The theme of ANZAC day 2024 was the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings. We also honored local airmen with service certificates, photos and memorabilia.
Part of our pop-up display incorporated model aircraft used in the Normandy campaign, such as the B-24 Liberator, nicknamed the “Flying Coffin” due to several design flaws including a lower maximum altitude, which made it more susceptible to German anti-aircraft artillery. Another model was the SBD Douglas Dauntless Dive Bomber. This was known as “Slow but Deadly” from it’s SBD initials.
Last but not least, was our model of the Avro Lancaster a British WWII heavy bomber. It could carry a torpedo internally, and make shallow dive-bombing attacks, which led to it being chosen by the RAF to equip 617 squadron (The Dam Busters). It first saw service with the RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and it became the principle heavy bomber used by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth countries serving within the RAF.