The closest us lowly earth dwellers can come to flying a real Lancaster, is via a flight simulator. I am dedicated to Microsofts Flight Simulator X, in which I fly "my own" version of the Lancaster B1, a hybrid based on the "Wings of Power" version for exterior and flight model, and for the 2-D panel on just about everything including not only the kitchen sink but also the bath tub, the toilet bowl and the hot water boiler (grin)!. From dozens of existing panels and gauges that I collected in years of flight simming, I made a strictly personal panel version.
Panel rearranging required!
I've got two reasons to design my own flightsim panels. Firstly because there's no out of the box Avro Lancaster panel available that's even remotely to my liking "looks-wise". Secondly because existing panels put the pilots position somewhere in the center point of the cockpit, like straight behind the throttles. That's no good: it takes away much of the illusion or immersion. Although my real world flying experiences are sadly confined to light single engine aircraft like Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee, I know that Lancaster pilots did not sit with their family jewels shoved painfully into the throttle quadrant of their Avro Lancaster bomber!
My own panels deliver a more natural pilots position, and considerably enlarged gauges. Simulation, including flight simulation, is illusion - and I don't care much about the panel lay-out being realistic: I want it to look and feel realistic within the confines of a computer screen!!
The physical controls
In order to realize a decent level of realism, flying your digital Lanc with the keyboard or mouse won't do. If you can even remotely afford it, a steering yoke is an absolute must, with a set of pedals as a perfect second. Fortunately these things are available in a wide price range, from very sturdy but equally expensive, to somewhat wobbly but easily affordable for most of us.
Concerning this subject I have a confession to make. Some six years ago I got the cheapest yoke and pedals available, and I still use them without a problem and to my great satisfaction! In those years I must have bought a couple of thousand dollars worth of other simulator expansions, but I never saw any reason for discarding my old and faithful pedals/yoke set! Sure, eventually I'll replace them, even if it is only on account of normal wear and tear from almost daily use, but I'm not holding my breath in either hope or despair.
A very flustered face!
You'll never hear me say that a relatively simple computer simulation like MicroSoft Flight Simulator can ever give you the joy of flying the real thing, but sometimes it comes pretty darn close. I've made lots of simulated landings under conditions that turned my face red with concentration, and sweaty with almost real fear! Nor am I the only one with such experiences. I think it was around 2004 that an RAF flight crew performed an MS-simulated Raid of the Dam Busters. Those jet pilots and "Anything, Anywhere, Anytime" types left their simulator after their tiring flight with a healthy respect for Microsofts simulation software, and for the good old Avro Lancaster. You won't see them looking down on "that game" or "that old bomber" anymore!
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