Sarah-Louise Miller

The Lancaster Story

True Tales of Britain’s Legendary Bomber

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Details

Imprint: O'Mara Books

Publication date: 22/05/2025

ISBN: 9781789297485

Subject: Non-Fiction

Category: Science - History - Philosophy

Binding: Paperback

Size: 198 x 129 mm

Extent: 256 pages

Illustration: 16pp colour plate section w/ photographs

Territorial Rights: World (All Languages)

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Summary:

The epic story of the RAF’s legendary heavy bomber: the Avro Lancaster.

The Lancaster Story takes readers on a remarkable journey through the history of an aviation icon. This is an informative and engaging account of the true workhorse of the RAF’s bomber corps and the emotional human stories of quiet courage, sacrifice and hard work from the men and women who flew, designed, constructed and maintained it.

Between its introduction in 1942 and the end of the Second World War, the Avro Lancaster flew more than 150,000 sorties, dropped more than 600,000 tons of explosives and took the Allied fight to Nazi Germany. The ‘Lanc’ featured on some of the most daring and celebrated missions of the war, including the heroic Dambusters raid and the Operation Hydra bombing. These and many other successes came at a significant cost, however: almost half of the 7,377 Lancasters deployed into service were lost in action.

Using archival documents, letters and first-hand accounts, The Lancaster Story delivers a dramatic and vividly rendered account of the most successful RAF bomber of the Second World War. Combining individual stories into a gripping, panoramic narrative, it paints a complete portrait of the battle over Europe, and the Lancaster’s unique and decisive role in it.

Reviews:

Miller writes in a straightforward, conversational style and tone, neatly interweaving historical facts and statistics with very human tales of fear, courage, love and loss that combine to make The Lancaster Story a compelling read.

The War Years blog

Sarah-Louise Miller has written a book that is an excellent tribute to an aircraft that was one of the major contributors to Britain’s aims for the defeat of Germany during the Second World War but also to those who built, maintained and supported those aircrews who flew in her and in memoriam of those 58,438 aircrew who were lost during training and operations.

Army Rumour Service blog

Dr Miller tells the story of the most successful RAF bomber of the Second World War … The Lancaster Story features rare archival photos and many never-before-published accounts.

RAF News

A most accessible book on one of the RAF’s most revered aircraft … obviously designed for a non-expert audience, and assuming this objective it excels. It is a very readable book, with many personal stories … What is commendable is the objectivity and clarity in description … A sound introduction to the life of a key wartime weapon and very good value at the price.

The Aviation Historian

Sales points:

  • From the publishers of The Spitfire Story (over 60,000 copies sold in the UK) and Hurricane (over 25,000 copies sold in the UK), this is a thrilling collection of authentic stories about an icon of Second World War aviation: the Avro Lancaster.

  • Features a stunning plate section, packed with rare archival photographs.

  • Perfect for fans of John Nichol, this is the story of the Lancaster told using archival documents, letters and first-hand accounts.

  • Dr Sarah-Louise Miller is an author and historian specializing in the Second World War who has appeared on the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Channel 5 and Sky History. She is available for publicity.

About the Author:

Sarah-Louise Miller

Dr Sarah-Louise Miller is a historian, author and media consultant, specializing in Second World War history. She is a lecturer in the Defence Studies Department, King’s College London, and a visiting scholar at the University of Oxford. She is the author of The Women Behind the Few (Biteback) and has worked in both television and radio with the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Channel 5 and Sky History. She has also appeared on BBC History Extra, Dan Snow’s History Hit podcast and the We Have Ways of Making You Talk podcast with Al Murray and James Holland, along with various other productions.

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