Avro Lancaster BI (PA474) - "The City of Lincoln" [@ RAF Waddington 2001]
One of the famous aircraft of all time and the last of the three "heavies" to enter RAF service in WW2. Like its very able partner, the Handley Page Halifax, the Lancaster can trace its origins back to a failed design tendered in 1936/37 against the RAF Specification P13/36. The Specification called for a long-range medium-heavy bomber capable of cruising at 275mph at 15,000ft and defending itself with nose and tail-mounted powered gun positions. A crew of four was specified (2 pilots (1 acting a navigator, bomb aimer and front gunner), wireless operator and rear gunner). Avro, like Handley Page, were offering the Manchester against the same Specification, chose two Rolls Royce Vulture engines as the power-plant for the Manchester. Handley Page foresaw problems with the supply of these engines, which had not yet been flown, and was allowed to alter the aircraft design to incorporate four Merlin engines. The change of engines benefited the rival Halifax as the Vulture engines of the Manchester proved incredibly unreliable and only 200 of a planned 1500 entered service before Avro's hand was forced and the Manchester re-engined with four Merlins.
The prototype Lancaster, designated a "four engine Manchester" or "Manchester III" and fitted with four Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engines, first flew on 9th January 1941 with triple fins [later replaced by two fins on an extended tailplane to improve flight characteristics] and without ventral or dorsal turrets. [A ventral turret was to have been a installed in the type, but was eliminated to provide extra bomb bay space]. The first Lancaster Mk I was delivered to No 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron at RAF Waddington for familiarization in September 1941 and the first operational sortie involved four Lancasters laying mines in the Heligoland Bight on 3rd March 1942. The Lancaster went on to be the main delivery platform for Bomber Command [at its peak strength in August 1944 no fewer that 42 squadrons were armed with Lancasters] and was involved in many daring exploits e.g.. the Dam Buster raid and the daylight Augsburg raid. In all, 7374 aircraft (of all variants) were built of which 3,431 aircraft were lost in action and a further 246 being destroyed in operational accidents. The last Lancaster raid of the war was made against the SS barracks at Berchtesgaden on 25th April 1945.
Avro Lancaster BI (PA474) [@ RAF Coningsby]
Little modification was made during its life to the basic Lancaster airframe, a testimonial to its sturdiness, reliability and flight characteristics. Concerns over the possible interruption of Merlin XX led to the fitting of four 1650hp Bristol Hercules 6 (or 16) radials, these aircraft becoming the Lancaster Mk II. Later the Mk I, with very little change, was superseded with the Mk III. These aircraft were fitted with the American Packard built Merlin engines and eventually led to the dropping of the Tallboy [12,000lb/5 ton] and Grand Slam [22,000lb/10 ton] bombs. The much modified Lancaster Mk IV and Mk V became the Lincoln Mks I and II. The Mk VI, nine of which were converted Mks I and III, was equipped for electronic countermeasures. The last production Lancaster was the Mk VII, 180 of which were built by Austin Motors
Avro Lancaster X (KB889) [@ RAF Duxford]
KB889 is one of over 400 Lancaster X's that were built by Victory Aircraft Company in Canada during 1944 and it arrived in the UK later that year. Serving with 428 RCAF Squadron at Middleton St. George it later returned to Canada to be used for maritime patrol and spent some time at the Age of Flight Museum at Niagara Falls. Acquired by the Imperial War Museum in 1986 it was subject to a complete rebuild between May 1987 and November 1994 to return it to its wartime condition. It is displayed in 428 Squadron colours with which it served.
The Lancaster remained in service with the RAF for some time after the end of the war until replaced by the Avro Lincoln. RAF Coastal Command used the GR.3 maritime patrol version until replaced by the Avro Shackleton. Some Mk Is were converted for photographic survey work as the PR.MK.1.
