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Britain's Avro Lancaster bomber1,2,3,4,5

Avro Lancaster:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber

 

Avro Lancaster:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
Avro Lancaster:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
Avro Lancaster, Squadron 15:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster, Squadron 15 bomber
Avro Lancaster, dropping incendiaries, No 101 Squadron5:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
Avro Lancaster:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
Avro Lancaster:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
Avro Lancaster:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
Avro Lancaster, Rose rear turret, 1944:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster, Rose Rear Turret, 1944 Bomber
Avro Lancaster, Fraser Nash rear turret, 1944:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster, Fraser Nash rear turret, 1944 Bomber
Avro Lancaster Mk II, Bristol Hercules engines:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Mk II, Bristol Hercules engines, Bomber
Avro Lancaster nose:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
Avro Lancaster:
United Kingdom's Avro Lancaster Bomber
     

Design

The Avro Lancaster was based on the Avro Manchester.1 Roy Chadwick was the primary designer of the Lancaster.2

Avro decided to proceed with development of the Lancaster even though there was no contract.4 This development was named the Type 683.4

Prototype

A Manchester airframe was taken from the production line and equipped with longer span wings.4 Four Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines were also placed in the new wings.4 Avro wanted the prototype to be ready by May 31, 1941.4 Some of the work was delayed by a German air raid on Ringway.4

The prototype of the Lancaster first flew on January 9, 1941.2,3,4 It had the serial number BT308 and was designated the Manchester III.4 The name Lancaster was approved on January 27, 1941.4

BT308 was sent on January 27, 1941, to Boscombe Down where the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) was to test it.4 A report was issued on March 3, 1941 asking for some modifications.4

The prototype then had the twin fins and wider tail installed.4

The DG595, 2nd prototype, first flew on May 13, 1941.4 Avro finally received a contract for the two prototypes plus two additional prototypes to be built with Bristol Hercules engines.4 The DT810, with the Bristol engines, flew on November 26, 1941.4 The second prototype was cancelled.4

Production

The initial order for the Lancaster was for 100, 43 to be built by Avro and 57 by Metropolitan Vickers.4 This was increased to 454 on June 6, 1941.4

Some Manchesters were converted on the production line into Lancasters.3 The manufactures of the Lancasters were Avro, Metrovick, Armstrong Whitworth, Austin, Vickers, and Victory Aircraft.3

The first Lancaster Mk I flew in October 1941.3

Variants

Usage

Over 156,000/156,1925 missions were flown by Lancasters.1,2,5 During those missions 608,612 tons of bombs were dropped.2,5 Approximately 3,836 Lancasters were lost during World War II.5 2,508 were lost in operations over Germany.5

Countries that used Lancasters were Australia, Britain, Canada, and Poland.3

A total of 565/61 squadrons were equipped with the Lancaster.3,5

First Squadron

In January 1942 No. 44 Squadron was the first to be completely outfitted with the Lancasters.2,4

First Raid

Essen was the Lancasters first target on the night of March 10 and 11, 1942.2,3

Dambusters

Used on the "Dambusters" raid by the No. 617 Squadron in May 1943.1,2,3 The Lancasters had to fly 60' / 18.3 m above the water at exactly 249 mph / 402 kph when it released the rotating bomb, which then skipped across the water to sink next to the dam and then detonate.1

  Avro Lancaster3 Avro Lancaster Mk I2 Avro Lancaster B Mk I1,2
Type Heavy bomber3 Bomber2 Bomber1
Crew 73 72 81
Pilot, navigator, flight engineer, bombardier, nose gunner, mid-upper gunner, radio operator, rear gunner1
Engine (Type)   4: Rolls-Royce Merlin XX pistons2 4: Rolls-Royce Merlin 203
4: Rolls-Royce Merlin 223
4: Rolls-Royce Merlin 241,3
Cylinders   Inline2 Inverted inline1
Cooling      
HP   1,460 each2 Merlin 20: 1,280 each3
Merlin 22: 1,390 each3
Merlin 24: 1,620 each3
Propeller blades      
Dimensions      
Span 102'3
31.09 m3
102'2
31.09 m2
102'1
31.09 m1
Length 68' 10"3
20.98 m3
69' 6"2
21.18 m2
69'1
21.18 m1
Height 20' 4"3
6.18 m3
20'2
6.1 m2
20'1
6.25 m1
Wing area   1,297 ft2 2
120.49 m2 2
1,296 ft2 1
120.49 m2 1
Weight      
Empty 41,000 lb3
18,600 kg3
36,900 lb2
16,738 kg2
36,923 lb1
16,783 kg1
Loaded 68,000 lb3
30,845 kg3
  67,859 lb1
30,845 kg1
Loaded with 14,000 lb /
6,350 kg
bombs
  68,000 lb2
30,845 kg2
 
Maximum overload 72,000 lb3
32,660 kg3
   
Performance      
Speed @ 11,480' /
3,500 m
    286 mph1
462 kph1
Speed @ 11,500' /
3,500 m
    Merlin 24: 287 mph3
Merlin 24: 462 kph3
Speed @ 11,500' /
3,505 m
  287 mph2
462 kph2
 
Cruising speed     Merlin 24: 215 mph3
Merlin 24: 347 kph3
Climb     Merlin 24: 270'/minute3
Merlin 24: 82 m/minute3
Climb to 20,000' /
6,095 m
  41.6 minutes2  
Service ceiling   24,500'2
7,470 m2
Merlin 24: 24,500'3
24,492'1
Merlin 24: 7,465 m3
7,467 m1
Range     Merlin 24: 2,678 miles3
Merlin 24: 4,310 km3
Range with 10,000 lb
bomb load
    Merlin 24: 1,040 miles3
Merlin 24: 1,673 km3
Range with 13,970 lb /
6,350 kg
bomb load
    1,674 miles1
2,700 km1
Range with 14,000 lb /
6,350 kg
bomb load
  1,660 miles2
2,671 km2
 
Armament     9: 7.7 mm Browning MG1
Nose turret   2: 7.7 mm MG2  
Dorsal turret   2: 7.7 mm MG2  
Ventral turret   2: 7.7 mm MG2  
Tail turret   4: 7.7 mm MG2  
Nose, dorsal, tail turrets 8: 0.303" MG3    
Ventral - some models 2: 0.303" MG3    
Bombs 14,000 lb3
6,350 kg3
14: 1,000 lb bombs2
14: 454 kg bombs2
14,000 lb1
6,350 kg1

Sources:

  1. Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
  2. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
  3. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
  4. Lancaster Squadrons 1942-43, Jon Lake, 2002
  5. Lancaster Squadrons 1944-45, Jon Lake, 2002
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