NAME | DESCRIPTION |
AVRO LANCASTER | The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era. The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for “world-wide use”. Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. |
NICKNAME/INFORMATION | SERIAL NUMBER | NAME OF MUSEUM | CITY | STATE/COUNTRY |
BUILT BY METROPOLITAN-VICKERS IN MANCHESTER AS MK. I. DELIVERED TO 83 SQUADRON, RAF SCAMPTON, 29 JUNE 1942 AS OL-Q “QUEEN.” TRANSFERRED TO THE | R5868 | ROYAL AIR FORCE MUSEUM | LONDON HENDON | UNITED KINGDOM |
BUILT AT VICTORY AIRCRAFT IN MALTON, ONTARIO AS MK. X. FLOWN TO ENGLAND 3 JANUARY 1945. RESTORED USING PARTS FROM AVRO LINCOLN RF342. SOLD TO IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM IN 1986. WENT ON DISPLAY IN NOVEMBER 1994. WEARS ORIGINAL LIVERY | KB889 | IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM | DUXFORD | UNITED KINGDOM |
BUILT AT VICTORY AIRCRAFT IN MALTON, ONTARIO AS MK. X. FLOWN TO ENGLAND 8 MARCH 1945 AS MK. X. ASSIGNED TO 425 SQUADRON AS KW-K. DID NOT FLY ANY SORTIES AND RETURNED TO CANADA 15 JUNE 1945. STORED AT BCATP FORT MACLEOD. CONVERTED TO MK.10S BY FAIREY AVIATION, EASTERN PASSAGE, NOVA SCOTIA. SERVED WITH 404 SQUADRON AT RCAF GREENWOOD. STRUCK OFF JANUARY 1957.[5] STORED AT RCAF DUNNVILLE. RESTORED BY RCAF. PURCHASED BY NATIONAL AVIATION MUSEUM IN MAY 1964. WEARS LIVERY OF KB760 OF 428 SQUADRON. | KB944 | CANADA AVIATION AND SPACE MUSEUM | OTTOWA | ONTARIO |
SPECIFICATIONS | DESCRIPTION |
STATUS | DISPLAY |
MANUFACTURER | Victory Aircraft Ltd. |
FIRST FLIGHT | 9 JANURARY 1941 |
INTRODUCTION | FEBURARY 1942 |
MODEL | AVRO LANCASTER |
CREW | 7 |
MAX T/O WEIGHT | 15,985 kg (35,240 lb) |
SPAN | 31.09 m (102 ft) |
LENGTH | 21.1 m (69 ft 6 in) |
HEIGHT | 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) |
MAXIMUM SPEED | 438 km/h (272 mph) |
CRUISE SPEED | 322 km/h (200 mph) |
RATE OF CLIMB | 277 m (910 ft) /min |
POWERPLANT | FOUR ROLLS-ROYCE (PACKARD) MERLIN 224, 1,620-HP, 12 CYLINDER VEE ENGINES |
RANGE | 2,671 km (1,660 mi) |
SERVICE CEILING | 7,530 m (24,700 ft) |
ARMAMENT | F.N. 5 front turret: F.N. 20 rear turret: F.N. 50 mid-upper turret: Two 0.303 machine guns Four 0.303 machine guns Two 0.303 machine guns |