Avro Chief Designer Roy Chadwick had been already working on an improved Avro Manchester design, using four of the more reliable but less powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, fixed on larger wings. Its initial three-finned tail layout was quickly changed on the second prototype DG and subsequent production aircraft, to the familiar twin-finned specification.
The Avro Avro Lancaster is officially described as a mid-wing, cantilever monoplane with an all-metal fuselage. The wings were constructed in five main sections, as was the fuselage.
All the main sections were built separately, often at different locations. All the required equipment was fitted before transport to various sites for final assembly. Initially, the Avro Avro Lancaster was powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin water-cooled piston engines driving De Havilland Hydromatic three-bladed airscrews, with a retractable main landing gear and fixed tail-wheel. The majority of the aircraft built during the war years were manufactured by Avro at their factory at Chadderton near Oldham, Lancashire.
They were then assembled and test flown from Woodford Aerodrome in Cheshire. In later years, some were also produced at Chester and Castle Bromwich both Vickers-Armstrong factories.
Utilising a long, unobstructed bomb bay meant the Avro Avro Lancaster could take even the largest bombs used by the RAF, including, the 4,, 8,, or 12, lb Blockbusters. The versatility of the aircraft was such that it was chosen to equip Squadron, modified to carry the Barnes Wallis designed Upkeep 'Bouncing bomb' and used during Operation Chastise, the attack on Germany's dams in the Ruhr Valley. Although the Avro Avro Lancaster was primarily a night bomber, it excelled in many other roles including daylight and precision bombing raids.
In the latter role, some were adapted to carry the 12, lb Tallboy and ultimately, the 22, lb Grand Slam Earthquake bombs also designed by Wallis. Avro Lancaster Last aircraft. The Avro Avro Lancaster also took on a role as a long range anti-submarine patrol aircraft although it was later supplanted by the Avro Shackleton , especially in air-sea rescue operations.
It also performed roles as diverse as photo-reconnaissance and aerial mapping. It served as a flying tanker for aerial refuelling whilst in its later jet powered Avro Lancastrian configuration, it was operated by the likes of BOAC as a long-range, high-speed transatlantic VIP passenger and postal delivery airliner. Minor details were changed throughout the production series such as the pitot head design which was changed from being on a long mast at the front of the nose to a short fairing-mounted probe on the side of the fuselage under the cockpit.
Production aircraft had Merlin 22 and 24 engines. Avro Lancaster B. One example built before order cancelled when war ended. Number built Comments 7, All marks and variants. Variant Location and website Avro Lancaster B.
For the Tallboy, the bomb bay doors were bulged slightly whilst for the Grand Slam, they were removed completely and the area faired over. For some Tallboy raids the mid-upper turret was also removed. It resulted from design work undertaken by Roy Chadwick and his Avro team to overcome the problems experienced with the twin-engined Manchester bomber. The prototype made its first flight in January With an impressive performance and excellent flying characteristics it soon established its superiority over other allied four-engined bombers operating in Europe.
The industrial and military organisation needed to build and operate the Lancaster was huge. Six major companies built aircraft at ten factories on two continents; at the height of production over 1,, men and women were employed working for over companies. More service personnel were involved in flying and maintaining it than any other British aircraft in history. They endured danger and discomfort and many showed great courage in continuing to fly knowing the odds against survival were high. I wonder if there is any record in the company minutes, if these exist from that period?
I know this all seems a little trivial in the grander scheme of things, but I am sure many a Lancastrian would like to know if someone in Avro had a soft spot for the olde town! Or was it, as I suspect, a purely random choice with no inner politics whatsoever. The Air Ministry liked bomber aircraft names to have a historical significance, hence Blenheim, Bolinbroke,Hampden and Lancaster. I have read, however, that in suggesting the name "Battle", C. Fairey was thinking more of his dealings with the Air Ministry than with the small town in Sussex.
The summary I took from the three or four letters making up the file is thus:. Three names were proposed by the Company: Sandringham with its obvious Royal connections, Lincoln for its association with Bomber Command and Stafford as recognition for the support provided to the RAF. Letters from Bomber Command show a reluctance to accept a new name. One letter concluded that the Lancaster had achieved considerable fame, and it might therefore be regarded as a pity to abandon the name. And I have seen a reference to this somewhere else, but sadly the 'where' eludes me.
Just shows that some thought and politics did go into the choosing of names even at a time when the most important thing was churning them out as fast as possible! Author: reader Time Stamp: Saturday, January 8, Post: All I have to add is that these days, we forget that Manchester was in Lancashire,hence the name maybe? The very next line states. And the follow-on, the Lincoln, was originally a variant of the Lancaster.
I think that tne Air Ministry, in accepting the name "Lancaster" would have been thinking of the Duke, rather than the town. I thought this debate might have run out of steam! The most promising line - which could settle this matter once and for all - is that quote from Holmes's book. My only thought now is: what was the source of information for his statement that it was selected by Chadwick as a tribute to the capital town?
Did this come from Chadwick directly? The reference to the Yorkshireman is really funny in the light of the Wars of the Roses which still continue to this day in some quarters. It is also an interesting suggestion that it could be the Duke of Lancaster too Hinaidi,Hyderad,Halifax,Vickers Valencia,etc.
The practice seems to have ended with the Canberra. Especially if you take their title rather than their personal name. However, the company would be well aware of any other links that could be of PR benefit. If reference to the source of the rule is available anywhere it'll be there. I'm not sure about the publisher, but I suspect Airlife. As I don't have the book, then reference must be found somewhere else, but in nearly 50 years of reading I cannot tell you where.
I suspect, however, that they will merely talk about it without specifying any specific Ministry document.
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