Lancaster

The Making of a Very British Legend

By: John Nichol

Narrated by: Andrew Wincott

Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

'The epic story of an iconic aircraft and the breathtaking courage of those who flew her' Andy McNab, bestselling author of Bravo Two Zero

Former RAF Tornado Navigator, Gulf War veteran and bestselling author John Nichol now tells the inspiring and moving story of this legendary aircraft that took the fight deep into the heart of Nazi Germany.

'The Avro Lancaster is an aviation icon; revered, romanticised, loved. Without her, and the bravery of those who flew her, the freedom we enjoy today would not exist.'

Sir Arthur Harris, the controversial chief of Royal Air Force Bomber Command, described the Lancaster as his 'shining sword' and the 'greatest single factor in winning the war'. RAF bomber squadrons carried out offensive operations from the first day of the Second World War until the very last, more than five and a half years later. They flew nearly 300,000 sorties and dropped around a million tons of explosives, as well as life-saving supplies. Over 10,000 of their aircraft never returned. Of the 7,377 Lancasters built during the conflict, more than half were lost to enemy action or training accidents.

The human cost was staggering. Of the 125,000 men who served in Bomber Command, over 55,000 were killed and another 8,400 were wounded. Some 10,000 survived being shot down, only to become prisoners of war. In simple, brutal terms, Harris's aircrew had only a 40 per cent chance of surviving the war unscathed.

From John Nichol, the Sunday Times bestselling author of Spitfire, comes a passionate and profoundly moving tribute to the Lancaster bomber, its heroic crews and the men and women who kept her airborne during the country's greatest hour of need.

©2020 John Nichol (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

'A wonderful homage to one of the most iconic aircraft ever built: compelling, thrilling and rooted in quite extraordinary human drama' (James Holland, bestselling author of Normandy 44)

'Don’t miss this very special book; it’s so good. An extraordinarily powerful tribute to the Lanc’ that will leave you truly moved and humbled by the scale of what those young men endured night after night in that magnificent, faithful machine to defend freedom from tyranny. Lancaster is the book that they have always deserved.' (Rowland White)

'This remarkable, enlightening book... The human cost of these raids was enormous...The great strength of Nichol’s book is that it takes us beyond the statistics. Through the words of the airmen themselves, it illuminates individual lives. The Lancaster was, and is, more than just an aircraft. She is ‘a symbol of British freedom, a monument to all those who gave their lives in the war’. John Nichol’s book is a fitting tribute to her and to all those who flew in her. (Nick Rennison)

'Thrilling...it is rich with moving stories of the young airmen. Lancaster has everything from the thunder of Merlin engines to the courage of the crews. It's bang on target.' (Bill Todd)

'His work will appeal to those fresh to this particular branch of Second World War heroism.... Nichol tells a succession of human stories well and clearly. Lancaster leaves us marvelling yet again at the bravery, stoicism and sheer level-headedness of our forebears.' (Simon Heffer)

'A completely wonderful, brilliant book; surely Nichol’s best yet! I was continuously drawn into the personal stories; it’s an emotional roller coaster of a read and a brilliant tribute to the men who flew the Lancaster.' (Clive Rowley, Squadron Leader and Former Officer Commanding, RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight)

Very good listen

The story was interesting well written and the narration was excellent! I find the history of these famous raf aircraft very fascinating and the Lancaster was quite a marvel of technology and power for it’s time.