
The event will also feature genuine artifacts that visitors can touch and examine, along with a book sale focused on the era.
The BC Aviation Museum hopes this special VE Day event will provide guests with a deeper understanding of what life was like as the Second World War concluded and the world celebrated peace.
The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m..
